Mesa eyes building regional recycling plant
BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer
Mesa will resume its suspended recycling program later this month while pursuing a potential long-term solution through construction of an East Valley regional recycling center estimated to cost $30 million-$38 million.
Mesa residents are being asked to “retrain” themselves after a six-month recycling hiatus by being careful to put the right kinds of garage into blue and green barrels when pickup
beings Oct. 26.
While the regional center would free the city from the risk of price increases, cancelation of contracts and even uncertainty over whether the material actually get recycled, it also would require regional cooperation along with the high price tag.
Of�icials said Gilbert has expressed interest in joining the effort, though Mesa has months of negotiations with the town and other municipalities before it can determine whether the plan is feasible and affordable.
Mesa does not generate enough recyclable
material to make such a facility pay off, so it would need other municipalities’ beer and soda cans, plastic bottles and other items to make the project worthwhile.
Mesa City Council has not made a commitment to build a regional facility, but it tentatively backed the concept and asked Scott Bouchie, environmental management and sustainability director, to pursue the plan further and report back in six months.
Bouchie’s report, which is based on consul-
E. Mesa plan for townhomes riles neighbors
BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer
For decades, residents of a unique deadend street in East Mesa enjoyed a quiet life living on large ranch style lots.
They haven’t minded AT Still University being located next door and a state maintenance yard at the end of Recker Road where they live.
But now they are concerned that a proposed townhouse development, called Zen on Recker, will damage their pastoral atmosphere, creating more traf�ic congestion and
Mesa Mayor John Giles on Oct. 8 inspected the new exhibits at the Mesa Historical Museum during a celebration to mark the
locations throughout the East Valley.
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String of robberies, carjackings ends in arrest
BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer
Mesa and Chandler police ended a violent series of armed robberies, car jackings and a shooting when they arrested a 34-year-old suspect on suspicion of numerous felonies at a Chandler hotel room.
Guillermo Reyes is accused of 19 felonies committed within a four-day span in Mesa, Chandler and Scottsdale.
The spree included �ive armed robberies of six victims, with �ive cars and trucks stolen at gunpoint and later found abandoned, police said.
The stolen vehicles ranged from a Mercedes to a pickup truck and �inally a Ford Mustang.
Police arrested Reyes inside the motel room on Oct. 9, after a standoff with the Chandler SWAT team that ended when the suspect eventually surrendered.
Police said the crimes occurred between Sept. 29 and Oct. 2.
Inside the hotel room, police found a handgun and ammunition that they linked to the �irst incident in central Mesa, when Reyes is accused of �iring several shots on Sept. 29 at two men who were outside the Diamonds Sports Grill.
“At least 12 rounds were �ired at the vic-
tims, who were seated in their vehicle. Both victims suffered minor grazing wounds. Neither victim knew why they were �ired upon or what might have precipitated the suspect’s actions,’’ according to Detective Nik Rasheta, a Mesa police spokesman.
The victims were able to give police a good description of Reyes, including that he was stocky and was wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap.
Rasheta said the ammunition recovered by police from the hotel room matched the bullets used in the shooting.
Beyond the high level of violence, perhaps the strangest twist in the case oc-
curred on Oct. 2, when police found a stolen GMC Sierra in the 500 block of W. Erie in Chandler.
“A short time later, Guillermo robbed a 10th victim on the same street at gunpoint. He forced the victim inside his home and apparently sought to throw police off his trail by stealing the victim’s clothes,” Rasheta said.
“Guillermo took off his own clothes and put on the victim’s clothing, which included a camou�lage shirt,” he added. “He left his clothes behind and �led in the victim’s blue Ford Mustang.’’
During the manhunt, police recovered a series of critical pieces of evidence that eventually helped them identify and track Reyes down.
One example was when police recovered a Dodgers cap and a backpack after it fell out of the stolen Sierra, Rasheta said. Police also located a trail of �ingerprints matching those of Reyes in stolen vehicles and even on some food containers after an armed robbery at an East Mesa barbeque restaurant.
“Mesa Police want to thank all the extremely observant victims and witnesses, the meticulous Crime Scene Specialists and especially the Chandler Police Department for helping us arrest a tremendously violent offender,’’ Rasheta said.
$20M revenue loss just the start of Mesa schools’ �iscal woes
BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor
Declining enrollment could cost Mesa Public Schools $20 million in the 2021-22 school year, administration of�icials told the Governing Board last week.
And that could be just the beginning of the school district’s �iscal challenges as it struggles to address the impact of the pandemic.
The $20 million revenue loss could mean cuts in personnel and services, Assistant Superintendent Scott Thompson suggested without elaboration.
“We do know that the school district has seen a big decline in enrollment and that will have a major �iscal impact as we move into 2022,” Assistant Superintendent Scott Thompson said.
Thompson did not provide any enrollment data and a district spokeswoman
said the data were not readily available.
The bulk of money that school districts receive from the state is based on average daily membership, or ADM.
Thompson said it the district must “be prudent with our dollars spent” in 2021 “to be prepared for what’s to come in 22.”
“We can make adjustments but as we always talk, about 85 to 90 percent of our budget is people,” he continued. “So, when we’re talking about the kind of dollars to adjust, for example, to the amount of ADM we’ve lost at this point, we’re talking over $20 million and that’s not going to be found in some closet. That’s going to involve people.
“So, we’re trying to understand where we’re going. We’re certainly hoping students return. We’re hoping ADM improves. We don’t know all of that yet, but our reality is Fiscal Year 22 could be a very dif�icult year.”
The impact of the long campus closures
on enrollment has been a consistent worry for Mesa board members.
They have frequently voiced concern over the last few months that frustrated parents might transfer their children to private or charter schools – which have provided consistent competition for students long before the pandemic.
In a presentation to the board earlier this year, surveys indicated that as much as 10 percent of parents of kindergarten children in the district were not planning to send their kids to Mesa schools and district of�icials said they would be making an effort to persuade them to change their minds.
Even without transfers, state reimbursement to Mesa and all other school districts has been impacted by online learning because the per-pupil reimbursement rate is lower than it is for each student in a classroom.
The Mesa Tribune is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy
GUILLERMO REYES
Mesa Historical Museum reopens after long shutdown
TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
Since mid-March the Mesa Historical Museum hasn’t seen any visitors.
Yet, while it was closed by the pandemic like so many other venues as well as businesses, that doesn’t mean the museum was devoid of any human beings.
“Although our doors have been closed, museum staff has been busy working behind the scenes creating new exhibits for our visitors to enjoy,” said museum Executive Director Susan Ricci.
But all that work is now open for public inspection as the museum at 2345 N. Horne reopened on a modi�ied schedule last weekend. During October, it will host visitors 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday but they must reserve a time to come by calling 480-835-2286.
At a modest gala attended by city of�icials and a few other community dignitaries on Oct. 8, the museum previewed the new exhibits staff has been working on
during the long closure.
“Women in Aviation” honors the contributions by women aviators who lived, worked and �lew in Arizona.
Notable aviatrixes, such as Ruth Reinhold, Ruby Wine Sheldon, Jacqueline Cochran, Jeannie Flynn and Martha McSally are some of the pilots featured in this new exhibit, which covers more than 100 years of aviation history in Arizona.
“Mesa’s Founding Families” showcases a wide array of collections and stories from members of the �irst founding families who settled in the Mesa/Lehi area.
Represented in the Founding Families exhibit are items from a host of city ancestors with names like Rogers, Dana, LeSueur, Crismon and MacDonald.
The collection includes clothing and other personal belongings of the pioneer families and their descendants.
There is also an interactive front porch within the exhibit which will feature rotating oral histories from founding families.
After getting a start in the 1940s, the museum was incorporated in 1966 by citizens concerned about preserving Mesa’s rich history.
Its original home was at the old City Hall building downtown
that now houses the Arizona Museum of Natural History.
While that venue focuses on the natural history of the region – including archaeology and paleontology – the Mesa Historical Museum is dedicated to exploring and preserving Mesa’s heritage.
It operates out of the Old Lehi school building that was built on land donated to the Lehi Settlers by the Rogers family in the 1880s. The building, constructed in 1914, replaced an adobe school house that had outgrown its usefulness by the early 1910s.
The replacement building was expanded in the Roaring Twenties with the addition of two new classrooms. During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, the Works
Progress Administration made additional improvements, including the auditorium.
The auditorium was so well constructed that it was designated as the community bomb shelter during the Cold War.
Many years of improvements were not enough to save the school and it was condemned by the Mesa School District in 1976.
Slated for destruction, school of�icials discovered it would be more expensive to tear down the building because its auditorium was so sturdy.
The City of Mesa purchased the site and resold it to the Mesa Historical Museum in 1986.
The Historical Museum opened to the public in 1987.
Dignitaries and community leaders attended a small celebration Oct. 8 at the Mesa Historical Museum to celebrate its reopening after the long pandemic-driven shutdown. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Sta Photographer)
The Mesa Historical Museum’s Founding Families Exhibit room includes collections and photographs from the founding families who settled Lehi and Mesa. In the upper left photo is a kitchen with early 1900s majestic stove and below that is a dining area that belonged to Chancy and Elenor Rogers. The bedroom on the right has more family portraits, including that of Irene Pomeroy Crismon, the lone portrait over the nightstand.
All photos by Pablo Robles, Tribune Sta Photographer)
Memory loss clinic launches outpatient program
BY THE SUMMIT AT SUNLAND SPRINGS
For too long, memory loss has been seen as a natural and unavoidable part of aging. Fortunately, Valley residents now have an invaluable resource in fighting back against cognitive decline.
The Summit at Sunland Springs, under the medical direction of A Mind for All Seasons, recently announced the opening of their memory care services to outpatients, allowing participants to remain in their homes while receiving care.
Summit at Sunland Springs takes a multifactorial approach to helping people with memory loss
Research by Dr. Dale Bredesen uses a multifactorial approach that leverages how diet, physical activity, nutrients, hormones, and toxic exposures contribute to cognitive decline, and how those factors can be adjusted to slow, stop, and even reverse the effects of dementia. This led to the creation of The Enhance Protocol by A Mind for All Seasons.
The Enhance Protocol will be available to 10 individuals this October as part of a six-month group treatment.
The program includes a personalized treatment summary, weekly support group, brain training exercises, and nutrition plan. A memory coach facilitates with an easy-to-follow daily checklist that addresses the personal factors causing the cognitive decline.
