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Coronavirus tests expand - kind of / P. 6

Local �inance advisor kills ex-wife, self / P. 16

FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF SCOTTSDALE) | scottsdale.org

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

This Week

NEWS.............................12 City Council poised to complete Skysong deal.

NEIGHBORS .........20 Scottsdale Rotary Club helps in pandemic.

BUSINESS ............... 24 Chambers lay out plan for reopening.

NEIGHBORS .........................................20 BUSINESS .............................................. 24 OPINION .................................................27 FOOD ....................................................... 28 CLASSIFIEDS .......................................30

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Delays emerge in Museum Square deal BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

early seven months after the Scottsdale City Council approved the Museum Square deal, the city and developer still have not finalized a land sale that would give the city a much-

Mayor calls Ducey’s shutdown decision disappointing

needed infusion of millions of dollars. That money could help the city as it grapples with the economic ramifications of business closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The development promised to bring a 190-room hotel, three condominium buildings and an apartment building

totaling 346 units to the Arts District downtown – along with a slew of public improvements that include a plaza, pedestrian connections and new traffic signals. Much of the project would go on a piece

see MUSEUM SQUARE page 10

Feeding the elderly

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services AND WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

rizonans are going to have to live under stay-at-home orders, at least for the next few weeks – and that doesn’t sit well with Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane. Even though when they do go out shopping they will soon have more choices, Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane said the governor’s announcement did not do enough to provide avenues for relief for shuttered businesses, though. “It falls short of really providing any real

see DUCEY page 18

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Pete Tocco from the Scottsdale Fireﬁghters Association carries food containers from Randy’s Restaurant to be delivered to Scottsdale seniors in need. For details, see page 4. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

Fire�ighters, other city staff help feed seniors An edition of the East Valley Tribune Scottsdale Progress is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Scottsdale. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of Scottsdale Progress, please visit www.Scottsdale.org. CONTACT INFORMATION Main number 480-898-6500 | Advertising 480-898-5624 Circulation service 480-898-5641 Scottsdale Progress 4301 N 75th St., Suite 201, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Publisher Steve T. Strickbine Vice President Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising 480-898-6309 Classifieds/Inside Sales Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@scottsdale.org TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@scottsdale.org Advertising Office Manager Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@scottsdale.org Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@scottsdale.org NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 | pmaryniak@scottsdale.org Managing Editor Wayne Schutsky | 480-898-6533 | wschutsky@scottsdale.org Staff Writers Kristine Cannon | 480-898-9657 | kcannon@scottsdale.org Jim Walsh | 480-898-5639 | jwalsh@scottsdale.org Photographers Pablo Robles | Probles@scottsdale.org Design Veronica Thurman | vthurman@scottsdale.org Production Coordinator Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 | production@scottsdale.org Circulation Director Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@scottsdale.org Scottsdale Progress is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, and for subscription information, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegatedmedia.com.

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

rom Scottsdale firefighters and human services staff to healthcare workers, countless people have stepped up to ensure that vulnerable seniors do not go hungry during the coronavirus pandemic. Many Scottsdale seniors rely on meals from the city and other local organizations in the best of times, but that need has only grown due to shortages caused by panic buying and difficulty getting to the grocery store during the pandemic. “So a senior who already is homebound, just getting someone to shop for them can be an issue,” said Melissa Schmidt, network director of clinical nutrition and food services at HonorHealth. Schmidt runs the Mobile Meals program out of HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Center that began in 2015 with the goal of improving nourishment for neighboring senior citizens. The program has continued to provide meals to local agencies that serve seniors during the pandemic. “Sometimes this is the only really hot, healthy meal that they’ve had because lots of times they are relying on frozen meals, which were hard to find, and canned goods, which were hard to find,” Schmidt said. As one of the oldest cities in the state, Scottsdale has a large senior citizen population, thousands of whom require some form of food assistance. According to the latest Census data, 23 percent of the city’s population is over the age of 65 and just over 5.3 percent of those residents – over 3,000 people – live below the poverty line. And those numbers don’t reflect other seniors who struggle with food insecurity for non-financial reasons, including disability, lack of mobility and living alone. Overall, the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger found that millions of senior citizens in the U.S. struggle with food insecurity. Among organizations feeding needy Scottsdale seniors is the city itself, which is distributing food through its Brown Bag program at Granite Reef and Via Linda senior centers every Thursday from 9

Tim Marriott loads a car with a food bag at the Granite Reef Senior Center. (Photo by Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

a.m. to 2 p.m. City staff and volunteers prepared and distributed 18,630 pounds of food from March 19 to April 23. That equals 1,242 15-pound bags of food, Human Services staffer Kevin Herrick said. The Mobile Meals program at HonorHealth’s Thompson Peak campus provides meals to Via Linda Senior Center and the Area Agency on Aging and Foothills Caring Corp. Schmidt said Mobile Meals is preparing an additional 100 meals per week for Foothills Caring Corp, which was picking up meals Monday through Friday prior to the pandemic. “Now we’re providing about an additional hundred meals a week just to make sure that their clients have enough food to last to the weekend,” Schmidt said. On April 24, the Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association purchased 100 meals from Randy’s Restaurant and members volunteered to pack them for delivery to city Human Services staff for distribution to seniors in need. Sasha Weller, the association’s president, said the organization has often donated to similar efforts at the city, such as giving to the food bank at Vista Del Camino Community Center. “It’s kind of right in our wheelhouse,” Weller said, adding that the organization was also looking for ways to support local businesses, which, in turn, support

the fire department via the sales tax. “We’re hugely concerned that this pandemic is obviously affecting our economy, but if these businesses don’t stay in business long enough to a time where there would be a recovery, well then we’ve got some bigger challenges in the future,” Weller said. Weller said the organization reached out to the city staff and found out there was a need for more meals for seniors. “So, it was really kind of a real symbiotic thing,” Weller said. “We had the money. Local businesses need the money and seniors needed some meals.” The firefighters continued the program the next week on May 1, purchasing meals from The Daily Dose. Weller said there are plans to continue purchasing meals for seniors and needy families as long as funds allow. Residents who wish to donate to the Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association can reach out to the organization through its official social media channels on Facebook, Twitter (@Scottsdale_FF) and Instagram (@scottsdalefirefighters). Weller warned residents who wish to donate to ignore phone call solicitations claiming to represent Scottsdale Fire Fighters, calling them a scam. “Every professional firefighter organization in this State of Arizona has agreed for many, many years, for many decades, that we will not solicit that way,” Weller said.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

supply chain is opening up,” Christ said. The tests are largely limited “to anyone who thinks they have been exposed to and could be infected with COVID-19,” Christ stressed. “Previously, this order was limited to highrisk individuals and those with specific symptoms.” The CDC gives top priority for test eligibility to healthcare workers and hospitalized patients with symptoms. The second level of eligibility includes first responders and people over 65 with symptoms while the third priority level includes “critical infrastructure workers” and others with symptoms as well as first responders with no symptoms. The last category of eligibility are people with no symptoms – and they likely won’t be able to get a test at this time. Christ said she told labs statewide “to remove any restrictions on testing if they have adequate testing supplies and PPE” and that the state distributed 15 rapid testing machines throughout Arizona to provide results within 15 minutes. The COVID-19 tests are different from blood testing for antibodies. Other facilities are offering those tests, but Christ said, “It is unknown if a positive serologic test for COVID-19 means that someone is immune to COVID-19 or how long that immunity might last.” As for COVID-19 tests, Christ said Arizonans who believe they have been exposed to the virus can now get tested. But be prepared to stay home, at least while you’re waiting for the results if not longer. Banner said it takes up to five days to get results. The new order is a major shift from what had been the state’s policy of reserving tests for those who either had a doctor’s order or had specific symptoms. But it still doesn’t rise to the level of "anyone who wants a test can get a test." There also are strings attached for those who are eligible based on suspected exposure. First, those seeking tests under her new order must first sign a “voluntary

Virus tests expanding, but limits remain

cottsdale residents may find it a little easier to get a COVID-19 test after the state began a threeSaturday blitz yesterday aimed at collecting samples from at least 60,000 Arizonans so officials can better determine how many people in the state are infected. But the tests still aren’t available to anyone who wants one and finding a site in Scottsdale appears unlikely. Scottsdale-based HonorHealth says on its website, while its providers “will determine if you need to be tested… you cannot request a test at this time.” That leaves Banner Health as an option, though it has no testing sites in Scottsdale. Gov. Doug Ducey last week announced that the state is working with Banner Health to provide testing in Mesa and Gilbert and at some facilities in Phoenix and West Valley – including the State Fairgrounds. But like Walgreens, which also be-

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State health Director Dr. Cara Christ says COVID-19 tests are largely limited to people exposed to the virus. (Capitol Media Services)

