Roundball classic / P. 22
Sky-high business / P. 17
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
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Sunday, June 26, 2022
Arizona mourns Mayor Gail Barney BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor
NEWS..................... 3 Allegiant pilot woes grounding flights.
COMMUNITY ..... 14 Barney Junior High getting new principal.
Q
ueen Creek Mayor Gail Barney, whose public service had an impact far beyond the town that was his home since he was 6 months old, died June 23 after a months-long battle with a lung infection. He was 74. Tributes from across the state, including the Governor’s Office, not only noted that impact but also recalled his humility and friendly demeanor that endeared him to everyday residents and public officials alike. “He was totally void of ego,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said, recalling how Mayor Barney
see MAYOR page 4
Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney, seen here in a 2012 photo, was known as much for his unassuming personality as he was for his impact as a public servant on the town and the region. (United Fibers)
LG battery plant moving forward, officials say REAL ESTATE ...... 16 Still time for sellers to get in the game.
COMMUNITY.........................14 REAL ESTATE.........................16 BUSINESS...............................18 OPINION..................................20 SPORTS....................................22 CLASSIFIEDS.........................26
BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer
W
ith no more public input required, the LG plant construction will continue as planned, local and county officials said last week. On June 21, a joint meeting between the Town of Queen Creek and the Pinal County Board of Supervisors brought experts togeth-
er to help answer any questions citizens had about the project. Citizens brought their questions to the Combs High School Performing Arts Center and through some heated moments, some were answered but some grievances remained. “What they did up there is just show us that they’ve already made up their mind they don’t care what we’re going to say,” George Rascon
said. Rascon, 22, of San Tan Valley, said the meeting was informative but redundant. He said it didn’t address the possibility of residents dealing with the noise, pollution and traffic from this. The meeting outlined what residents can expect moving forward, including the evo-
see
BATTERY page 8
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