For more information, call 480-907-0331, visit thesummitaz.com or email lori@thesummitaz.com.
The program will include lab panels that identify missing nutrients, minerals, toxins and hormone imbalances and address the root causes of dementia rather than masking the symptoms.
eventually even urban decay.
Ralph Pew, a prominent zoning attorney representing the developer, disagrees.
He says the site at Baseline and Recker roads is already busy and that the neighbors are exaggerating the traf�ic delays that might be created by residents of the 76 townhouses.
An almost identical, slightly larger project with 90 units, called Zen on Baseline, already has been approved by Mesa City Council and is in the early stages of construction on the nearby former site of Mesa’s iconic Rockin’ R Ranch country music venue.
The two Zen projects, both billed as luxury developments, are separated by an industrial park east of Recker Road that is home to an auto repair shop, a church and other uses.
Although Pew and city of�icials consider the two townhouse developments separate projects, residents are concerned about the impact of both combined once they are built.
They envision long delays entering and exiting Baseline Road and fear traf�ic accidents.
They considered Zen on Baseline less of an issue because it is farther from their homes and has its own traf�ic signal.
Zen on Recker generated a split vote at a Planning and Zoning Board meeting last month. It is scheduled to come before Council on Monday for a decision on a zoning change from agricultural to residential.
“This is a really good spot for townhouses,’’ Pew said.
He noted that few townhouse developments are available in the area for employees of A.T. Still and other medical facilities nearby. “The for-sale townhouse product is remarkable and in-demand.’’
er and Baseline. It’s not the overwhelming feeling the neighbors are portraying,’’ Pew told the Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 9 before it voted 3-2 to recommend that Council approve the project.
Pew said the two Zen projects “are a proverbial drop in the ocean compared to the traf�ic on Baseline.’’
But residents view Zen on Recker as a threat to their quality of life and plan to oppose it at Monday night’s council meeting even though they feel they are up against a persuasive, in�luential adversary in Pew.
“It doesn’t �it at all. It blows my mind that this is happening here,’’ longtime resident Kay Scott said. “I don’t understand why you would cram so many residences on a small piece of land here.’’
The site includes more than six acres. Part of it is vacant land at Recker and Baseline, but the developers are enlarging the area by demolishing two single family houses immediately to the north.
That leaves Scott’s house abutting Zen on Recker, making her and other neighbors fearful that the quality of life they have enjoyed will soon vanish.
“All of us have worked hard all of our lives,’’ Scott said, and enjoy living in the tight-knit community. “We want to have our elbow room.’’
He said the neighbors “have enjoyed a public street that was analogous to private driveway’’ for decades. “We’re not going to ruin their lives,’’ with the delay in getting on and off Baseline expected to amount to only four or �ive seconds longer.
“Yes, there will be a slight delay at Reck-
Although Zen on Recker features luxury units, with a unique deck on top of the garages for barbequing or watching a sunset, Scott fears the project will decay when the original owners move out and the condominiums start turning over.
��� ROCKIN ����
All that remains of the Rockin R Ranch country-music and western entertainment venue are phtos. These amusic recreations of an Old West town were torn down to make way for Zen on Baseline, a townhouse project that has started to come under construction. (Tribune file photos)
The area marked "site" is where the Zen on Recker townhomes would be located. Neighbors who oppose the project own property to the north of that site. (City of Mesa)
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Mesa, AZ — The most common method your doctor will recommend to treat your chronic pain and/or neuropathy is with prescription drugs that may temporarily reduce your symptoms. These drugs have names such as Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin, and are primarily antidepressant or anti-seizure drugs. These drugs may cause you to feel uncomfortable and have a variety of harmful side effects.
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tation with experts at Arizona State University, said it would likely take four to six years to bring such a regional facility to fruition.
“I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘charge me an extra buck or two, I want to get back into recycling,’’ Mesa Mayor John Giles said. “We have a commitment to recycling and sustainability.’’
But he added that all potential options for resurrecting the program depend on the cooperation of residents, with tolerance for contamination dropping along with many commodity prices.
“We need to be more sophisticated with our recycling,’’ Giles said.
Bouchie said he welcomes the return of recycling and that residents will need to demonstrate they want it through cooperation.
Green barrels are for yard waste, such as tree branches, while the blue barrels are for beverage bottles and cans, and paper products.
Plastic bags are the arch enemies of recycling machines and need to be dropped off at supermarket return bins.
“You can either be part of the solution or part of the problem,’’ Bouchie said. “I think the next several months will determine the future of what recycling looks like in Mesa.’’
Mesa’s program was suspended in March, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Arizona.
A recycling facility owned by Republic Services had burned down in October 2019 and other companies had either cancelled contracts or raised rates.
A contract with United Fibers remains in effect, but the contractor will only accept up to six tons of materials. Mesa generates more than 30 tons, leaving a shortfall until Republic rebuilds their plant by the third quarter of 2021.
Bouchie said that Gilbert, faced with many of the same issues as Mesa, has expressed preliminary support for the concept, but details are yet to be hammered out.
“We’ve had preliminary discussions
and they are de�initely interested,’’ Bouchie told Council on Thursday. “I think with the City of Mesa and Town of Gilbert, we could be at full capacity. With growth, I think we would be at full capacity in about 10 years.’’
Mesa already has selected a possible location for the regional facility – on some city owned property at Pecos and Sossaman roads, which is near the Gilbert border – he said.
Chandler and Queen Creek would have more dif�iculty participating in such a regional arrangement because they do not pick up their garbage, contracting instead with private companies that own private recycling facilities, Bouchie said.
City Manager Chris Brady said Mesa does not like being vulnerable to the decisions of private companies, which have cancelled contracts, raised rates, restricted what can be recycled and refused to even guarantee that recyclable materials would even get recycled.
“There may be a need for short term solutions. The regional solution would need to be vetted out more,’’ Brady said. “We know we can keep sputtering along and do
private sector contracts. We may end up doing a hybrid of two or three’’ options. Other options mentioned by Bouchie include building a smaller, cheaper facility that would only handle a portion of Mesa’s recycling or contracting with Phoenix, which operates two facilities of its own.
A Phoenix regional solution would involve building transfer stations, where loads of Mesa recycling would be loaded onto large trucks and delivered to a facility at 27th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, at a cost of about $20 million-$25 million.
Council members Jen Duff and Dave Luna immediately supported building a regional recycling center. Luna compared such an effort with regional agreements on wastewater treatment.
Councilman Kevin Thompson immediately opposed such a facility but expressed support for a less ambitious regional solution.
“I think recycling is important in our community. There are people willing to pay more to recycle,’’ Thompson said. “I like the regional plan but I am not a big fan’’ of the city building the facility.
But Luna said, “I think the regional arrangement will be positive. We know we need this. Why not share the cost’’ with other cities and towns?
Duff said Mesa residents need to get back into the habit of recycling.
Residents can visit mesarecycles.org and use a computer wizard that will help them identify what items qualify for recycling.
The general rule of thumb is, “when in doubt, keep it out,’’ to avoid spoiling a load with contamination.
Bouchie praised the efforts of Mesa residents overall, but his report highlighted the need for improvement.
While the green barrels were 88 percent clean, the blue barrels were 30 percent clean, with 56 percent exhibiting a need for further education of residents on which items qualify.
“If you have been using a blue barrel for trash, it’s time to up your game and get back to clean materials,’’ Duff said. “We need to recycle properly immediately. Now is the time to clean this up.’’
Phoenix has a recycling center but it would cost Mesa millions to ship its recyclables there. (Special to the Tribune)
Scott Bouchie, Mesa's environmental management and sustainability director, has six months to report back to Council on the feasibility of a regional recycling center. (Special to the Tribune)
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Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport sees uptick in activity
BY TYLER WEGLEITNER Tribune Contributor
Following months of restricted travel and stay-at-home orders caused by COVID-19, travelers are slowly starting to return to the skies at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
The east Mesa facility has seen a steadily increasing number of passengers returning to the airport in recent months and saw more travelers on Labor Day weekend this year than last.
“We have actually kind of bucked the trend a little bit,” said airport spokesman Ryan Smith.
He said that while “nationwide travel is down as much as 70 percent,” Gateway activity was down only 35 percent in August and September. However, activity at Gateway plummeted 93 percent in April and 61 percent in May.
Smith said that due to the signi�icant decline in passengers, a Starbuck's in the airport was forced to close and is unlikely to reopen.
He also said that the airport received over $20 million in federal pandemic re-
SCHOOLS ���� ���� 3
Gov. Doug Ducey in June allocated $200 million in stabilization grants to hold school districts harmless from enrollment declines and that lower reimbursement rate for online learning.
To qualify for those grants, districts have to meet several accountability requirements, such as conduct benchmark testing for students in math and English within the �irst six weeks of the school year.
Thompson told the board that Mesa could get as much as $17 million in stabilization money. But he warned that because the pot of available money is only $200 million, it was too early to tell if MPS would get that much.
“We’re in a dynamic situation and doing the best we can,” he added.
He also said Mesa is not alone on the loss of enrollment and subsequent decline in state reimbursement.
“There are districts throughout the Valley and throughout the state that have lost enrollment,” he said. “It’s the number one concern of many traditional school districts that there be some stabilization into
lief grants to support the airport following a sharp decline in traf�ic.
As a result of that funding, Smith said, “we made the commitment that we had to maintain our staf�ing levels at 90 percent.”
try,” he said.
Robin Cosand has been at the airport several times since the beginning of the pandemic.
She visited Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in June and September.
She said she felt safe each time and that the airport and other passengers were following health guidelines.
“Everybody was really nice and kept their mask on, 6 feet apart,” Cosand said. “I don’t remember there being anybody with a really bad attitude or hostility about it.”
Before �lying to Mesa on June 20, she researched how to keep herself safe onboard and was able to distance herself from other passengers.
“I was in a row by myself by the window… I turned all the air vents toward me in my row and wore my mask,” Cosand said.
Following an increasing number of travelers, her �light Sept. 25 was much different.
“Here at Gateway, most of our travel is focused on leisure travel so we have seen a rebound much quicker than other airports in other areas throughout the coun-
Smith said that while business travel is still limited, airports are seeing an increase in leisure travel.
next year �iscal year.”
Chief Financial Of�icer Daniel O’Brien also discussed how MPS is spending the $17 million it received from the state in federal pandemic relief.
In the last �iscal year ending June 30, MPS spent $10.4 million of that money on salaries for workers who would otherwise have been laid off.
