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Stay safe, whether in a pool or the lake
June 25, 2020
Peoria’s Hometown Newspaper
No mask, no service, possible fine BY TOM SCANLON
Peoria Times Managing Editor
NEWS..............2
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While other cities around the Valley raced to make decisions, Peoria took its time, eventually coming to the same end point: Masks are required in public places. On June 17, Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ sat down at a long table to begin a news conference. Both were wearing masks. It was a hint that things were going to change—quickly. The wheels started spinning on regulations requiring masks in cities like Glendale, where fines for not wearing a mask can be up to $250, Peoria and, ultimately, all of Maricopa County. Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat signed a mask proclamation June 19, two days after Ducey
said he was “empowering” local governments to decide on masks. “COVID-19 is widespread in the state of Arizona, and Arizonans must act responsibly to protect one another,” Ducey said. Indeed, in the week before Ducey’s news conference, COVID-19 cases in Maricopa County jumped from 15,000 to more than 22,000. The total positive cases in the county passed 33,000 this week. In the last week, 90 died of COVID-19 in the county, bringing the total of deaths SEE MASKS PAGE 2
Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat, wearing a mask alongside granddaughter Audrey, issued a proclamation requiring those in Peoria to wear face coverings in public. (Photo courtesy city of Peoria)
Major developments move ahead NEWS..............8
BY TOM SCANLON
Peoria Times Managing Editor
Dr. Carson makes a house call to Glencroft
OPINION.................12 BUSINESS...............14 FEATURES...............16 RELIGION................19 YOUTH....................21 CLASSIFIEDS...........23
Rick Buss, Peoria’s Economic Services director, called the American Life memorandum of understanding for Stadium Point “a game changer.” Stadium Point is to have retail, restaurants, residences, offices and a hotel. (Photo courtesy city of Peoria)
This time next year, Peoria may be framed by two major projects. One plans to give Old Town Peoria a massive facelift; it doesn’t have an official name, though city staff dubbed it “Project Stagecoach.” The other is formally known as Stadium Point, a ground-up project in the P83 area. Peoria selected Seattle-based American Life to craft a vision for Stadium Point—and make it a reality. These are the kind of “game-chang-
ing” developments Economic Development Services Director Rick Buss sinks his teeth into. In February, the city signed a memorandum of understanding with Vintage Partners for the Old Town project. “Our next step is to finalize the development agreement, taking the framework and intent of the MOU and cementing all the details,” Buss said. He expects to present the development agreement to Peoria City Council in September. The big-picture idea is a 10-year development for Peoria’s historic buildSEE DEVELOPMENTS PAGE 4
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