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before it will schedule anyone for a test. Walgreens’ drive-through testing requires a pre-screening online at walgreens.com. State health officials also are reaching out to other providers to offer tests. Banner is charging $75 for testing those without insurance, but said it will not be collecting fees at sites and will not deny a test to someone who can’t afford it. Walgreens said its test is free for those who meet the criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Luckily, we know there is additional capacity at our laboratories across the state to test more Arizonans,” state Health Director Cara Christ said in a blog last week. “Laboratories like Sonora Quest, Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic have indicated they have the ability to run more tests… However, up until now, the limited supply of personal protective equipment and test collection supplies, such as nasal swabs and viral transport media, has been a significant barrier to increased testing. “Arizona is not alone; there continues to be a national shortage of those supplies. The good news is that our partners have indicated they are now able to obtain the supplies needed to perform additional testing because the

see TESTS page 8

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

Some uncertainties surround antibody tests BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

move by the University of Arizona to test 250,000 Arizonans for COVID-19 antibodies comes as scientists are still debating how much protection against future infection a positive result means – and for how long. “The first infections came out in December,’’ said Deepta Bhattacharya, an associate professor at the Department of Immunobiology at the school’s college of medicine. “And so, we really don’t have any way to know ahead of time how long immunity’s going to last.’’ Bhattacharya acknowledged a recent study finding that a majority of tests now on the market have accuracy rates that make them effectively useless. But he said that the UA test will be more accurate. He added that the test is designed to make it “very unlikely’’ to return a false positive and is crafted to err on the side of telling someone who actually may have some antibodies that they do not, in fact, have protection. Bhattacharya said the whole belief that these provide some level of immunity is based on what he called the “gardenvariety coronaviruses’’ which have been around and where there are studies. In the worst case, he said, “it’s probably not lasting for too much longer than a year,’’ he said. “A year ain’t too bad, though…From an epidemiological standpoint, if that’s what this confers, that’s not terrible.’’ All that presumes, Bhattacharya said, that the antibodies do confer some immunity. He pointed out that the World Health

TESTS �� page 6

isolation agreement’’ to not go anywhere until the results come back. If the results are negative, no problem. But if there is a positive result, then it gets more complicated. A spokeswoman for the health department said that means no travel anywhere until there has been no fever for at least 72 hours without any medicine that reduces fever and that other symptoms – such as coughing and shortness of breath – have improved.

Several University of Arizona research teams, including one co-led by Michael Johnson, assistant professor of immunobiology, are also investigating novel COVID-19 treatments. (Nicole Swinteck/Department of Immunobiology)

Organization earlier this month said there was no evidence that antibodies prevent reinfection. “And then I think they heard from many irritated scientists such as myself saying, ‘What do you mean by no evidence?’ ‘’ Bhattacharya said. He said it might have been more accurate for WHO to say that they “need more evidence.’’ WHO later backed down, Bhattacharya said, modifying their statement to say that most people will generate antibodies when they get infected, and that those antibodies are “expected to generate some degree of protection.’’ “Now that’s vague,’’ he acknowledged. “But that’s essentially the data on the ground.’’

Even if the symptoms are gone, the person who got the positive test result still cannot go out until at least seven days have passed since the specimen was collected. Christ acknowledged the importance of knowing who has the virus and can spread it. “We know that rapidly identifying cases, case follow up, and contact tracing will help slow the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities,’’ she said. “Success in these areas requires an increase in our testing capacity.’’

A lot of the research, Bhattacharya said, is occurring with scientists extracting the plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 and giving it to people in intensive-care units who are having trouble controlling the virus. He said the number of such tests are limited, meaning the sample size may not be enough to draw any major conclusions. “But at least in those small studies it seems like that actually has quite a bit of benefit,’’ Bhattacharya said. He also said there have been some non-human studies in primates like macaques where they’ve infected the animals intentionally and then been unable to reinfect them later.

More than 67,000 Arizonans have been infected – but less than 1 percent of the total population has been tested. Only Virginia has had a lower testing rate, according to the Pew Foundation. Sites where testing is being offered by Banner in the East Valley are at 965 E. Germann Road, Gilbert, and 525 W. Brown Road, Mesa. Walgreens had not listed its Arizona test sites as of Thursday, but additional information will be posted at its website. “Banner’s drive-thru sites will not

“What we’re seeing is that people who have antibodies have at least some degree of neutralizing the virus, meaning preventing it from getting into cells,’’ he said. But he stressed, “I would never be comfortable saying, ‘Well, you have an antibody test, go do whatever you want.’’’ But Bhattacharya said some of the accuracy issue comes down to how a test is administered. “One of them are called these point-ofcare or ‘finger-prick’ antibody test,’’ he said. The advantage of those, he said, is it involves just a small amount of blood and that yes-or-no results can come back within an hour. “From a logistical standpoint and getting many people tested, there’s a lot of upside to having a test like that,’’ Bhattacharya said. But as the research found, “a majority of them are really quite bad.’’ He said tests run by central labs – like UA’s – are more accurate. But they have their own drawbacks. “That requires a blood draw,’ Bhattacharya said. “And so, there are some logistical issues with that in testing large numbers of people.’’ “You’re not relying on the human eye,’’ Bhattacharya said. And that, in turn, allows scientists to set “very strict cutoffs’’ for telling people whether they have a positive antibody test. “What that means, also, is we err on the side of false negatives, meaning someone who may have some low levels of antibodies, our tests might call them negative. And that, he said, comes back to the decision on “the lesser of two evils’’ to not give people that false sense of security.

accept walk-ins,” the provider advised. “Everyone must be phone screened in advance and scheduled for an appointment. Those who arrive without an appointment will be asked to leave and call in to complete the phone screening process.” More information on Banner’s testing is at bannerhealth.com/patients/ patient-resources/covid-19/testing. To be screened for eligibility for a Banner test: 1-844-549-1851. Capitol Media Services contributed to this report.

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

MUSEUM SQUARE ��

of city-owned land south of Scottsdale’s Museum of the West that currently is home to the closed Loloma Transit Station – now used by the museum for administrative offices. MacDonald Development Corporation agreed to pay the city $27.75 million for land with reductions of over $8 million in exchange for the developer's commitment to build public parking spaces and facilitate the removal of a decades-old height restriction. The sale contract included an April 15 deadline to close, but City Manager Jim Thompson recently extended that deadline by 30 days, which is allowed under the agreement approved by City Council. Additional delays require Council’s approval. The delay has real financial implications for the city as it prepares to take a significant revenue hit due to sales tax collection declines associated with business closures. The city will not receive over $20 million in proceeds from the sale until the deal is closed. Additionally, $885,064 in development fees owed the city for Museum Square will not be paid until escrow closes, according to a chart prepared by Dan VandenHam from the city’s Development Department. The cause of the delay is not known. A spokesperson for the project declined to answer the Progress’ questions. “Museum Square remains committed to seeing its compelling project move forward and continues to work closely with the City of Scottsdale on the development and timing,” said Jason Rose, the local PR pro representing the project. Moreover, more delays are likely on the way.

“Museum Square remains committed to seeing its compelling project move forward and continues to work closely with the City of Scottsdale on the development and timing.”

The City of Scottsdale and MacDonald Development Corp. still have not ﬁnalized the Museum Square land sale approved that could net the city over $20 million and was approved by City Council in October 2019. (Progress ﬁle photo)

Emails obtained by the Progress through a public records request show the city and developer Rob MacDonald have been negotiating an amendment to the land sale agreement for months that could push the sale deadline to November. “The Museum Square deal approved Oct. 15, 2019 anticipated a April 15, 2020, closing date. However, the developer has requested an extension to Nov. 12, 2020,” according to an email from Assistant City Manager Brent Stockwell to Thompson and other city staff. The emails show that staff had planned to bring the extension before Council for approval on April 7 but that never happened, necessitating Thompson’s 30-day extension. Stockwell confirmed a longer extension is still in the works. “Staff is working with the developer to bring a 5th Amendment to the (purchase sale agreement) to the City Council,” Stockwell said.