Employees such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers were redeployed to other duties related to school closures in the spring. The district also spent $278,281 on virus-related supplies like disinfectant.
The balance of those funds will be spent in the current �iscal year, with $6.4 million going to supplies such as masks and other protective gear for students and staff and $78,968 for salaries, according to O’Brien.
Thompson also advised that the district is still studying how it will spend the rest of that pandemic relief money and �inal allotments would be determined in the near future.
“We all know that we already had a budget that was strapped and wasn’t rich in resources and, yes, we’re getting ad-
ditional assistance and that’s important,” Thompson said. “But we also have a lot of new demands and we’re learning and understanding what those demands are.”
As an example, he said maintenance personnel told him that three-gallon spray systems they were using to disinfect classrooms were “cumbersome and hard for our crew to get through the classrooms and they’re really having dif�iculty.”
“We need to move to a smaller version of that they can use just as effectively but we’re basically going to have to purchase something different because we didn’t quite understand how it was going to work when we started…That’s the learning experience.”
Thompson said the cumbersome system was “a reasonable cost item and now we’re replacing it with another reasonable cost item.
“We didn’t buy some fancy off $400 unit that doesn’t work anymore,” he continued, but added, “Those are the kind of things we’re kind of dealing with on a daily basis.”
While the district saved several million dollars on transportation costs during the closures, it also lost signi�icant revenue in
“That airplane was packed like sardines,” she said. “It was almost like it was
other budget areas, O’Brien said.
For example, while it received federal assistance to distribute free meals to students, he said, “we did not have the cash that was typically coming in from students either paying for lunch or receiving reimbursement on the federal lunch program, so that fund became very depleted because there was really no source to pay for that.”
While “we were getting some down payment for the curbside meals,” O’Brien said, that reimbursement “was on a much more limited basis than we typically get” for feeding students when campuses are open.
Consequently, money set aside for feeding students “got massively depleted,” he added.
O’Brien said one small bright spot is that the state’s overall revenue loss last �iscal year from business shutdowns and other pandemic-related factors was less than initially feared.
Yet, he said that unless the Legislature increases ADM reimbursement rates or provides additional budget stabilization money, Mesa could see at least a 6 percent gap between overall revenue and expenditures.
After the pandemic smothered airline travel for months, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is starting to see a resurgence in passengers eager to take advantage of the regional airlines that fly out of there. (Special to the Tribune)
Health expert fears COVID trend in state
BY ALLISON ENGSTROM Cronkite News
Aprominent health expert expressed worry last week about rising COVID-19 numbers across Arizona, saying the trend is reminiscent of early summer conditions that preceded a spike in cases and rollback of measures to reopen businesses.
“This is a moment to sort of stop and take measure and think hard about: What can we do to prevent this?” said Joshua LaBaer, executive director of Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute.
The institute tracks case trends across Arizona’s 15 counties as well as the nation.
LaBaer said 902 new cases were reported Wednesday morning by the Arizona Department of Health Services, and “we haven’t seen that in a while.” One week ago, that daily number of new cases was 786.
On Thursday, the state health department reported 1,102 new COVID-19 cases. Arizona has recorded a total 228,748 cases as of last Thursday and 5,789 deaths.
Cases are rising in Maricopa, Yuma, Navajo and Coconino counties, among others, he said.
COVID-19 metrics in Mesa’s ZIP codes vary widely in terms of cases per 100,000. All ZIP codes show a moderate level of virus spread with fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 people.
All ZIP codes are in the minimum spread category for the percentage of COVID-19 symptoms in hospital visits. But while most Mesa ZIP codes showed positive new test results in the minimal range, 85206 and 85204 were in the moderate category.
“In terms of numbers of new cases, we are on a path headed toward exponential growth,” LaBaer said. “The tricky thing about exponential growth is that it doesn’t look like it’s growing very fast at �irst. The numbers day over day don’t look like they’re big changes. But then all of a sudden, it really can take off.”
On May 29, the state reported 909 new cases. One month later, on June 29, the daily number peaked at 5,461.
When cases �irst began popping up
across Arizona in March, Gov. Doug Ducey and county and municipal leaders implemented policies to help prevent spread.
The closure of nonessential businesses, along with mask mandates, were credited with slowing the disease in the community.
But as cases started to decline, restrictions eased, too.
For example, schools across the state have been reopening, and in Maricopa County alone, 21 have reported COVID-19 outbreaks since August, according to county statistics.
MPS’ relatively new dashboard showing reported COVID-19 cases in its schools on Thursday showed a total 49 cases reported to the district. They involved 34 students and 15 adults, though �ive adult cases involved district of�ice personnel.
Among individual schools, Mesa High had the highest single total with 14, though the district does not differentiate at the school level between students and staff.
As of Oct. 1, no county in the state remained in the “substantial” transmission category, meaning restaurants, movie the-
aters, gyms and other businesses could begin reopening.
But there must be a balance between public policy and personal responsibility, LaBaer said, urging anyone in a public-facing job or who interacts with new people to get tested on a regular basis.
“We’re still not testing enough,” he said. “People are just not showing up.”
LaBaer noted that things might only get worse with Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving and the December holidays. He advises parents to proceed with caution if they plan to allow their children to trick or treat. He recommends wearing masks that cover nose and mouth, avoiding big groups of people and wiping off candy wrappers before the kiddos dig in.
Traditional trick-or-treating and indoor parties have been designated as high-risk activities by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
LaBaer said upcoming holiday parties should be kept small and restricted to immediate family, noting larger gatherings have been COVID-19 “super-spreaders.”
GOP lawmakers to examine governor’s powers
BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
Seven months into a gubernatorialdeclared emergency, top Republican lawmakers have created a panel that will examine whether the powers they have given to the governor need to be curtailed.
State Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, and Rep. Gail Grif�in, R-Hereford, were appointed to a panel formed by Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, and House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa.
It is charged with trying to determine if Arizona has the proper balance between the need of the state’s chief executive to respond to unforeseen events and the role of the Legislature in providing oversight.
Issues will range from what is needed to trigger a gubernatorial declaration of an emergency to exactly how long it can go on without needing legislative approval.
That last issue has become a sore point among some lawmakers who note that Gov. Doug Ducey declared an emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March and it is still in effect, with no hint from the governor of when he is ready to declare it over.
All indications are that won’t happen soon.
Ducey continues to use those emergency powers to limit the operations of businesses with everything from occupancy limits and bans on evictions to prohibitions against dancing in bars.
And Cara Christ, the state’s health director, has said she expects that bars, now closed for normal operations under Ducey’s directives, will not be able to resume normal operations until sometime next year.
State and federal judges have so far rebuffed various legal challenges to Ducey’s authority, saying the existing laws give him wide latitude, even to override certain laws.
Brett Johnson, a private attorney hired by Ducey and paid for with taxpayer dollars, has told judges there is no reason for them to intercede because lawmakers re-
GATEWAY ���� ���� 10
a normal �light from what I had �lown before COVID.”
main free, with a simple majority vote, to cancel any emergency.
That, however, is not a realistic solution when the Legislature is not in session, as is currently the case. It takes a petition with two thirds of both the House and Senate for lawmakers to call themselves in to even have the vote.
Fann told Capitol Media Services this isn’t about Ducey. She said the governors of all 50 states and the president all have had to deal with this unprecedented situation.
But she said the current situation isn’t what lawmakers had in mind when they granted governors broad powers.
“The assumption (was it) would be a Rodeo-Chedeski Fire,’’ the 2002 blaze that burned more than 468,000 acres in eastern Arizona, “or a 9-11 or something that would last a short duration,’’ Fann
Despite the �light being full, she said that staff did take necessary precautions to protect passengers, both in �light and at the airport.
According to a release, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport has implemented the Stay Healthy, Fly Safe initiative, aimed at protecting travelers from the coronavirus.
“Our Stay Healthy, Fly Safe initiative has helped to stop the spread of COVID-19
said. “Nobody foresaw that it would be something like this that could potentially for on for months.’’
Ducey appears cool to the whole idea of reviewing his powers – at least not while he’s still exercising them.
“These are unprecedented times, and there will be plenty of time for after-action reports once we’ve navigated through what’s in front of us,’’ said press aide Patrick Ptak. He said his boss is following the laws as they now exist.
But Ugenti-Rita told Capitol Media Services she already has some ideas of things that need change in the statutes.
One would be some sort of time limit on how long an emergency could last without getting the approval of state lawmakers for an extension.
Ugenti-Rita said there could be some �lexibility in how that is crafted. But she said the current situation is not acceptable.
“We’ve been in this now for seven months,’’ she said.
“So clearly, we have moved out of an emergency,’’ Ugenti-Rita continued. “Now we’re just in a state of crisis, I guess?’’
The result, she said, is that one branch of the government is running it.
There is precedent for such an approach.
The National Conference of State Legislatures says that in six states, the expanded executive power under an emergency has a built-in expiration date of between
and helped build consumer con�idence in the safety of air travel,” said airport CEO J. Brian O’Neill.
The initiative calls for increased cleaning, the promotion of social distancing and the addition of plexiglass barriers throughout the airport.
two and 60 days, depending on the state and the type of emergency.
“It makes sense that we have triggers in place and statutes in place to deal with unprecedented situations,’’ Ugenti-Rita said.
“But this has gone on for far too long, with no end in sight, minimal communication (from the governor) about what to expect,’’ she continued. “It’s completely gutted the legislature and we need to bring back the balance of power.’’
The state Health Code provides broad authority for the Department of Health Services during a state of war or a gubernatorial-declared emergency “in which there is an occurrence of imminent threat of an illness or health condition caused by bioterrorism, an epidemic or pandemic disease, or a highly fatal infectious agent or biological toxin that poses a substantial risk of a signi�icant number of human fatalities or incidents of permanent longterm disability.’’
Those powers include mandating treatment of vaccinations of those who have been exposed, quarantine of some individuals, mandating medical examinations for exposed persons, and ration of medicine and vaccines.
The more sweeping powers are in a separate section of Arizona law.
These give a governor who has declared a state of emergency “the right to exercise, within the area designated, all police power vested in the state.’’
The only statutory limit lawmakers have put on the governor in these situations is that she or he cannot impose new restrictions on the possession, transfer, sale, carrying, storage, display or use of �irearms.
Ducey has cited that section of law in everything from a now-expired stay-athome order to prohibiting residential evictions and telling businesses like restaurants, bars, gyms, �itness centers and water parks how they can operate.
Ugenti-Rita said she wants to begin hearings right away, “like yesterday.’’
Smith said the airport is following guidelines to protect travelers and he expressed optimism for the future.
“We’re excited for people to get back and start �lying,” Smith said. “If you’re comfortable traveling, there’s no better time than now to book �lights.”
Scottsdale Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita is co-chairing a legislative panel that will examine the governor's emergency powers. The pane;l was created by top legislative Republican leaders, including House Speaker Rusty Bowers of Mesa. (Special to the Tribune)
State has yet to address legal sports betting
BY SHANE DIEFFENBACH Cronkite News
More than two years after the federal ban on sports betting was lifted, Arizona is one of 28 states that have not passed legislation to legalize gambling on sports in-person or online.
A bill that would have legalized landbased sports books, Senate Bill 1525, with exclusive rights going to Native American tribes, was introduced in the Legislature in February, but it didn’t make it out of committee.
“There is a good, happy medium where we are not stepping on tribal toes,” said state Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, who co-sponsored the bill. “Because it could be done in such a way where everybody should be able to share and everybody could prosper.”
The main hurdle is the Arizona TribalState Gaming Compact, which voters narrowly passed by a 51 percent margin in 2002.
“You have to have all the tribes (in the gaming compact) agree and sign off on to anything additional or expansion in the compact, they all have to agree,” Borrelli said.
“It comes down to the gaming compact and how �lexible it is. The �irst step is getting the tribes to be on board with it, and then you have to go through the state side of it.”
The Arizona Compact consists of 16
“Hardly anyone goes to a condominium long-term,’’ she said. “It’s used as a stop-gap.’’
She said that because Zen on Baseline is on the other side of the industrial development, “it might be its own little neighborhood’’ and have little impact on her.
Tim Brown, another resident, said his neighborhood’s location is bound to increase the value of Zen on Recker with its grass and shade trees.
of the 22 federally recognized tribes in the state. However, Arizona’s biggest native group, the Navajo Nation, is not one of them.
“I think the Navajo Nation is very interested in sports betting and in �inding ways to expand their casino offerings,” said attorney Steven Hart, who represents the tribe.
Some Arizona of�icials believe the legalization of sports betting statewide
But he said Zen on Recker is likely to decrease the value of his and his neighbors’ properties for decades.
John Beebe, another resident, said he believes the traf�ic will be much worse than indicated by Pew’s traf�ic study, which was done during the business shutdowns in the early months of the pandemic.
“They did a traf�ic study when nobody was driving,’’ he said. “It’s always money, you know that. He’s part of the good old boys’ club.’’
But Pew and city of�icials say the town-
would be worth overcoming any obstacles. State Rep. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, has been working with Borrelli to highlight the bene�its legal sports betting can bring to the Grand Canyon State.
“It would be another source of revenue for the state,” Pierce said. “A lot of people want it (sports gambling); they’re doing it anyway.”
When it comes to online gambling, Arizona is one of just seven states without
houses �it Mesa’s general plan by encouraging a variety of housing along a busy street.
The Planning and Zoning Board was split between members who thought Zen on Baseline was a good �it, and others who worried it might create traf�ic bottlenecks.
“Have we worn out our welcome because we have lived here so long. Is that the message you want to send?’’ resident Russell Kennedy said. “We understand something will be built there, but this is the worst option.’’
online or mobile sports betting through major sites, such as FanDuel or DraftKings. No sports betting proposal in Arizona has mentioned online gambling.
“Any state that is considering legalizing sports betting needs to give serious consideration to mobile sports betting,” said Adam Candee, managing editor of Legal Sports Report.
“This is something that people across the country have shown is what they want,” Candee said. “If you look at New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which were two of the �irst to legalize sports betting, they are now averaging 90 percent of their bets each month being placed online.”
With COVID-19 stopping progress on legalization, Pierce remains con�ident Arizona could be one of the next states to permit sports betting.
He and Borrelli in March proposed House Bill 2813, which would legalize sports betting like SB 1525 but would allow both the commercial and tribal retail sportsbooks.
The bill was passed out of committee and introduced on the House �loor, but was tabled when the pandemic brought the session to an early end.
“The virus came along and kind of ended everything this year,” Pierce said. “But it’s there now for next year, and I’ve heard that bills like this that were ready to go to the �loor and the virus came for the next session they might be put on a fastrack to get out in front of all the other bills.”
Planning and Zoning Board member Tim Boyle said he understands neighbors want to protect their way of life, but he added, “I don’t see anything that prohibits this use. There’s already some different things going on in the neighborhood. There’s a mix going on.’’
Boyle supported Zen on Recker, while member Jeffrey Crockett voted against it based upon potential traf�ic issues along with fellow member Shelley Allen.
“I’m concerned there isn’t another way out,’’ Crockett said.
Sports books are eager to extend their online footprint in states like Arizona even though in-person better in places like Las Vegas have become largely empty because of the pandemic's impact on professional sports as well as travel. (Special to the Tribune)
Domestic Violence Awareness Night slated for Mesa online
Mesa will host Domestic Violence Awareness Night at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22 to honor survivors of – and those lost to –domestic violence.
Because of the pandemic, this year’s event is online and will be aired on Mesa 11’s YouTube channel at mesa11.com and mesaaz.gov.
“Domestic violence can have a devastating impact on individuals and families in Mesa, and this event is intended to raise awareness of that impact and to help stop violence before it occurs,” Mayor John Giles said.
The event will include remarks from Mayor Giles, Mesa City Magistrate Alicia Lawler, Assistant City Prosecutor Stacey Good and Victim Services Administrator Shelly Ward from the Mesa Family Advocacy Center.
The program will also feature two domestic violence survivors, including Laura
AROUND MESA
Pahules, founder and president of Control Alt Delete, a local nonprofit organization that helps survivors reset their lives after fleeing abusive relationships.
The program is hosted by the Mesa City Prosecutor’s O ce, Mesa Police Department and Mesa Family Advocacy Center.
The center houses police and social workers, the state Department of Child Safety, O ce of Child Welfare Investigations, prosecuting attorneys and on-site physicians who work together to reduce the trauma of physical and sexual abuse.
According to the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, someone dies in a domestic violence related incident every three days and one or more children witness a domestic violence incident every 44 minutes in Arizona.
Biggs, Stanton to speak at Statespersons confab
From health care and trade to infrastructure and immigration reform, Ari-
zona Congressmen Andy Biggs and Greg Stanton will share their plans for moving Arizona forward at the PHX East Valley Statespersons’ Event 10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 21, via Zoom.
The event will feature an update on business activity in the burgeoning East Valley and a discussion moderated by Fox 10 anchor John Hook.
Afterward, guests will have an opportunity to ask questions on a wide range of issues.
“This is a marvelous opportunity to get a perspective and update from our elected leaders on both sides of the aisle,” said Denny Barney, partnership president and CEO.
The event is presented by PHX East Valley Partnership and the East Valley Chambers of Commerce Alliance and sponsored by APS. There is no charge to attend.
For more information and to register, call 480-532-0641 or visit phxeastvalley. com.
Hatfield Medical slates webinars on Medicare
East Valley-based Hatfield Medical Group will hold free Medicare 101 online sessions to help people learn Medicare basics.
The live virtual class will provide information about Traditional Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage, Medicare Parts A and B, special enrollment requirements and options and the di erence between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement insurance plans.
Sessions are at noon and 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20.
To register: 480-216-3280 or email chrisf@smileinsgroup.com.
Pandemic creating havoc with state job numbers
BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
Arizona added 30,200 new jobs last month but the question of what that means in an unemployment rate is a little less certain.
On paper, the state Of�ice of Economic Opportunity puts the seasonally adjusted jobless rate for September at 6.7 percent. That follows a 5.9 percent �igure for August and 10.7 percent the month before.
What’s causing these wild swings is not the number of people working. It’s the number of people not working but reportedly looking.
The way the state �igures it, another 151,727 people joined the workforce between August and September. That includes both those working – a �igure that did not change markedly – and those who said they are looking.
But the month before, the workforce �igure dropped 151,220.
What’s going on? More to the point, are these swings real?
Doug Walls, the agency’s research administrator, said blame COVID-19.
Not the virus itself, he said, but the pandemic has resulted in some issues with the surveys of households that determine the size of the workforce along with other factors.
It starts with what Walls said is “the volatility that’s come from the COVID-19 pandemic.’’
“One thing that we’re hearing from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Labor is that there are challenges that the Local Area Unemployment Statistics are going through and the LAUS program is experiencing associated with the impacts of COVID-19 on the workforce movement,’’ he said.
That, he explained, is complicated by the fact that these numbers are based on a survey of just 1,400 Arizona households.
So, some big month-to-month changes in who is employed, who is not and who is looking – all pieces of determining the jobless rate – can play havoc with the data.
“It is a challenge to parse out whether those are actual changes in the economy or those are due to the large swings and large changes in the workforce because of
COVID,’’ he said.
Can the numbers now being released for September be counted on as reliable?
And was that 5.9 percent rate for August –which led Gov. Doug Ducey to crow about the recovery – accurate?
“Fair points,’’ Walls conceded. “This is something the BLS is working to address.’’
But making true comparisons month over month may be dif�icult.
Walls said BLS used some “modi�ied methodology’’ in coming up with the September �igures in an effort to address some of the drastic changes in the numbers.
Still, Walls said he believes the September numbers are accurate enough.
“They’re not making dramatic changes to the methodology or approach,’’ he said.
“The month-to-month comparisons are still justi�iable.’’
At least for the time being.
Walls pointed out that there is a “benchmarking’’ process where the numbers are reexamined at the end of the year, opening the door to retroactive adjustments to the �igures now being released.
But those revised and presumably more
accurate numbers won’t be available until March.
A clearer picture of the Arizona employment situation may come from a separate survey of employers.
It starts with that addition of 30,200 jobs. But fully a third of those were in public education, people who are not on annual contracts like food service workers and janitors who are returning to schools.
Private sector employment is up 19,400 month-over-month.
But the state is still far from being out of the woods.
Employment by private companies is still 85,500 below where it was the same time a year ago.
There were continued gains in wholesale and retail trade. In fact, Walls says that sector of the economy actually has regained all the jobs lost since February. All that, however, has been more than offset by losses elsewhere.
Leading that column is the state’s leisure and hospitality industry. It has shed 56,000 jobs in the past year, with another 24,300 lost in professional and business services.