The economic uncertainty prompted by the coronavirus – which has caused delays in other projects in downtown Scottsdale, including Marquee and the Caesars hotel – would be an obvious culprit behind the delay. Emails between MacDonald, a Vancouver resident, and city staff also show the developer expressed concerns about the pandemic’s effects on his markets as early as late February. “And on top of all other things – this virus is really starting to cause fear. Cruise ship trip cancellations out of Vancouver collapsing; hotel room reservations in Vancouver falling by the tens of thousands; Restaurant sales falling,” MacDonald wrote to Stockwell on Feb. 28. “Banks getting very nervous about their clients’ businesses,” MacDonald wrote. “It is not the virus itself that will likely hurt us – it is the fear and all of the out fall from that, including the belt tightening.” But other emails show that MacDon-

ald was working on the extension in at least early February, long before the virus began making a significant impact on the economy. On Feb. 6, MacDonald sent a completed draft of the extension, which he wrote, to Thompson. “It seems to me that next steps would be: 1. To understand if we have a basic agreement on the terms of the extension of closing,” MacDonald wrote. In exchange for the extended deadline, MacDonald would increase his security deposit on the land to $4 million – a $3 million increase over the current security deposit – according to the proposal. The city would bank the entire $4 million if the land sale falls through under MacDonald’s proposal. Even with the delayed land sale, the Museum Square development has not come to a complete halt. “I think, like all of us, developers are concerned about the long-term effects from the COVID-19 emergency and economic crisis,” Stockwell said. “The key issue at this point is financing because of economic uncertainty,” he added. “However, developments are still moving forward.” Construction is well underway on the adjacent Canopy by Hilton Hotel. Stockwell said Museum Square also submitted its plans to the Development Review Board in April for its first residential building – an apartment located across the street from Museum of the West on land already owned by the developer. As of late February, the development team appeared ready to move forward as well with design on the hotel, which will be located on the land MacDonald is purchasing from the city. “We’re moving ahead on the detailed design for the hotel component of Museum Square and want to schedule a formal Pre-App meeting to go over all relevant logistics,” architect Jeffrey Denzak wrote to city staff on Feb. 28. As of December 2019, the development team planned to begin construction on the apartment building in late summer 2020 and the hotel in late spring 2021, according to emails between city staff. It is unclear how the delayed land sale will affect those timelines.

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

subsidized government buildings and now with Los Arcos Crossing, economic development,” Lane told the East Valley Tribune in 2007. Lane cited the SkySong vote to differentiate himself from then-Mayor Mary Manross during debates when he ran against – and defeated – her in the 2008 mayoral election. Just a few years into his first term, Lane championed an amendment to the city’s charter that prohibited Scottsdale from giving taxpayer On May 5, the City Council will consider a long-term lease for a ﬁnal piece of land at ASU’s SkySong. money to private devel(Courtesy of Scottsdale Historical Society and Scottsdale Public Library) opments without a clear SkySong initially announced that con- cost to the city, including interest, could public purpose. struction would begin on this month, have been as high as $125 million, acBut 16 years later, the lease deal that but that timeline has been pushed back cording to estimates. could pave the way for the final build by several months due to the COVID-19 But proponents cited a potential out of the SkySong project has drawn pandemic, Evans said. windfall for city coffers that would nary a word from Lane or Littlefield If its placement on the May 5 consent bring in $267 million in direct and indi- and will likely pass unopposed. agenda is any indication, the new lease rect revenues over 30 years. For all the criticism, it would be difdeal is expected to sail through Council The complicated deal involved the ficult to characterize the development without much fanfare. ASU Foundation purchasing the prop- as anything but a success, though The original lease was one of the erty from Ellman for $42 million and it may not have spurred a building most controversial Council approvals then immediately selling it to the city boom in the surrounding community in modern city history when it was ap- for the same price. as quickly as city officials envisioned proved 16 years ago on a 5-2 vote. The city then agreed to a 99-year when they dedicated $86 million to At the time, Council was struggling to lease with ASU. the project. revitalize the southern part of the city A group of residents long opposed to Redevelopment at the neighboring as prominent shopping centers like Pa- giving subsidies to Ellman attempted Papago Plaza property, for instance, did pago Plaza and Los Arcos Mall struggle to refer SkySong to Scottsdale voters in not kick off until 2019 and other projto remain viable. 2004 but failed to gather the signatures ects, like a proposed affordable housing The Ellman Companies, which necessary to get on the ballot. project to the south, never materialized. owned the Los Arcos site, had proThe issue also drew opposition from But SkySong has been a financial posed a number of new uses for the two local pols who did not find them- boon for the city as it has filled buildproperty that drew widespread com- selves on the same side of many argu- ing after building with tech companies munity backlash and never panned ments then or today: Mayor Jim Lane from all over the globe. out, including a new Coyotes hockey and former Councilman Bob Littlefield, In 2016, the Greater Phoenix Ecoarena and a big box shopping center who is running to succeed Lane this nomic Council performed an analysis with between $15 and $42 million in year. projecting SkySong would generate city subsidies attached. Both Lane and Littlefield were coun- $28.9 billion in total economic output By 2004, the city finally landed on its cilmen at the time and voted no on the for Scottsdale over the next 30 years. solution when ASU proposed its inno- deal. Though that number may need to vation and research center on the site. In 2008, Lane decried the use of sub- be revised down – it was based on In order to make the project work, the sidies. 11 total buildings versus the 10 now city committed to spending $86.5 mil“I’m not interested in south Scottsdale planned for SkySong – it still marks a lion to purchase the property and make just becoming a subsidized neighbor- significant return on the city’s initial infrastructure improvements. The total hood, whether it’s work force housing, investment.

Council poised to OK new Skysong deal

cottsdale could bring in $3.6 million if the City Council approves a long-term lease for a final piece of land at Arizona State University’s SkySong leading to the development’s last building. The proposal – the eighth amendment to the 2004 lease between the city and ASU – stands in stark contrast to the original agreement’s divisive beginnings. Under the original 99-year ground lease, the city retained 1.5 acres of the 42-acre former Los Arcos Mall site, leasing the rest to the ASU Foundation, then the university’s real estate arm, for development of the technology and innovation hub. The lease for the SkySong development is now held by an entity controlled by University Realty LLC, a division of ASU Enterprise Partners, a revenuegenerating arm of the university. In 2004, the city reserved 1.5 acres for itself for “future development opportunities.” But on May 5, Council will consider turning over that parcel – located along the northern edge of the developer along McDowell Road – to University Realty to be developed with its partner Plaza Companies as the 10th and final building at SkySong. In exchange, the city will receive a one-time $3.6-million payment – the value of the land if developed for commercial use, according to an appraisal by Landpro Valuations – and annual lease payments. According to a Council memo, the deal would allow University Realty to expand the size of SkySong’s final building from 73,000 square feet to around 120,000 square feet. The site would be developed as either an office building or hotel, said Tom Evans, a spokesman for SkySong. The building will following construction of the sixth and seventh office buildings at SkySong, which are currently working their way through the city’s Development Review Board and are scheduled to be built in 2020 and 2021.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

State data show virus’ impact on Scottsdale jobs BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

s unemployment claims continue to mount in Arizona, state-mandated layoff reports by larger businesses shed light on how the downturn has affected employees at Scottsdale-area businesses. Arizona’s Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification, or WARN, Act requires most employers with over 100 employees “to provide notice 60 days in advance of covered plant closings and covered mass layoffs,” according to the Arizona Department of Economic Security. According to the WARN notices, more than a dozen Scottsdale businesses have issued notices informing 2,157 employees that they will be laid off. Additionally, nine workers will be temporarily furloughed by the Scottsdale Quarter location of global retailer Suit Supply. The notices likely only reflect a fraction of the actual layoffs in Scottsdale because they do not include small businesses. According to the Small Business & Enterprise Council, businesses with fewer than 100 employees account for 98.7 percent of all businesses in the country and 33.4 percent of all private- sector employment in 2016. Still, the WARN notices in Scottsdale provide a snapshot of the industries hit hardest by the virus. Last week wallethub.com, a personal finance website, analyzed the pandemic’s impact on unemployment in 180 cities across the country. Using data from the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, it said Scottsdale ranked 97th for the biggest increase in unemployment, stating claims rose 16.7 percent from January of this year to March. Among Arizona cities, wallethub.com ranked Scottsdale as the second hardest hit, behind Tempe – which it ranked 64th among the 180 cities with a 24.5 percent unemployment increase from January to March. Unsurprisingly, tourism-related businesses account for 65 percent of layoffs in Scottsdale reported to the state thus far. Social distancing measures and a halt on most travel have decimated the industry – which accounts for one-third of Scotts-

Medieval Times was one of several tourism-related businesses in the Scottsdale area that announced mass layoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Progress ﬁle photo)

dale’s economy – during what is traditionally the city’s tourism high season. Hotels that are usually fully booked this time of year now sit mostly empty. Experience Scottsdale, the city’s tourism arm, reported that from April 12 to 18 occupancy at area hotels dropped to just 9.3 percent, a decrease of 87.9 percent over the same week last year. That has dropped revenue per room to just $9.50, a 95 percent decrease. Scottsdale area hotels that issued WARN notices include the Four Seasons, 422 layoffs; McCormick Scottsdale, 65 layoffs; and the recently-opened Great Wolf Lodge, 312 layoffs. Other tourism-related businesses include American Express Global Business Travel, 135 layoffs; International Cruise & Excursions, 203 layoffs; Medieval Times, 195 layoffs; and Passport Health, 65 layoffs. Two restaurant chains issued WARN notices in Scottsdale Benihana announced it would lay off 105 workers at two Scottsdale locations and RA Sushi Bar announced 44 layoffs at its Kierland location. Scottsdale’s burgeoning tech sector was

also hit relatively hard, with tech companies accounting for 28 percent of layoffs reported to the state. Yelp, located at the Galleria Corporate Centre in downtown Scottsdale, announced it would lay off 375 employees. Opendoor, an online home selling platform with an office in Scottsdale, also announced it would lay off 145 employees. The move comes as the company announced it would temporarily halt all cash offers to buy homes. Mind Body, a California-based software company, issued a WARN notice of 91 impending layoffs at its Scottsdale office. The area layoffs come as unemployment claims statewide hit more than 470,000 since Gov. Doug Ducey closed down certain businesses and limiting individual travel. On paper, that translates into more than 13 percent of the total state workforce of nearly 3.6 million but the numbers – and the calculation of the unemployment rate – may not add up. First, the broader eligibility established under federal law allows people to seek benefits who are not actually out of work but whose hours have been cut.