Four Mesa schools earn foundation’s A+ award
TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
Four more Mesa public schools last week were named A+ Schools of Excellence, bringing to 26 the number of schools in the district that have received the coveted designation since 2016.
The honors came atop the foundation’s earlier designation of two Mesa Public Schools teachers on its annual list of the 10 best teachers in Arizona.
The Arizona Educational Foundation gave the honor to Mesa High, Highland Arts Elementary and Falcon Hill Elementary. It also gave a second consecutive A+ award to Mountain View High.
Over the past four years, other schools that have earned the A+ designation are Brinton, Crismon, Emerson, Field, Irving, Ishikawa, Jefferson, Las Sendas, Lincoln, Mendoza, Pomeroy, Sirrine, Taft, Washington, Whitman and Zaharis elementary schools; Summit Academy; Shepherd, Smith and Stapley junior high schools; and Red Mountain and Westwood high schools.
They receive an A+ School of Excellence banner and a $500 award and get to brag about the designation for four years before they must decide whether to pursue a new award.
And that’s no easy task.
Schools applying for this recognition take part in a rigorous process that includes a written application, on-site visits by a team of trained judges and participation by faculty, students and families.
Schools are evaluated in areas such as school culture, curriculum, leadership, assessment data and community involvement.
The foundation gave 34 schools the designation this year.
“The A+ School of Excellence™ Award
Ironically, two Mesa Public Schools teachers this year made the foundation’s list of the 10 best teachers in the state and one was among the �ive semi�inalists for the Teacher of the Year award that will be given out during an Oct. 23 virtual celebration.
shines a spotlight on the positive stories and successes occurring in public schools,” said foundation Executive Director Kim Graham.
“The application and evaluation process for this program is comprehensive and rigorous. We applaud these schools for exceeding expectations to meet their students’ needs and for achieving overall success despite the many challenges that face the education community statewide.”
The foundation’s mission is to identify, support and celebrate excellence in PreK-12 public schools through business
and community partnerships.
It sponsors a variety of programs for teachers, administrators and students.
Some programs shine a spotlight on excellence while others provide a steppingstone to help support schools and educators on the road to awesomeness.
In addition to the Arizona Teacher of the Year program, the foundation also coordinates the Arizona State Spelling Bee, the A+ School of Excellence Award, the Principals Leadership Academy of Arizona, teachSTEM and Take Your Legislator to School.
Taryn Tidwell, the drama, middle school choir and musical theater teacher at Shepherd Junior High made the list and was named an Arizona Ambassador for Excellence and Lauren Cluff, a reading interventionist for K-6 students at Hughes Elementary School was one of �ive semi�inalists for Teacher of the Year. Ambassadors for Excellence receive a $5,000 cash award, a scholarship to pursue National Board Certi�ication and other professional opportunities and all 10 are honored on the �ield during the Fiesta Bowl and in the Fiesta Bowl Parade. The foundation was founded in 1983 by then State Superintendent of Public Education Carolyn Warner, who felt a nonpro�it needed to be established to champion public education and recognize the work of public-school educators.
“The A+ School of Excellence award is a powerful energizer for increasing public con�idence in recognized schools, often resulting in greater parent and community involvement and even serves as an economic driver for some communities,” the foundation noted.
“A+ Schools are celebrated and recognized as exceptional,” it said, adding the designation “spotlights the positive successes happening in public schools every day.”
Besides picking four Mesa schools for A+ Schools of Excellence designation, the Arizona Educational Foundation earlier selected two MPS teachers for its top 10 teachers in 2020, including Shepherd Junior High music teacher Taryn Tidwell, who was named an Ambassador for Excellence. Not pictured is Hughes Elementary reading interventionist Lauren Clu one of five semifinalists for Teacher of the Year. (Mesa Public Schools)
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Mesa helping Spanish-speaking restaurateurs
BY SARAH NGUYEN Tribune Contributor
The City of Mesa has launched a special bootcamp in Spanish to rejuvenate restaurants affected by COVID-19.
The Mesa CARES Restaurant Bootcamp is being held every Saturday through six webinars for 12 qualifying participants.
The city and Local First Arizona offered the restaurant bootcamps in English throughout the summer as part of the Mesa CARES Small Business Technical Assistance Program that was made possible through the $93 million federal pandemic-relief money Mesa received earlier this year.
A survey released last month by the National Restaurant Association reported that a staggering 100,000 restaurants have closed on a permanent or long-term basis in the U.S. since the pandemic began – putting one of every six eateries out of business and resulting in the loss of three
million restaurant jobs.
“Most restaurants are still struggling to
survive and don’t expect their position to improve over the next six months,” the as-
sociation said of a survey of 3,500 eateries.
It noted that one of the big reasons is that restaurant spending is down 34-60 percent and that operational costs are higher because social distancing guidelines have forced eateries to rely on few diners at any one sitting.
While the exact number of Mesa restaurant closures is unknown, of�icials said they hope to help eateries recover.
The city has undertaken other efforts aimed at restaurants. During a summer, for example, it marketed the Mesa Family Take Out Night on Wednesdays for downtown restaurants.
“We won’t know for sure until later in the year, but we’re hoping that they can sustain their businesses for the next few weeks,” said Jaye O’Donnell, the city assistant economic development director.
The bootcamps address a wide range of operation issues and systems as well as things like marketing and menu creation.
Mesa employees address their workplace diversity
BY KENZEL WILLIAMS Tribune Contributor
Agroup of Mesa employees is working to improve the city’s diversity initiative from within.
The Mesa Hispanic Council is looking to help city workers gain new connections and skill sets to advance through their careers. The organization provides various programs throughout the year for members.
City of Mesa Diversity and Community eEgagement Administrator Andrea Alicoate said that MHN is open to all city employees.
“Recruiting diversity within any organization does not just mean having to try and look externally from the candidate pool or who’s applying for jobs,” said Alicoate.
“It’s also about how to support those that are already in the organization.”
Through MHN’s programs, city employees learn a
variety of skills to help them develop professionally and advance in their careers.
According to Isaias Garcia Romero, City Council assistant and chair of MHN, the organization has an apprenticeship program that teaches basic communication and technical skills such as Microsoft Excel and Word, while also improving on leadership qualities and attitude awareness.
“It’s the whole person we want to develop and be able to do this professionally.”
Zenia Cornejo, airport administration supervisor and vice chair of MHN, highlighted the council’s goals to set up members for success with these programs.
“One of our goals is to provide other city employees with some tools so that they can navigate and work through self-development for promotions,” said Cornejo. “They could have a better understanding of what is expected of them and what
Los Dos Molinos owner John Gabaldon said the pandemic has been brutal for his and other restaurants and said Mesa city employees have been helpful, though he wonders why the state hasn't done more to helping eateries.
(Special to the Tribune)
Andrea Alicoate, diversity for community engagement administrator for the City of Mesa, hopes the Mesa Hispanic Council will bring the city workforce and the city general closer to diversity goals. (Special to the Tribune)
3 boys’ company mixes business and service
BY STACI HAUK Tribune Contributor
Cooper Johnson’s urge to give back to the community started when he was 5.
Seven years later, he and his brothers Travis and Daniel own the Good Care Company, specializing in pet care and serving Gilbert and Chandler with plans to expand to Tempe as well.
Hard work and serving others motivated Cooper to “get a job” even though he was so young. His passion for animals and people alike led to this successful home and dog care company.
“The boys do everything from dog walking and dog waste pick-up to other animal care, age-appropriate landscaping and odd jobs,” the boys’ mother Stacy Johnson explained.
Cooper, Travis and Daniel Johnson have a company that’s more devoted to serving the community than making money. (Special to the Tribune)
She said some customers are elderly and need assistance with dog walking or help with moving trash cans while others need light maintenance work like changing light bulbs.
BOOTCAMP ���� ���� 19
Any business, not just restaurants, also can apply for technical assistance from the city at MesaAz.Gov/CARESBizTechAssist.
O’Donnell said some restaurants have had challenges trying to adapt to safety guidelines for social distancing.
“Some businesses have had challenges modifying their business models,” she said, “They’ve had to pivot.”
Violeta Cortez, a co-owner of Sol Azteca Mexican Kitchen in Mesa, experienced such struggles.
“With this being a new virus, new procedures and guidelines were implemented on a daily basis,” she said, “We had to take extra precautions to make sure we were
DIVERSITY ���� ���� 19
“Cooper enlisted his brothers when he couldn’t take on a task,” Johnson said.
“Travis has even become the ‘director of droppings’ as he helps with yard clean up.”
doing the right things to keep our employees and guests safe.”
While juggling the constantly changing guidelines, she also worried about the �inancial well-being of her staff.
According to a study in 2019 by the National Restaurant Association, more than 241,000 Arizonans work in the food industry and represent 11 percent of the state’s total workforce.
“We knew that this was the only source of income they had and cutting their hours or letting them go was not an option for us,” Cortez said of her employees.
But Cortez said trying to save jobs in the early months of the pandemic was dif�icult, explaining that when non-essential businesses were ordered closed in April,
Like the rest of the city, Mesa Hispanic Network is adapting to the pandemic.
Cooper is a student at Willis Junior High in Chandler. Travis attends CTA Liberty in Chandler and Daniel goes to Perry High School in Gilbert.
All three boys are leaders at their schools, serving on the student council as well as participating in various clubs and sports. They also are members of the National Elementary Honor Society.
When the boys were all at CTA Liberty years prior, Good Care Company served as a company sponsor for a school fundraiser, donating seed money to enable the school to earn 10 times as much in pro�its.
“In this time of a pandemic, the boys have helped a local teacher fund her program, enabling learning tools for the deaf community to be more successful in their virtual environment.”
Positive feedback and word of mouth have helped the Good Care Company grow and expand into new communities.
Typical of why is a recent customer who said that she was having problems with a
“we did see a 40 percent drop in sales.”
Los Dos Molinos owner John Gabaldon also suffered from the pandemic’s �inancial wallop.
“We are only able to operate at a 50 percent occupancy, but the bigger issue is that customers are not dining out nearly as much,” he said.
The pandemic also halted various events that directly impacted his family-owned and operated chain of restaurants that have been a �ixture in Arizona since 1977.
“We lost out on snowbirds, spring training, graduations and parties of all sorts,” he said.
Cortez, who had already applied for the Payroll Protection Program, expressed gratitude to the City of Mesa and excite-
young, overly energetic dog.
She asked the boys to come swim with the dog a few times a week and it made an immediate difference. The dog is calmer at night and enjoys getting right in the water with boys whereas he was not a swimmer in the past.
The Good Care Company has a number of standing dog walking and waste pick up jobs as it is more cost effective to use a local company in these dif�icult times.
The boys’ personalized attention is often described as a “client perk” as well.
Johnson says she is proud of the boys and their continued perseverance, “Instilling good values and hard work is an important part of parenting.
“My husband Rich and I want our kids to understand the value of money and hard work, as well as the correlation,” she said. “This, coupled with serving the community, is paramount. As the boys continue to grow, they can do more too. Imagine what it will be like when they can drive!”
ment for the new program.
“Every time we called the City of Mesa with questions, they always had an answer,” she said.
Though Gabaldon was similarly impressed with the city’s handling of this issue, he could not help but wonder if more could have been done by the state.
“I’ve seen a lot of businesses suffering and shutting down,” he said, “For the state of Arizona to have not closed us down and placed such stringent guidelines, maybe things would be different.”
As for what lies ahead, he and his family are determined to continue the legacy of their restaurant.
“We are playing with the cards dealt to us,” he said, “Just doing the best we can.” they can expect.”
MHN also hosts lunch and learn sessions, which provides networking opportunities for members. In one of last year’s events, participants learned about lowrider culture in Arizona, which is a prominent feature of Latino culture in the Southwest.
“It’s a big concept in one package,” said Romero. “That’s what we try to do with the lunch and learns.”
Alicoate noted that the network switched to Zoom meetings and followed practices that the rest of the city adopted to lower virus spread.
This year’s apprenticeship program was cancelled but Romero is looking forward to starting it up again next year.
The executive team spent the summer producing new strategic plans for the next two years to create meaningful programs for �ield employees.
“To adapt to this situation, we had to take this time frame to reevaluate how we can do that for �ield personnel who typically don’t have laptop access out in the �ield,” said Romero.
According to Alicoate, MHN is getting ready for their �irst virtual event soon – a peer mentorship group session that will focus on work-life balance and allow members to discuss today’s work lifestyles.
Cornejo said that safety is the organization’s number one priority, but they’re still looking to increase membership. She
wants to bring awareness to more employees, as any city worker can join.
“Deep down inside, we’re a very passionate group who really wishes to increase the skillset of employees and guide them,” said Cornejo.
Alicoate hopes that MHN’s efforts will bring Mesa closer to its diversity initiative goals while also helping the city as a whole.
“This is really only going to better the community based on the city supporting the employees from within,” she said.
Stand Against Tyranny. Stand With Trump.
“Our Historic Way of Life is at Stake” Open Letter from Military Leaders to the American People
As senior leaders of America’s military, we took an oath to defend the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. At present, our country is now confronted with enemies here and abroad, as well as a once in a century pandemic.
As retired military officers, we believe that Donald J. Trump has been tested as few other presidents have and is the proven leader to confront these dangers. It can be argued that this is the most important election
ADM. Thomas B. Hayward, USN, Ret., ADM. Jerome L. Johnson, USN, Ret., ADM Leighton Smith, USN, Ret., ADM. Steven White,USN, Ret.ADM Paul Yost, USCG, Ret., LTG Edward Anderson, USA, Ret., LTG Emil “Buck” Bedard, USMC, Ret, LTG William G. Boykin, USA, Ret.LTG Dennis Cavin, USA, Ret., LTF James Chambers, USAF, Ret., LTG Matthew T. Cooper, USMC, Ret. LTG, Gordon E. Fornell, USAF, Ret.LTG Jay Garner, USA, Ret, LTG Stan Green, USA, Ret,.LTG Earl Hailston,USMC, Ret.,LTG D.J. Heljlik, USMC, Ret,.LTG James H. Johnson, Jr., USA, Ret, . LTG Timothy A. Kinnan,USAF, Ret., LTG James M. Link, USA, Ret.LTG Frederick McCorckle, USMC, Ret. LTG Thomas McInerney, USAF, Ret.,LTG Thomas J. Owen, USAF, Ret.LTG Garry L. Parks, USMC, Ret. LTG Clifford H. Rees, USAF,Ret.LTG James C. Riley, USA, Ret. LTG Richard M. Scofield, USAF, Ret.LTG Leroy Sisco, USA, Ret.LTG Ellie G. Shuler, Jr., USAF, Ret.LTG Hubert G. Smith, USA, Ret.LTG David Teal, USAF, Ret. LTG William Thurman, USAF, Ret.LTG Garry Trexler, USAF, Ret. LTG Thomas C. Waskow, USAF, Ret.LTG Ronald L. Watts, USA. Ret.
LTG R. L. Wetzel, USA, Ret.LTG John W. Woodmansee, Jr. USA, Ret.LTG John L. Woodward Jr., USAF, Ret.LTG Michael W. Wooley, USAF, Ret.VADM Edward Briggs, USN, Ret.VADM Toney M. Bucchi, USN, Ret. VADM E.W. Clexton, USN, Ret. VADM George W. Emery, USN, Navy, Ret.VADM W. J. Hancock, USN, Ret, VADM Peter Hekman, Jr., USN, Ret.VADM Gordon Holder, USN, Ret. VADM Paul Ilg, USN, Ret.VADM William Dean Lee, USCG, Ret.VADM James W. Metzger, USN, Ret.VADM James Pappas, USN, Ret.
VADM J. Theodore Parker, USN, Ret.VADM John M. Poindexter, USN, Ret.VADM Robert J. Spane, USN, Ret.VADM Edward Straw, USN, Ret.VADM Donald C. Thompson, USCG, Ret. VADM Howard Thorsen, USCG, Ret. VADM Nils Thunman, USN, Ret.VADM Jerry Unruh, USN, Ret.MG James E. Andrews, USAF, Ret. MG Joseph Arbuckle, USA, Ret.MG Paul Bergson, USA, Ret.MG Casey D. Blake, USAF, Ret.MG William G. Bowdon, USMC, Ret.MG Edward Bracken, USAF, Ret. MG Patrick Brady, MOH, USA, Ret.MG David Burford, USA, Ret. MG H. Hale Burr, Jr., USAF, Ret.MG Thomas Carter, USAF, Ret. MG. Carroll Childers, USA, Ret.MG Peter W. Clegg, USA, Ret.MG Jeffrey Cliver, USAF, Ret.MG John Closner, USAF, Ret.MG Richard S. Colt, USA, Ret.MG James W. Comstock, USA, Ret.MG Wesley Craig, USA, Ret.MG James Cravens, USA, Ret.MG Thomas F. Crawford, USAF, Ret.MG Gene A. Deegan, USMC, Ret.MG James D. Delk, USA, Ret.MG Robert E. Dempsey, USAF, Ret.MG Travis Dyer, USA, Ret.MG Neil Eddins, USAF, Ret. MG David Eidsaune, USAF, Ret.MG Fred E. Elam, USA, Ret.MG Peter Franklin, USA, Ret. MG John t. Furlow, USA, Ret.MG David C. Garza, USMC, Ret.MG Brian I. Geehan, USA, Ret.MG Timothy F. Ghormley, USMC, Ret.MG Francis C. Gideon, Jr. USAF, Ret.MG William A. Gorton, USAF, Ret. MG Lee V. Greer, USAF, Ret. MG John S. Grinalds, USMC, Ret. MG John Gronski, USA, Ret. MG Patrick J. Halloran, USAF,Ret. MG Gary L. Harrell, USA, Ret.MG Bryan Hawley, USAF, Ret.MG John W. Hawley, USAF, Ret.MG C.A.“Lou” Hennies,USA, Ret.MG Robert R. Hicks Jr. USA, Ret.MG Geoff Higginbotham, USMC, Ret. MG William Hobgood, USA, Ret.MG Bobby Hollingsworth, USMC, Ret. MG. Jerry D. Holmes, USAF, Ret.MG Clinton V. Horn,
since our country was founded. With the Democratic Party welcoming to socialists and Marxists, our historic way of life is at stake.
…The Democrats have once again pledged to cut defense spending, undermining our military strength. The Democrats’ opposition to border security, their pledge to return to the disastrous Iran nuclear deal, their antagonism towards the police and planned cuts to military spending will leave the United States more vulnerable to foreign enemies.
President Trump’s resolute stands have deterred our enemies from aggression against us and our allies....
We believe that President Donald Trump… will continue
USAF, Ret.MG Dewitt T. Irby, Jr. USA, Ret.MG Donald L. Jacka, USA, Ret.MG William K. James, USAF, Ret.MG Alan D. Johnson, USA, Ret.MG David J. Kaucheck, USA, Ret.MG Michael C. Kerby, USAF, Ret.MG Anthony R. Kropp, USA, Ret.MG John A. Leide, USA, Ret. MG Vernon Lewis, USA, Ret. MG Thomas Lightner, USA, Ret.MG JamesE. Livingston, MOH, USMC, Ret. MG Robert E. Livingston, Jr., USA, Ret.MG John D. Logeman, USAF, Ret. MG Jarvis Lynch, USMC, Ret.MG O. G. Mannon, USAF, Ret.MG Randall Marchi, USA, Ret.MG Clay T McCutchan, USAF, Ret.MG John Miller, USAF, Ret.MG Paul Mock USA, Ret.MG Bruce Moore, USA, Ret.MG William A. Navas, Jr., USA, Ret.MG George Norwood, USAF, Ret.MG Ray O’Mara, USAF, Ret.MG. Joe S.Owens, USA, Ret.MG Richard Perraut, USAF, Ret.MG Ronald G. Richard, USMC, Ret.MG Ernest O. Robbins II, USAF, Ret.MG H. Douglas Robertson, USA, Ret.MG Nels Running, USAF, Ret.MG John P. Schoeppner, Jr., USAF, Ret.MG Richard A. Scholtes, USA, Ret.MG Gregory Schumacher, USA, Ret.MG Richard Secord, USAF, Ret.MG Mark Solo, USAF, Ret.MG Melvin Spiese, USMC, Ret.MG James Stewart, USAF, Ret.MG Michael P. Sullivan, USMC, Ret.MG Paul Vallely, USA, Ret.MG Russell L. Violett, USAF, Ret.MG Robert Walter, USA, Ret.MG. Kenneth W. Weir, USMC, Ret.MG Geoffrey P. Wiedeman, Jr., USAF, Ret.MG Gary C. Wattnem, USA, Ret. MG Richard Wightman, Jr., USA, Ret. MG Robert J. Williamson, USA, Ret.MG Michael N.Wilson, USA, Ret. MG Walter H.Yates, USA, Ret. MG. Albert Zapanta, USA, Ret. RADM Philip Anselmo, USN, Ret.RADM Stephen Barchet, USN, Ret .RADM Jon W. Bayless, Jr., USN, Ret. RADM Timothy Beard, USN, Ret. RADM James B. Best, USN Ret. RADM Stanley D.