Second, the claims also include those who have been self-employed. They never have been counted in the total workforce and their work situations have never affected the official jobless rate. There also are unusual situations where companies have furloughed workers for one week a month, making them eligible for the benefits of up to $840. The state had not paid out more than $3.1 million in a single week prior to the week of March 21. Even with the large payout total and expanded guidance, some residents have complained they’ve had difficulty applying for benefits. DES Director Tom Betlach told Fischer that the current system was only built to handle what has been the typical average of only 3,000 applications a week. But the agency announced on April 24 that it had contracted with a vendor Geographic Solutions to beef up its system. DES announced the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance System would begin processing applications on May 12 with payments available the same week. Capitol Media Services contributed to this report.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

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HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

s our graduating high school seniors will not be able to walk across the stage in front of friends and family this spring, let’s take this opportunity to celebrate them among their community and put a spotlight on them and all they have accomplished over the last four years. Share your graduates achievements, accolades, plans for the future or a favorite moment of high school. Let your senior take a bow for all of their accomplishments! You have the opportunity to include a special spotlight highlighting your senior in your community paper. Please keep in mind that our editorial team will have final editing rights if needed.

Class of

2020

DATES FOR PUBLICATIONS Chandler Arizonan - Sunday, May 17 Gilbert Sun News - Sunday, May 17 Mesa Tribune - Sunday, May 17 Scottsdale Progress - Sunday, May 17 Ahwatukee Foothills News - Wednesday, May 20 Foothills Focus - Wednesday, May 20 West Valley View - Wednesday, May 20 Peoria Times - Thursday, May 21 The Glendale Star - Thursday, May 21 SanTan Sun News - Sunday, May 24

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

Troubled Scottsdale �inancial advisor kills wife, self BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

maligned Scottsdale financial advisor apparently shot his ex-wife to death and killed himself at a north Scottsdale park last week. Scottsdale Police Department responded to reports of a shooting involving one male and one female at Cholla Park just before 2 p.m. The department later confirmed the identities of the victim and suspect as Tammy Welch and Lawrence Labine. Welch was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the department. Labine was transported to an area hospital where he later died. Scottsdale Police have called the incident a murder-suicide, stating Labine shot Welch and then himself. “It is believed that Labine, armed with two handguns, shot Welch as she sat in her vehicle and then turned one of the guns in himself,” according to a statement from the department. Labine, a Scottsdale financial advi-

sor, had a history of allegedly shady dealings, according to court proceedings and records with FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. In January the Progress reported that Labine was the subject of a FINRA lawsuit alleging violations of common law fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and negligent supervision Overall, Labine had 25 consumer complaints filed against him since 1998, according to Broker Check, a service provided by FINRA. D. Daxton White, managing partner with The White Law Group, represented a Glendale resident in a FINRA suit against White, alleging Labine made four high-risk investments on behalf of the client, who was not adequately informed of the risk. The alleged victim was seeking between $100,000 and $200,000 in damages in the suit. In addition to the 25 customer complaints, Labine was the subject of 6 regulatory actions by FINRA and 4 financial judgments, according to Broker Check.

The majority of Labine’s clients were elderly, according to SEC records. Labine was also previously fired from DeWaay Financial in 2010 as “the result of allegations of violations of industry standards and regulations, as well as fraud,” according to the SEC. DeWaay’s owner ultimately paid $100,000 in a settlement with a client over allegations of misconduct against Labine. In 2017, FINRA barred Labine from acting as a broker or working with a broker-dealer firm as the result of a regulatory action initiated by the Arizona Corporation Commission’s Securities Division. The investments at the heart of the current FINRA lawsuit occurred before FINRA barred Labine, White said. The SEC also barred Labine from working as a broker or investment advisor, according to Broker Check. In 2016, the SEC brought proceedings against Labine for investments he sold to clients in debt securities issued by Domin-8 Enterprise Solutions,

Inc., a tech startup formerly in a dire financial situation and ultimately went bankrupt. Court filings in a 2011 lawsuit brought by Domin-8 investors in U.S. District Court show Domin-8 eventually became profitable after years of losses but remained at risk of shutting down because it took on too much debt. The investors alleged Domin-8 leadership approached Labine and DeWaay about acquiring the company after it filed for bankruptcy, leaving existing leadership, DeWaay and Labine to reap the benefits of the company’s newfound profitability while investors would be on the outside looking in. The two sides settled the suit in 2014. SEC investigators alleged Labine “misrepresented” the high-risk nature of the investments. Chief Administrative Law Judge Brenda P. Murray ordered Labine to pay $100,000 to the SEC and barred him from working in the investment industry for two years.

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

Pandemic causes delays for 2 big Scottsdale projects BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

he COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays at the Marquee office building and Caesars Republic hotel developments in downtown Scottsdale, but representatives for both projects said they are pushing forward. “Due to the current covid-19 effects on the capital markets our progress has slowed somewhat, but I can confirm that our Marquee project is not on indefinite hold,” said Greg Williams, managing director with developer Stockdale Capital Partners. Williams made the statement in response to questions from the Progress about a report published by Scottsdale Planning Commissioner Larry Kush indicating the current economic uncertainty had caused Stockdale to push pause on the Marquee. The 150-foot office building, was approved by City Council in 2019 and will be next to Stockdale’s Galleria Corporate Centre. “The controversial 271,000-square-foot Marquee office building on Scottsdale Road is on indefinite hold as the developer, Stockdale Capital, waits for a better reading on how long the lockdown is going to last and what to expect for office space needs in 2021 and beyond,” wrote Kush, who also works in commercial land sales. Kush published the post as part of the SCOTT Project, a division of the Scottsdale Coalition of Today and Tomorrow, a local civic group. Kush co-chairs the SCOTT Project with resident Andrea Alley. Kush later told the Progress some work was still being performed on the Marquee site, including underground work with APS to run power lines to the new building. He said he spoke with the development teams and published the post to keep residents in the loop on major developments in the city that could be affected by the economic downturn. Another project that could be pushed back, according to Kush, is the Caesars Republic hotel being built by HCW Development on the northeast end of Scottsdale Fashion Square. The project broke ground on Feb.26, but HCW later announced a month-long delay because of the governor’s stay-at-home order. But Kush said the delay could be longer, writing in the SCOTT post that the primary construction lender sought a 90-day delay.

and you’re going to grab every job you can grab and you’re going to be as readable on the pricing as you can be.” The spokesperson for the Caesars Progress at the Marquee ofﬁce building being built in downtown project stood Scottsdale “has slowed somewhat” but the project is moving forward, by the original according to developer Stockdale Capital Partners. (Progress ﬁle photo) month-long Kush said many lenders for large projects April delay like Caesars are on the East Coast and have and did not confirm the longer 90-day pause. been spooked by the severe impact of CoAt an economic roundtable hosted by vid-19. NASDAQ, investment professionals warned Kush said HCW would use the 90 days to that the economic fallout from the panrebid the project to secure lower construc- demic is causing uncertainty in real estate tion costs. investment in sectors that rely heavily on “When things are booming, (contractors) businesses forced to shut down, including will give you a numbers that are ridiculous hotels and office. because they really don’t even want the Dane Bowler, CFO at 2nd Market Capital work,” Kush said. “If you’re a contractor now, Advisory Corp., said the demand for ofyou’re worried as hell about what’s going on fice space could be affected by companies

forced to have employees work from home during the crisis. “The threat to office is real, however, as some businesses will realize how much money they can save by downsizing office space,” he said. “I would anticipate office, which is already oversupplied, to be a struggling real estate sector for the foreseeable future.” The same can be said for investment in hotels, according to the NASDAQ roundtable. “If people are just sitting at home, we don’t need hotels, malls, and offices, right?” said Jussi Askola, author of the High Yield Landlord investment newsletter. “The market fears that this crisis will lead to lease defaults, unpaid rents, rising vacancy rates, and ultimately, lower cash flow and property values. Kush said he is confident that both the Marquee and Caesars hotel – and others that have already broken ground around Scottsdale – will continue, calling Scottsdale a premier landing spot for development “It’s exceptionally rare you will ever see a lender stop a project under construction for a whole bunch of reasons,” Kush said.

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DUCEY ��

relates that most of the (non-essential) businesses,” Lane said. Saying Arizonans might even be able to dine out by May 12, Gov. Doug Ducey last week said there just isn’t the data from the state Department of Health Services to show Arizona has beaten back the COVID-19 outbreak to allow his order to self-destruct as scheduled on April 30. “There is not a trend,’’ he said. “And what I’m looking for, what (health Director) Dr. Cara Christ are looking for are trends.’ So he has extended his stay-at-home order, first issued a month ago, through at least May 15. But the governor said he does feel comfortable enough to allow some retail businesses, shuttered under a separate order, to open their doors – just a little bit at first. Lane said he’s not the only person in Scottsdale unhappy with the governor’s decision. “I’ve had tremendous feedback from the business community, and there is real concern,” Lane said. “They were expecting better than this.” Lane said he would have liked to have seen a “defining of a couple of things” –including what metrics the governor is using to determine when the virus curve has been tamped down to point where it is safe to reopen businesses. Lane said the state has to be “careful not to try to move the goalpost.” Effective Monday, the kinds of businesses that Ducey has not designated as “essential’’ will be able to sell items out the front door. So, for example, everything from furniture stores and jewelers to beauty salons can offer products to drive-up and delivery customers. By Friday, they can allow customers in the door, providing they “establish and implement protocols and best practices.’’ That specifically includes requirements for “social distancing’’ of at least six feet. But there won’t be any shopping at retailers located inside malls unless customers can access the stores through an exterior entrance. Lane questioned how many businesses will actually take up Ducey’s offer to open up in a more limited capacity “be-

Gov. Doug Ducey extended his stay-at-home order to May 15, but added various modifcations and said restaurants might reopen May 12. (Capitol Media Services)

cause investment and opening up on such a restricted basis is really probably just going to add to their losses.” Bars will remain closed other than the ability to sell to drive-up and delivery customers. Restaurants are a different story. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott agreed to allow them to open up but with an occupancy of no more than 25 percent of capacity. Ducey, however, who keeps repeating his experience as owner of Cold Stone Creamery, said that’s not acceptable. “Anybody that’s ever run a restaurant knows that 25 percent is just the surest way to continually lose a lot more money,’’ he said. But Ducey provided no specific rules or even guidelines for exactly how he believes they can operate safely. Instead the governor said he is working on a plan “in cooperation with the restaurant industry’’ to find a way to allow them to reopen in a way that makes sense for the operators and is attractive to diners while keeping everyone safe. When all that will be ready is another question. “Our goal is to do that sometime in May,’’ the governor said. “We are aspirational at this time.’ The best-case scenario, according to the industry, would be on May 12.’’ Lane acknowledged that there is no silver bullet to solve the situation, but said individuals – especially those hit

hardest financially by crisis – need to know the shutdown will not be extended indefinitely. “I don’t know that anybody that has the perfect answer for that, but I think we need to make sure that people aren’t continually extended,” Lane said. Lane said he fears individuals that are watching their businesses fail during the pandemic will lose hope. “There are people that are being literally crushed…it may drive some of them to suicide because they’re watching their lives just evaporate as far as their financial situation is concerned and their family is concerned.” Ducey made it clear that, for the time being, things won’t be the way they were before he shut them down in March. “When you do walk in to one of those opened restaurants for dine-in, it will be a different experience,’’ he said, adding diners should expect is that the employees all will be wearing masks. Ducey stressed that his word is law and that individual cities are not free to conclude that local health conditions require that restaurants and retailers remain closed longer than what he directs. “When I give guidance statewide, it is statewide, and it is enforceable by law,’’ he said in response to a question by Capitol Media Services. Despite his criticisms, Lane said he still stands by Ducey’s decision to enforce statewide guidance, expressing a concern about what would happen if

cities tried to act on their own. “It becomes a distraction; it becomes a point of conflict; and it doesn’t serve us well,” Lane said. Ducey did say he might consider enacting rules on a county-by-county basis. Ducey said that none of this easing of restrictions will matter or help struggling businesses if Arizonans are not comfortable with going out. The governor said a business executive he did not identify told him that probably 30 percent of Arizonans are primed and ready to go out. Another 30 percent, Ducey said, may be uncomfortable resuming normal activities until there actually is a vaccine to protect people against COVID-19. He said, though, they may be “persuadable.’’ As for the 40 percent somewhere in the middle, the governor said they will require a restaurant to be cleaner, that social distancing is being enforced; and “that the server and the food people on the line not only had a mask on where appropriate but they had gloves.’’ And it might even require restaurants to go to disposable menus to prevent the virus from spreading from customer to customer. Ducey said he’s gotten “pretty close to 100 percent cooperation’’ with his existing orders from business owners. But he acknowledged that there has been a frustration, to the point where some business owners, including a few who attended a march on the Capitol earlier this month, had threatened to fully reopen regardless of what the governor decided. The governor said he’s not about to let that happen. “This is an order that is enforceable by law,’’ he said. “A violation is a $2,500 fine and up to six months in jail.’’ There’s another side to the governor’s decision to relax rules for businesses: employees who are uncomfortable going back to work because they fear exposure to COVID-19, whether for themselves or fear bringing it home to a medically fragile family member could lose their unemployment benefits. “We’re going to have flexibility around this,’’ Ducey said. But he said altering the rules might require him to work with legislative leaders.

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Scottsdale teacher has big plans for Intel grant BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

mong the more than 430 applications submitted to Intel’s “40 for 40 Teacher Grants,” 44 were chosen as recipients of the $2,500 grant. And the only teacher chosen in Scottsdale was Brandy Wilson, a fifth-grade teacher at Navajo Elementary School. “I received a phone call from my principal with the first words being, ‘Um, congratulations, Brandy!’” Wilson said. “At first, I didn’t know what he was talking about, but quickly remembered about the grant I applied for a few months ago.” The Intel-funded “40 for 40 Teacher Grants” fund Arizona public school teachers’ respective science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM) projects. “The overwhelming number of applications received is a testament to the

Fifth grade students at Navajo Elementary School work on the Intel-funded Empathy Project. Fifth grade teacher Brandy Wilson was the only teacher in Scottsdale to receive the $2,500 grant. (Brandy Wilson)

wonderful work that teachers throughout Arizona are doing to provide vital

STEAM experiences to their students – often with little to no resources,” said

Kim Graham, Arizona Education Foundation executive director. Wilson sought the grant for her Empathy Project, which would “help bridge the gap between school learning and the world.” “The goal of the Empathy Project, and really every project our students engage in, is to help them see the value they have and how their learning is not just to check an academic box,” Wilson said. As part of the project, students research local charities they might actually get to impact and write a persuasive essay explaining why their fellow students should choose their charity. Then, the voting begins. “Students vote blindly and democratically for the winning essay, revealing the charity that will receive the fruits of their learning: about 70 sewn items, de-

see INTEL page 22

Scottsdale Rotary still pitching in to help BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

he Rotary Club of Scottsdale may have canceled all meetings through May 1 due to the coronavirus, but that isn’t stopping the Club from continuing to serve the community. On March 25, the club donated $10,000 to Vista Del Camino and Scottsdale Community Partners. “We cannot express how much we appreciate this incredibly generous donation, and it could not have come at a better time,” said Angela BravoGallagher, City of Scottsdale human services center supervisor at Vista del

Scottsdale Community Partners (SCP) Executive Director Jenny Adams and Vista del Camino Human Services Manager Eugenio Munoz-Villafane gave the Progress a tour of Vista del Camino’s food bank last summer. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

Camino. Bravo-Gallagher added that food and supplies are at very low levels at Vista del Camino and the need from the community increases daily. “This donation will allow us to help our Scottsdale neighbors at a critical time, and for that, we express our most sincere thank you to the Rotary Club of Scottsdale,” she added. Vista del Camino provides a variety of services to Scottsdale residents to meet the basic needs of individuals and families in crisis, relieve economic and emotional stress, assist individuals to maintain self-sufficiency

see ROTARY page 22

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ROTARY �� page 20

and prevent homelessness. The money will go toward providing various kinds of basic need assistance to Scottsdale residents, including food assistance, rental assistance, and utility assistance, said Scottsdale Community Partners Executive Director Jenny Adams. Scottsdale Community Partner programs provide crisis support to three primary populations living in poverty within Scottsdale: youth, families, and seniors/disabled adults. “We anticipate that we will have several months, if not a year or two, of significant increased demand for assistance, and every dollar given today helps us not only in the immediate, but in preparing long term for the increased impact to our services,” Adams said. Adams added that, compared to this time last year, SCP has seen a “significant” increase in the number of calls asking for their services, and that a “great number” of calls are coming from people impacted by the current crisis seeking food, rental, and utility assistance. “The current crisis is in its infancy. We know that the biggest test will be in the coming months as more and more people reach out in need of assistance,” Adams said. “We are very