Bozin, USN, Ret .RADM Bruce B. Bremner, USN, Ret .RADM John T. Byrd, USN, Ret. RADL Norman Campbell, USN, Ret. RADM James J. Carey, USN, Ret. RADM Arthur Clark, USN, Ret. RADM Jay Cohen, USN, Ret. RADL David Cronk, USN, Ret .RADM Ernest A. Elliot, USN, Ret .RADM James. R. Fowler, USN, Ret. RADM George Furong, USN, Ret . RADM Albert Gallotta, USN, Ret. RADM William J. Gilmore, USN, Ret. RADM Andrew A. Granuzzo, USN, Ret. RDML John G. Hekman, USN, Ret .RADM Robert P. Hickey, USN, Ret. RADM Donald E. Hickman, USN, Ret. RADM Steve Israel, USN, Ret. RDML Grady L. Jackson, USN, Ret .RADM Ronny Jackson, USN, Ret. RADM John Graham King, USN, Ret. RADM Jon Kreitz, USN, Ret. RADM Charles Kubic, USN, Ret. RADL Bobby C. Lee, USN, Ret .RADM Douglas E. Lee, USN, Ret .RADM Frederick L. Lewis, USN, Ret .RADM Edward S. McGinley II, USN, Ret .RADM John H. McKinley, USN, Ret. RADM Mark R. Milliken, USN, Ret. RADM Ralph M. Mitchell, Jr., USN, Ret. RAML Robert Moeller, USN, Ret. RADM Douglas M. Moore, Jr., USN, Ret. RADM John A. Moriarty, USN, Ret. RADM David R. Morris, USN, Ret .RADM William E. Newman, USN, Ret .RADM Robert Owens, USN, Ret .RADM John F. Paddock, Jr., USN, Ret. RADM Marc Pelaez, USN, Ret .RADM Russell S. Penniman, USN, Ret .RADM Leonard F. Picotte. USN, Ret.RADM David P. Polatty III,
to secure our borders, defeat our adversaries, and restore law and order domestically.
We urge our fellow Americans to join us in supporting the re-election of Donald Trump for President. 300 retired generals and admirals, including nine 4-star and fifty-two 3-star flag officers, have signed this letter endorsing the re-election of Donald Trump.
Donald Trump Stands with America. He Fought the China Virus
Joe Biden Defends China www.flagofficersfortrump.com
USN, Ret. RADM Brian C. Prindle, USN, Ret. RADM J.J. Quinn, USN, Ret. RADM Michael Roesner, USN, Ret. RADM Norman T. Saunders, USCG, Ret. RADM William R. Schmidt, USN, Ret. RADM Scott Semko, USN, Ret.RADM Doniphan B. Shelton, USN, Ret.RADM Robert Shumaker, USN, Ret. RADM Kenneth Slaght, USN, Ret. RADM Bernard J.
TheMesaTribune.com | @EVTNow /EVTNow Share Your Thoughts: Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timespublications.com
Marking the birthday of a lifelong friend
BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist
We met in eighth grade English. He was the tall kid with the dirty blond mop parted in the middle and feathered back. I was, unsurprisingly, the class wiseass.
A couple of Stoli and OJs into a night out, he’s still likely to bring up my most humiliating academic incident: that time in ninth grade when I submitted an essay copied directly from a book.
A book that was a Number One bestseller, and which our teacher happened to be reading at the time.
The detentions that ensued felt like the longest hours of my life.
But that was before adulthood, conference calls and endless meetings about details that in the end will never matter more than one simple fact: All of us are the sum total of the family we are born into and the
Low number of ballot drop-offs suppresses vote
As the 2020 Presidential Election approached, I was eager to receive my early ballot and to mail it back as I have done every election cycle.
However, as the date approached, I began to hear reports of potential voter suppression. Being a skeptic, I dismissed the claims as I cautiously awaited my ballot.
In order to avoid potential delays with the mail service, I decided to take my ballot to a drop box location, looking ahead of time for a drop box.
Numerous online sites directed me to the courthouse at 222 E. Javelina Dr., Mesa, AZ. I received my ballot just one day after it was mailed, making me wonder why so much time was needed for the return trip. Still, I decided to stick with my plan and take my ballot to the drop box location at the courthouse.
When I arrived, I saw a sea of fencing, blocking off the mostly empty parking lots. There
family we choose.
And while blood and kin get the publicity – books, �ilms, series on HBO – friendship is every bit as de�ining. Because when a day goes wrong or life swerves into some frightening skid, only a chosen few step up to serve as an ear, a guardrail, a hand to pull you up.
Family relationships can be complicated, fraught. Friendship, I’ve found, is decidedly less so.
At least with the man I am writing about today, the guy who has spent much of his life being known only by his last name –Sugg.
Among those of us who have known him for 40 years, his surname has multiple applications: As a term of affection when you spend yet another night on his couch, or as a profanity when you’re rushing to make a 7 o’clock movie and he is creeping glacially on what is known as “Sugg time.”
His friends will laughingly tell you about “another Sugg plan,” code for
any event that involves military-style advance calibration to the minute, but which in real life bears utterly no resemblance to the plan itself, instead ending up in chaos – chaos that ends up more fun regardless.
Sugg has always been the connective tissue uniting my small posse of buddies.
His apartment is where we played video games at Florida State. He’s the friend who always had beer in the fridge and a working Nintendo, the fast talker who bargained with ticket scalpers if we roadtripped to an away game.
When I moved to Philly and New York for grad school, Sugg relayed the news from home.
Our twenties went by in a minute, our thirties even faster. He was the best man at my wedding, the �irst person I told about the divorce.
Then the same thing happened to him, except his relationship produced a daughter, a tall girl now 17 whose blonde hair is
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
was no signage or instructions on where to drop off my ballot within the large complex. We drove in circles for about 20 minutes, following other cars that also seemed to be lost.
I �inally found a small opening in the fencing that allowed me to enter. When I approached, large green ballot in hand, I was met by two masked employees who stopped me at the door. Upon seeing my ballot, they handed me a small slip of paper that contained a website address.
“They came and took out our ballot boxes,” said the guard at the door. “We’ve been complaining for days to update the websites, but no one did anything. No, we have a ton of people coming and we were just told to give them a slip of paper.”
When I returned home, I entered the website address. It asked me for my home address. This is an old address and I’ve never had any issues entering it on any other site, which I frequently use. This time, I was informed by the site that “no address was found.”
It suggested I just enter the street number
and street name only, with no other information. Once I did this, it asked me to select pictures that contained a mountain for security. Once I passed that test (Many pictures had small hills in the background. Was that considered a mountain?) it �inally gave me my closest drop box location.
The closest location was in Chandler; I live in Gilbert. There were only 17 total drop box locations in the valley, most of them at a considerable distance. Some were in downtown Phoenix, others in Youngtown and Carefree, which would require a half-day’s drive, round-trip.
Those who do not have access to reliable transportation, who are elderly, ill or working multiple jobs to keep food on the table may not have the time to research polling locations, being sent to the wrong posted location, being turned away, sent to a website that is dif�icult to use, and to �inally be sent to a drop box at a considerable distance.
I can only imagine that those who are not comfortable with using dif�icult-to-use websites may give up and simply mail their ballot.
everything lush that her father’s maybe is not these days.
We don’t mention his hair anymore. It’s a Sugg thing.
He has been everything you could ask for in a parent, though there is no playbook for being a single father with primary custody. Braden, his girl, is smart, poised and funny, sassy and a wizard on horseback.
She has college in her near future, despite 2020’s best efforts to screw up all our lives. If the character of the child is a testament to the parents, then this is one Sugg plan that worked out exactly as scripted.
Mike Sugg turns 55 today, and I’m proud of the man he has become, the friend he has always been.
In a better world, you’d read about it in all the newspapers instead of the thugs who grab the ink. Even so, you read about it in this newspaper and that is a Sugg story I am proud to have written.
We’ve already been warned that there may be issues with delays using this method.
This comes at a time where there are far fewer polling locations than in years past. I can only imagine the lines that will be associated with these fewer locations. Will those with advanced age or health conditions be able to withstand waiting in these long lines amidst a pandemic?
This seems to be a deliberate attempt to suppress our votes. The drop box location could have been updated on the website after employees expressed concerns. The drop boxes should never have been removed to begin with. There could have been signage instructing voters where to go. The website could not have demanded an address, blocking out many with an error message, only to provide 17 Valley drop box locations.
People could have decided on their own the closest location without having to provide their address, with heavy security features.
However, I suspect none of this was an accident; it was a blatant attempt to suppress your vote and mine.
-Jennifer Kady Stanton
Only
Republican Senate can protect immigration laws
Arizona has some of the toughest immigration laws in the nation -- and for good reason. Our state’s southern border has been a major entry point for illegal immigrants for decades and our residents have paid a hefty price in law enforcement, lost job opportunities, even environmental degradation.
But illegal entry isn’t the only problem. Excessive legal immigration likewise has dire economic consequences. And it’s not just low-skilled legal immigrants that are the issue. High-skilled legal immigrants and highskilled guest workers also reduce wages and decrease employment options for native-born Americans.
That’s why it’s critical to keep the U.S. Senate in Republican hands, regardless of the outcome of the presidential race.
In lockstep with a Democratic House, a Democratic president and Senate would
throw open the doors to unchecked immigration, wreaking massive economic and social harm.
Like President Trump, Republican senators favor tough, fair policies that protect national sovereignty and ensure the nation bene�it, rather than suffers, from immigration. But Democrats have taken a radically different tack. Presidential candidate Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris want to dramatically expand the number of green cards issued to foreigners and enlarge guestworker programs.
Sen. Martha McSally is a staunch supporter of tough immigration strictures. Democratic Senate candidate Mark Kelly, by contrast, supports the Biden/Harris platform. The choice for Arizona residents is thus clear: a vote for McSally is a vote for maintaining sane, responsible immigration policies.