INTEL �� page 20

signed and made entirely by fifth graders,” Wilson said. During this stage, students design a sewn item, create the pattern entirely on their own, learn valuable measuring tools, hand stitch and machine-sew their projects. The grant “will be used to fund the purchase of more sewing machines and consumable items like needles, stuffing, and colored fabric in all shades,” Wilson said. “Yellow was a hot color this year!” Funding will be distributed in early July, and Wilson said her fifth-grade team will lay the groundwork for writing skills in the fall. The project will then pick up momentum in the spring. “However, students already come in ready with their fresh ideas in the

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

strategically working through the current crisis to the best of our ability as well as developing a plan for how we will continue to navigate this as it unfolds over the next several months.” SCP has also seen an increase in donations. “Typically, the spring months are our lowest donation period of the year, so the influx of donations has allowed us to prepare for the next few weeks and months as the need continues to rise,” Adams said. In addition to the donation from the club, SCP raised $1,791 during Arizona Gives Day this year, up from $1,100 last year. “I would encourage everyone to

keep in mind that this crisis will have long-term ramifications that will be felt for the next several months and years. Every dollar that is raised now allows us to make long-term plans to continue to provide assistance to our most vulnerable community members,” Adams said. Since then, the Rotarians have raised an additional $5,000 from the BHHS Legacy Foundation, a Phoenixbased nonprofit that helps community organizations improve the health and quality of life of citizens in need. According to the club Vice President-elect Christopher West, the Rotarians still need community matching gifts to augment their donation. “We live in such an amazing city and are so proud to be a part of the larger charitable community here in Scottsdale with other great organizations, like the Charros, Thunderbirds, the Virginia G. Piper Trust, Scottsdale 2030 Club, Scottsdale Leadership, and so many other incredible groups. Our donation and the donations of other organizations like these is what ‘Service Above Self ’ is all about,” West said. West added that those interested in donating money can call 480-9456158, and those interested in donating food and/or household goods, can call Vista del Camino at 480-3122323.

“This is but another wonderful example of how the members of Rotary Club of Scottsdale demonstrate the values they espouse and their commitment to the safety and betterment of our community. In these times, this donation is particularly meaningful for those who have been thrown into a situation of physical and financial uncertainty,” said Scottsdale Mayor and Honorary Rotarian Jim Lane. SCP is also currently in need of both goods and monetary donations for its Beat the Heat summer program, which assists more than 300 seniors in need. Items needed include bottled water, new and reusable water bottles, grocery cards worth $35, unused personal hygiene items, healthy storebought individually wrapped snacks, nutritional supplement drinks, books of “Forever” stamps, and summer relief items, like mini fans, reusable ice packs, and more. Drop Beat the Heat donations off at the Via Linda Senior Center at 10440 E. Via Linda on May 12, 14, and 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monetary donations are accepted through May 29. “We have been so heartened to see so many community organizations and members step forward to help provide assistance for their fellow citizens. It truly restores your faith in humanity,” Adams said.

fall!” she added. “It’s exciting to watch the transformation in their writing, research skills and their ideas as the months progress. The brainstorming happens far before the Empathy Project actually takes flight.” The deadline to complete the project is May, around the same time Navajo Elementary School holds its STEAM Showcase. “Students beam with pride when they share the personally created, one-of-akind patterns, and polished persuasive essays,” Wilson said. “While they have so many other artifacts of learning — interactive notebooks, solid rockets designed with ASU Rocketry Team, bottle rockets designed in collaborative groups, adhesives commercials, cigar box guitars with 3D printed components, etc. — many still gravitate toward their Empathy Project

piece because it holds a special, very personal place in each of their hearts,” she added. Wilson said she misses her weekly class meetups but now she and her students meet for games of Scattergories and “connection questions” via ZOOM. “I can only hope that when this ends and we’re reunited in our school again, we’ll all be even more skilled at solving problems with limited resources and adapting to change. We’re learning life skills right now, too,” she said. At this time, Wilson said one way people can help support the school is through tax-credit contributions. The dollar-for-dollar state tax credit funds resources and experiences for the students, including the fifth-grade students’ three-day STEAM camping trip to Tonto Creek Camp in Payson, which costs about $100 per student.

This year, students learned about astronomy, created motor-powered amusement park rides, studied sustainable energy, went for hikes and caught crayfish in the creek. “So many of our students have never been on a hike or been out in nature. For many of them, this was their first learning experience outside of school,” Wilson said, adding: “We would be honored to have more community members consider donating through this format to Navajo Elementary,” she said. “This will fund the experiences and resources that make us the dynamic neighborhood STEAM school that is studentcentered and focused on collaborative learning, problem-solving, and maximum engagement.” Information: azedfoundation.org/40for-40-awards, intel.com/arizona

“I would encourage everyone to keep in mind that this crisis will have long-term ramiﬁcations that will be felt for the next several months and years. Every dollar that is raised now allows us to make longterm plans to continue to provide assistance to our most vulnerable community members.”

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BUSINESS

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Scottsdale Chamber, others propose 3-step revival BY CECILIA CHAN Progress Staff Writer

n organization of area Chambers of Commerce, including Scottsdale, has proposed a three-phase plan for reopening Arizona’s economy that would start May 15 and be completed a month later. Gov. Doug Ducey last week extended his stay-at-home order to May 15 with some modifications, letting retail stores sell goods via curbside pick-up and delivery starting tomorrow, May 4, with customers allowed inside starting May 8 with safety protocols in place. The reopening plan proposed by the East Valley Chambers of Commerce Alliance – a consortium of area Chambers of Commerce that represents 5,000 area businesses – follows the Trump Administration’s “Opening up America” plan, using guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We felt it was very important to use the CDC recommendations as the basis for reopening as the governor has been very clear since the beginning that he will be using those metrics to make key decisions impacting the entire state,” said Kathy Tilque, Alliance legislative chairwoman. “Businesses are looking for clarity and definitions to help them as they begin planning to reopen. “The majority of businesses cannot weather this crisis through the end of June, which is why developing a clear, concise and safe plan now is critical,” Tilque continued. “The sooner we can open businesses, the better it is.” The Alliance’s reopening dates are based on health metrics and safety concerns. Tilque noted it took just three days for Scottsdale and the other eight chambers to agree on the plan. Under Phase 1, half of the state’s work-

Old Town has been looking pretty deserted since the governor closed businesses in March, but hopes are some life will return to its businesses and streets sometime later this month. (Progress file photo)

force would be allowed back to their jobs the two weeks following May 15. The Alliance suggested allowing retail stores, personal services like hair and nail salons, gyms and large venues like churches, movie theaters and sporting places to reopen with safety protocols in place – such as social distancing, masks and sanitizing measures. However, schools, organized youth activities and bars would remain closed. Phase 2 would kick off June 1, allowing daycare and organized youth activities to reopen with strict distancing and sanitizing protocols. Bars would be allowed to open with diminished standing-room occupancy where applicable and appropriate. Under the first two phases, employers would encourage telecommuting whenever possible, make special accommodations for workers vulnerable to the coronavirus and impose physical distancing in common areas where em-

ployees congregate. The Alliance suggested Phase 3 to commence on June 15 with unrestricted staffing at worksites, allowing bars to open with increased standing-room occupancy and loosening up some of the restrictions on gyms and large venues. Under all three phases, visits to senior-living facilities and hospitals would be prohibited. The White House’s Phase 1 launch assumes a downward trajectory of both flu-like illnesses and documented COVID-19 cases over 14 days, that hospitals can treat all patients without crisis care and that a robust testing program is in place for at-risk healthcare workers. Ducey, who also wants to reopen the state in stages, last Thursday held a 90-minute telephone conference for businesses to call in with questions. He acknowledged frustration from the business community and noted he consulted with the CDC and the White

House in making his decisions. Dr. Cara Christ, state Department of Health Services director, said her agency is looking at a lot of different data, including how hospitals are responding, their capacity and their caseload projection as the state moves away from restrictions. “The pandemic has dimmed our economy, I realize that,” said Ducey, who likened the pandemic to a natural disaster. He said Arizona was leading the nation in economic development and growth before nationwide closures and that he is confident the state will be back on track once businesses got the green light to open. He mentioned he used the “lightest touch” in closing businesses, allowing many considered to be essential to stay open. Ducey said restaurants were the next

see CHAMBER page 25

BUSINESS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

CHAMBER �� page 24

to likely open May 12 for sit-down dining. He said that date comes from the restaurant industry after he asked how soon eateries can open when given the go-ahead. He said he was confident that the next two weeks will produce additional metrics in guiding his decisions and noted that he issued orders preventing evictions of small businesses that have been unable to pay their rent or mortgage. Hotelier Bill Nassikas said although hotels and other lodgings were allowed to stay opened, business was not good. “Our occupancy is in the single-digit range,” he said. “Typically, it’s in the 80 to 90 percent range.” He asked when swimming pools, closed on April 4, will be allowed to reopen as the Valley’s temperatures enter triple digits. Christ explained studies show the coronavirus has been transmitted in pools used by multiple groups and that guidelines are now being developed for their reopening. Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism, added that pools was the No. 1 concern with its members, stressing most resorts will not reopen if they remain closed. Jeffrey Pruitt, founder and CEO of Tallwave, a business design and innovation company, asked about the potential impact if an anticipated second wave of COVID-19 hits the state in the fall. Ducey said the state will be better prepared by then, adding, “We can protect people who are most vulnerable and not take the same drastic steps.” Christ said that while the virus is expected to stay around, more people will have been exposed and hopefully build a

Kathy Tilque, who chairs the Chambers Alliance legislative committee, says businesses need a clear start plan. (File)

“herd immunity.” And because hospitals have shown the capacity to handle the virus, the state won’t have to take far-reaching steps, she said. Meanwhile, an Alliance survey and comments during the governor’s conservations with business owners indicate that federal help leaves much to be desired. “The federal government’s programs are much appreciated, but the reality is that if the money received has to be used now while the business is closed, there will be no money to pay employees when their doors open if we wait until after June,” Tilque said. She added that a recent Alliance survey of 350 businesses applying for aid showed 15 to 32 haven’t even received an acknowledgement of their applications and that 56 to 61 percent were rejected, depending on the program. The survey was taken before the

Washington Post reported that its analysis showed publicly traded companies received more than $1 billion in funds meant for small businesses from the federal government’s economic stimulus package. Using securities filings, The Washington Post said nearly 300 public companies have reported receiving money from the Paycheck Protection Program. Recipients include 43 companies with more than 500 workers, the maximum typically allowed by the program. Several other recipients were prosperous enough to pay executives $2 million or more. After the first pool of $349 billion ran dry, leaving more than 80 percent of applicants without funding, outrage over the millions of dollars that went to larger firms prompted some companies to return the money. As of Thursday, the Post reported, public companies returned more than $125 million. During other Chamber-sponsored webinars, representatives from the banking industry talked about the financial relief programs and the problems business owners have encountered. Ashey Mapes of Business Development Finance Corp., explained that the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program bases help on applicants’ credit scores and cash flow, which could explain for some of the rejections. Businesses applying for the Payroll Protection Loan program are including self-employed independent contractors, who must apply themselves, Mapes said. Tim Colquhoun, vice president of National Bank of Arizona, said most of the declines are due to incomplete applications and applicants failing to calculate the loan amount they need. Banks need a complete loan amount to process an

application, he added. Mike Park of Mountain America Credit Union said incomplete documentation or applications will push a business to the bottom of the queue. Tilque said she didn’t have any official number of businesses that have closed permanently. “But according to our last EVCCA survey, only three businesses indicated they had closed permanently,” Tilque said. “I believe many are awaiting news about their federal loans in hopes that we will reopen our economy quickly. It’s like pressing the pause button on your remote: after a certain amount of time, the program will begin again or you get shut down. “It is our hope that we can hit that play button as soon as possible to ensure businesses can open quickly and consumers’ confidence translates into customers in stores.” The Alliance also has asked that the state provide $4 million in grants to Arizona’s Chambers of Commerce, with each receiving $20,000 to $60,000. The chambers, which charge a membership fee, aren’t getting revenue if their members are not making money, the organization said. And, if the chambers go under, it would seriously delay the economy’s ability to recover, the Alliance said. Additionally, the Alliance wants the state to provide $10 million total in loans for businesses with 20 and fewer employees that did not qualify for federal relief and were impacted by COVID-19. The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Arizona Small Business Administration are conducting classes on how to apply for federal help at caresactaz.com or caresactaz.com/espanol.

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4/9/20 2:48 PM

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Caregivers help protect the elderly in pandemic BY ZACH SHAW Progress Guest Writer

e are all doing things we never imagined: Wearing masks and gloves and social distancing (who even knew there was such a thing). But as scary as this pandemic is to any of us fairly young and healthy enough to �ight it, it is killing our moms, dads and grandparents. Since February, COVID-19 has been affecting the elderly at senior facilities throughout the U.S. Our loved ones are dying or becoming infected at the places designed to keep them safe. Doctors, nurses and �irst responders are on the front lines risking their own lives to care for those in need, but we need to remember our sometimes-forgotten but very important healthcare providers: caregivers.

Pandemic teaches a big lesson on development

Scottsdale city planners are at an unprecedented crossroads brought on by the debate over increasing the density of population and business throughout the city. Whether it is in the central part of the city or the far northern hamlets, the issue is the same. The business community wants greater density; others want the status quo or even less. Witness the heated debates over the Preserve, the Marquee project, Fiesta Ranch, Southbridge II, on and on. While all of this is percolating through the populace Covid-19 has emerged on the scene. What has this pandemic taught us? What has it warned us against? Overcrowding.

As the board president of an association that advocates for caregivers, I also run an in-home caregiving company. Perhaps I am biased to the importance of these workers, but I know that they can – and will – play a critical role in preventing the widespread transmissions that we are seeing at so many senior facilities and hospitals. Caregivers provide one-on-one support to an individual in an isolated environment, often in the home. They help with the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as cooking and cleaning, but can also provide the management of medications and hands-on assistance where protective equipment must be worn. Caregivers are typically either paid workers or unpaid family members. These caregivers often give the same services as many post-acute facilities in a much more regulated environment – which is so critical during social distancing. They can also help prevent the lone-

liness that so often affects our elderly, providing a social connection. So why are older adults being affected so disproportionately? Older adults are more at risk because of weakened immune systems due to the normal process of aging along with other pre-existing conditions. The close proximity to other seniors and facility staff at many care homes leaves them more vulnerable to a variety of af�lictions – and not just COVID-19. Even in the most safeguarded facilities (and they are all doing their best to address this crisis) it’s a numbers game: The more people in and out, the more likely the chance of transmission. Just as hospitals and rehabs need backup, this workforce will also need reinforcement. We are in the midst of a caregiving shortage and with the current healthcare crisis, the demand for in-home care will only increase. With layoffs and workplace uncertainty caused by the pandemic, caregiving offers

stable and rewarding employment. If you need a caregiver, you have to do your homework. Unlike other healthcare disciplines, caregiving is not always licensed or credentialed in Arizona. This means that just about anyone can provide care legally without having any experience or protections that help provide quality service. This lack of oversight is why the Arizona In-Home Care Association was formed as a nonpro�it consumer protection and trade association 13 years ago with a mission to protect at-risk populations and caregivers. Caregivers are going to be the ones who can keep the ones we love – and most at risk from COVID-19 – out of hospitals, post-acute facilities and long-term care facilities. They are going to be the key to keeping others safe in this crisis. -Zach Shaw is board president of the Arizona In-Home Care Association and CEO of Affordable In-Home Care in Scottsdale.

Scientists have determined that densely populated areas are more prone to the spread of this disease, and for that matter all infectious diseases. Just look at the numbers from the densely populated cities - Wuhan, Milan, Paris, New York, and Chicago. Just consider the cruise ships. First it was the epidemics of Norovirus on the cruise ships, now it’s Covid-19, there and everywhere else. This is not conjecture this is fact. Scottsdale has been known for open spaces. That’s why people want to move to Scottsdale. It’s not the steel and glass of Manhattan and it’s not the elbow to elbow crowding of Chicago’s Magni�icent Mile. It’s the openness and the freedom of the West that they seek. Covid-19 is teaching us that there is a

medical value to appropriately spacing humans in the work place and in their living conditions. All of the epidemics of the past, cholera, in�luenza, polio and now Covid-19, have struck hardest at the large population centers. San Francisco and Los Angeles are fearful of a typhus outbreak in their homeless communities. Who knows what will happen if Covid-19 strikes there? How do you social distance from one another if you live in a 10-story apartment or of�ice building with four elevators? Yes sanitation, chlorination, and vaccination are necessary components to controlling pandemics, but so is appropriate population density. That is what we already enjoy in Scottsdale. That is what we must strive to continue. Call it social distancing, call it anti-de-

velopment. I call it judicious thoughtful planning of the human environment for health, success, and enjoyment. Once this latest pandemic is over and life in Scottsdale returns to some facsimile of normal, Scottsdale City Council has a major challenge staring squarely in its face – how to fashion a General Plan that balances thoughtful growth and business development with preservation of the unique spacious character and vibrancy of our desirous community. Just because you can build it, just because it looks magni�icent on a computer-generated rendering, just because the developer is “a good person,” is not enough to crowd more humans into smaller tighter spaces. Good luck Scottsdale City Council. -Joseph S Janik, MD

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FOOD & DRINK

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

Food & Drink

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New local eatery helping the community BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

n March 7, California-based healthy fast-casual eatery MIXT celebrated the grand opening of its first Arizona location at Scottsdale Quarter. But they didn’t stay open for long. “It was really unfortunate timing,” said Leslie Silverglide, MIXT CEO. “We had the grand opening and then, of course, we started seeing the prevalence of COVID[-19] and its spread. To be cautious for society and our team members, we made the decision to close the restaurant the next week temporarily.” As of April 20, though, MIXT Scottsdale is, well, back in the mix – and donating meals to healthcare workers.