Advocates of liberal immigration policies often tout the supposed economic bene�it of high-skilled immigrants. The research, however, indicates otherwise.
High-skilled immigration has the same effect in the more remunerative professions as low-skilled immigration does in the general labor market: reduced incomes for workers.
A study by the Economic Policy Institute con�irmed that the H-1B program – which was designed to help employers �ill “specialty
occupations” – helps employers reduce wages across a broad swath of the American economy. Mega-corporations frequently use the H-1B program to replace native-born technology professionals with cheaper foreign labor.
Proponents of high-skilled immigration programs maintain foreign workers are needed due to a paucity of American citizens pro�icient in science, technology, engineering, and math. But a recent investigation of the H-1B program by Matthew Sussis, an immigration policy research analyst, concluded that the “shortage” of American STEM workers is a myth.
American STEM graduates also typically test higher on a given range of skills than immigrants who have been educated abroad.
Sussis also cited a galling and cruel irony embedded in the program: American workers are often required to train the H-1B guest workers replacing them – and threatened with the loss of their severance packages if they refuse.
The best deterrent to the irrational expansion of high-skilled immigration is GOP control of the U.S. Senate. Martha McSally is an es-
sential warrior in this �ight. She deserves our votes in November.
-Mary Ann Mendoza
Current scene makes him miss the old ‘Three Stooges’
Over 60 years ago during my youth, my favorite entertainment was watching “The Three Stooges.” They bumbled, lied, connived and otherwise twisted basic truths to �it their own agenda.
Little did I realize that the shenanigans of Curly, Larry and Moe would be recreated in real life by members of this administration and party line personnel.
Yes, Meadows, McConnell and McEnany may not bring us much comic relief as the original “stooges” did, but their behavior and antics are more myopic, ridiculous, shallow and damaging.
Curly, Larry and Moe entertained us and made us laugh while Mark, Mitch and Kayleigh simply annoy us and cause us to grimace.
-Richard Meszar
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Desert Ridge’s Jada Blake used volleyball as an escape
BY NOAH VELASCO Tribune Contributing Writer
It’s a close game between the Desert Ridge and Corona del Sol junior varsity volleyball teams. The Jaguars need just two points to secure their �irst victory over the Aztecs at the junior varsity level in years.
Up steps sophomore Jada Blake. Blake takes over the game, killing the ball the next two plays to secure the victory for Desert Ridge.
It was at that point head coach Anthony Millanes knew he had a star in the making.
From leaving scars on her older sister in the game “Scorpion” to frequently asking to go shopping or on hikes, Blake was always adventurous and competitive.
Millanes describes her as “full of life” and “a genuinely good kid.”
“She’s this little ball of light,” older sister Kiana said. “Her energy just rubs off on the people around her.”
But things changed once she began high school.
Freshman year presented new challenges as a student athlete and as a result her grades slipped, and she became shy and reserved.
“I just felt like I was needed everywhere,” Blake said. “I needed to be at volleyball, I felt like I had to be there for my mom, and it all made academics much harder.”
Volleyball became more important than ever serving as an escape from the world and a place to let her frustrations out. For that reason, Blake was able to confront her struggles and overcome them.
“All the outside problems, you can let it out while you’re at volleyball, it’s not like
you have to bring it all in.” Blake said. Her mother, Brianna Becker, played a role in reinforcing that her athletic career wouldn’t happen without maintaining good grades. Becker instilled a strong work ethic by reiterating that she could get anything she strived for with hard work.
Blake credits Becker as her idol for teaching her everything she knows.
“I would not be the way I am without her,” Blake said.
Additionally, Blake found joy in volleyball through her teammates. She loves the team aspect and coming together on the court after every dig, block and kill.
Now a senior, her energetic and lively self has returned both on and off the court.
Millanes coached Blake for one year on junior varsity and the past two years on varsity. He highlighted her maturity as
an area of growth.
“She turned her grades around and got on track to be college eligible.” Millanes said. “She’s gotten a lot more serious about just improvement and overall getting better.”
Millanes calls her “one of the most vertically gifted kids” he has seen. Still with room to grow, Millanes is excited to see her future in collegiate sports. He believes she still hasn’t come close to her best.
Chosen by her teammates as a captain, Blake has more responsibility and thrives as a player the others can look up to.
“She’s really just a positive vocal, visual aspect for the girls to look at,” Millanes said. “So that day when we’re in a tough match, they can look to her for the steadiness of a leader.”
Playing every set so far and leading her team in overall kills, she leads by ex-
ample. Her con�idence and balance help keep the team focused and positive during matches.
“She’s always had that urge to win,” Kiana said. “I can’t always tell when she wants to win but she really does. It’s deep down.”
Blake has ambitions to play in college. Every practice and every game is an opportunity for her to get better and prepare for the next level of competition.
Already with a few offers, she wants to keep her options open to pick the best school for her.
“I know I want to play at the next level,” Blake said. “My biggest motivation for going to practice and games is to get better and test myself to what I can handle.”
Witnessing every step of Blake’s growth, Kiana is proud of her achievements and perseverance.
“She’s very dedicated to volleyball, reaching out and talking to all these college coaches on her own,” Kiana said. “And at the same time, she’s sitting here like ‘I think I might want to start a magazine.’
Blake triumphing over her freshman year struggles helps make the next step to college a little less scary. All of the friendships and lessons Blake has learned from volleyball make it more than just a sport to her.
In many ways, it shaped her to become who she is today and going forward.
“I would not be as much of a hard worker today, if I didn’t go through that and it could have happened at any other time in my athletic career.” Blake said. “[Volleyball] taught me so much.
“It taught me discipline, it taught me hard work and it taught me what happens when you successfully reach the end goal.”
Desert Ridge senior Jada Blake used volleyball as an escape when she entered her freshman year and found herself struggling to balance grades, the sport and everyday life. (Courtesy Jada Blake)
King Crossword
CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
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 SOILS MATERIALS TESTING 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: Soils and Construction Materials Sampling and Testing. 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).
From this solicitation, the Engineering Department will establish a list of on-call consultants for Soils Materials Testing Services. This category is further defined below:
Scope may include miscellaneous soils and materials testing services such as sampling, laboratory and field tests and analyses, preparation of reports, etc. The technical services requested include providing material technicians who will perform quality assurance (QA) and independent assurance (IA) and testing of construction materials in the l aboratory and/or field. Inspection services are expressly not included.
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, November 5, 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
CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Mesa is seeking a qualified firm or team to act as the Job Order Contractor for the following:
JOB ORDER CONTRACT FIRE SAFETY SERVICES
PROJECT NO. JOC-FS20
The City of Mesa is seeking a qualified Contractor to provide Job Order Fire Safety 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).
The following is a summary of the project.
Fire Safety Services to provide fire safety services for minor and/or major improvement projects, large maintenance projects, repairs, re-construction, and alteration services to City facilities.
A Pre-Submittal Conference will be NOT be held for this project.
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 selec tion 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. The RFQ is available on the City’s website at https://www.mesaaz.gov/business/engineering/construction-manager-at-risk-and-job-order-contracting-opportunities
The Statement of Qualifications shall include a one-page cover letter, 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 eac h 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 of the Statement of Qualifications in an unencrypted PDF format to Engineering-RFQ@mesaaz.gov by November 5, 2020, by 2 pm. 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 Stephanie Gishey of the Engineering Department at stepha nie.gishey@mesaaz.gov.
ATTEST:
DeeAnn Mickelsen City Clerk
Published: East Valley Tribune, Oct. 18, 25, 2020 / 33819
ATTEST:
DeeAnn Mickelsen
City Clerk
Published: East Valley Tribune, Oct. 18, 25, 2020 / 33821
BETH HUNING City Engineer
Software Engineer. Chandler, AZ & unantic ipated US locations : I nvolve in sw lifecycl e analysis, coding, testing. Conduct risk identification, mitigation. Design, implement scalable tech
s ols, build use-cases , c lass, sequence diag rams. Apply variou s d vlpmt tools. Provid e object-oriented analysis, design, UML modeling Perform unit, functiona l test. Determine orig in of issues, coordina te for resln. Req d s kills: Java, Python , J avaScript, SQL , S pring, Oracle, Agile , W aterfall, & Gitlab
Masters in Sci, Engg or T ech or Bachelor w/ 5 y rs relevant exp. Mail : H R, Sierra Busines s S olution, 6909 W Ra y R d, Suite 15-13 7 Chandler AZ 85226
Riggs/ N & S. of Chandler Heights. W. of Power & E. & W. of Higley. Sat Oct. 24th & Sunday Oct. 25th. 8am-?
Miscellaneous For Sale
Mineral Collection for Sale. 702-467-5103
Text for Photos Local Sun City Resident
Wanted to Buy
Cash 4 Diabetic Strips! Best Prices in Town. Sealed and Unexpired. 480-652-1317
Diabetic Test Strips by the box, unused. Any type or brand. Will pay top dollar. Call Pat 480-323-8846
Apartments
APACHE TRAIL & IRONWOOD
Secluded Cute Studio, A/C $650/Month Bad Credit ok No Deposit. Water/Trash Inc. (602) 339-1555
ALMA SCH & MAIN 1b 1 bath duplex Income verified UTILITIES INCLUDED Bad Credit OK. No Deposit Close to Lightrail $750 (602) 339-1555
Manufactured Homes
Apartments
Crismon/Apache Trl Cottage Cozy 2br 1ba Bad Credit ok. $800 No Deposit. Water/trash incl'd (602) 339-1555
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Please join us for a virtual event discussing the upcoming Dobson Ranch Library Branch Improvements project.
This project will update the entrance of the Dobson Ranch library branch, located at 2425 S. Dobson Rd., with a fresh, modern look and improved accessibility for the public. The renovated façade and entry will offer greater visibility and convenience for library users. The library expansion includes the addition of a THINKspot makerspace for the community to foster innovation and networking.
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2020
Time: 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Location: Virtual Public Meeting: online at mesaaz.gov/engineering
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this project, please contact Curt Albright, Michele Arrollado, Lucy Lopez, or Juanita Gonzales with the City of Mesa Engineering Public Relations Department at (480) 6443800.
Si usted tiene preguntas de este proyecto, favor de llamar a Lucy Lopez, con la Ciudad de Mesa al (480) 644-3800.
Published: Glendale Star, Oct. 18, 25, 2020 / 33823