As part of their First in Line program, MIXT donated meals to HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Center the weekend of April 25. (Courtesy of MIXT)

MIXT is taking to-go orders and launched the First in Line program, which donates meals to healthcare workers and the community at large. The First in Line program initially launched on March 17 at MIXT’s California locations and, as of April 26, has helped feed more than 2,500 people in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles. In Scottsdale, MIXT has made donations to HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Center and Mayo Clinic in northern Scottsdale. HonorHealth workers “were just beyond grateful that someone took the time to come out there and drop off the food. They were just amazing,” said Nick Lemaster, MIXT Scottsdale general man-

see MIXT page 29

Take brunch to mom instead of mom to brunch BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

ust because restaurants’ dining rooms are closed, it doesn’t mean you’ll have to forgo treating mom to brunch next Sunday. ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho in Old Town Scottsdale has not one, but three to-go Mother’s Day food and drink specials this year. Specials include a takeaway meal for $36 per person, including pre-made slow-braised beef short ribs or crab cannelloni with an assortment of sides; takeand-make family meals starting at $89, including everything from pecan-crusted Alaskan halibut to garlic and herb butterrubbed prime rib; and the Bouquet + Bubbles package, which includes a floral arrangement and a bottle of fizzy Prosecco for $45.

ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho in Old Town Scottsdale has not one, but three to-go Mother’s Day food and drink specials this year. (Hotel Valley Ho)

“This new to-go only dynamic has pushed us to get creative with holidays like Mother’s Day, and every day with our various food and drink packages,” said General Manager Seth Widdes. In addition to cocktails, desserts, and family-style meals, ZuZu now offers weekday deals available for takeout, like TakeHome Taco Tuesday and Savor + Sip on Wednesdays. “We have paid close attention to what our locals and in-house guests enjoy and have made it easy for them to take advantage of the same creativity and outstanding flavors that ZuZu has always provided,” Widdes said. Typically, ZuZu would host 400 guests in the restaurant and an additional 300 guests in Sands, a private event space at the resort. “Spring is always a busy time

see MOTHER'S DAY page 29

FOOD & DRINK

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

MIXT �� page 28

website, patrons have the option to prepurchase a meal for a first responder or donate to the hospital of their choice and receive $5 off a future order. “It’s been really a great response from the community,” Lemaster said. “I would say 80 percent of the orders that are coming in online will always have a healthcare worker donation applied to it.” MIXT Scottsdale so far has partnered with four or five hospitals, clinics, Scottsdale Fire Department Station 9 and Joy Bus, a local nonprofit that delivers fresh, chef-crafted cuisine to homebound cancer patients. “Joy Bus has been a phenomenal, phenomenal organization. People have been very kind to donate to them,” Lemaster said. Silverglide added that MIXT is currently in search of more first responder partners, who can email hello@mixt.com. “What we’re trying to do is get the word out, that we’re happy to work and partner with anybody,” Silverglide said,

adding they will continue First in Line for as long as needed. “It’s been tremendous the number of emails and ‘thank yous’ that we’ve received. It’s really, truly brought tears to my eyes,” she said. Silverglide added: “I think more, than anything, healthcare workers and people on the frontline are feeling appreciated, and having something else to eat, not having to worry about that has just been a huge relief and helps bring joy to their day.” MIXT was the first multi-unit restaurant concept to become a Certified B Corporation, a legal classification for businesses that balance purpose and profit. According to B Corps’ website, the B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier, environment, stronger, communities and the creation of more highquality jobs. “When we opened the first unit 14 years ago, the idea was always to do

good for the community,” Silverglide said. “We’ve wanted to be much more than a restaurant. We wanted it to be a place that’s environmentally sustainable throughout. We wanted to be a partner in the community and be a business for good. That’s in the core DNA of who we are as a company.” When the pandemic hit, Silverglide and the MIXT team immediately launched the First in Line program and quickly expanded it to include anyone in need. “We saw that everyone was being impacted by this so quickly and with so much uncertainty, so we wanted to continue to do what we could do, which is give people delicious healthy meal,” Silverglide said. “So, beyond the First in Line program, we also have made our food available to anyone in need. If you’re somebody that you say that you’ve been deeply impacted and are deeply in need, then we provide you with a free or discounted meal. No questions asked,” she added. Information: mixt.com.

MOTHER'S DAY �� page 28

Day brunch for a minimum of four people, this is a way for us to say ‘thank you’ to all moms as well as their families.” Pre-orders must be placed by 4 p.m. May 7 and guests can use the one-night certificate through Dec. 27. Sachs said the resort is expecting to see an 85 to 90 percent decline in the number of people utilizing the takeout option for Mother’s Day from the previous years’ on-site dining. “It also limits our exposure to the resort itself. Many of the people attending the brunch on property may have been their first time to our resort and that exposure usually returns to a repeat visit for another occasion, and without that exposure, the viability of them coming back on property is severely limited,” he added. Other Mother’s Day take-out specials include:

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess What: Herb-crusted pork loin, black garlic rack of lamb, spring veggies, New York cheesecake. Add-ons include a spring bouquet for $75, a sleep well kit for $68, and a relaxation gift box for $168. Where: 7575 E. Princess Dr. Price: $195 Order: 480-585-2694 Website: scottsdaleprincess.com

Order: 480-376-2600 Website: hotelvalleyho.com

ager. “It’s been overwhelming in a very heartwarming way.” As for Mayo Clinic, Lemaster said they contacted MIXT shortly after the dropoff to tell them how much they appreciated the donation. “The entire team and everyone involved understands how important it is to our healthcare workers,” Lemaster said. “It’s been outstanding.” With 16 locations in California, Texas, and Arizona, MIXT’s menu boasts a chefcreated selection of salads, grain bowls, sandwiches and market plates. “The greens in your salad are delivered from regional farms directly on the day you dine with us, the dressing and toppings are prepared from scratch by our chefs every day, and the delicious bites of bacon and grilled chicken are cooked to perfection,” Silverglide said. “It’s these details that we obsess over so that you’ll crave the experience of eating better.” While placing to-go orders on MIXT’s

of year for ZuZu, and Mother’s Day usually rounds out our season,” Widdes said. So far, ZuZu has 10 Mother’s Day orders, half of which are take-and-make. Widdes anticipates that number will grow significantly leading up to Mother’s Day, especially considering they had 195 pick-up orders for Easter “feeding over 550 people.” Widdes said he expects the Bouquet + Bubbles package to be particularly popular, noting, “We also wanted it to be convenient for guests to only have to make one trip to pick-up their meal, bottle of bubbles, and flowers, versus making multiple stops.” The Scottsdale Plaza Resort has hosted more than 700 guests per year over the past three years for Mother’s Day brunch. This year, they’re offering a full to-go meal that includes bruschetta, a superfood salad, roasted whole chicken, trifle and more. But what sets Scottsdale Plaza Resort’s special apart is each order also includes a complimentary one-night stay at the resort. “We want to give all moms and their family to enjoy our resort and all of our amenities once it is safe to do so,” said Sean Sachs, Scottsdale Plaza Resort senior vice president. “When you buy a Mother’s

The Capital Grille What: Salad, choice of roasted whole tenderloin and butter-poached North Atlantic lobster tails or jumbo shrimp scampi, chocolate espresso cake. Where: 16489 N. Scottsdale Road Price: $110-$245 Order: 480-348-1700 Website: thecapitalgrille.com

Farm & Craft What: Penny mimosa package (bottle of Poema Brut or Rose with orange juice) with the purchase of any item. Where: 4302 N. Scottsdale Road Price: Varies Order: 480-568-8980 Website: ilovefarmandcrafttogo.com Hand Cut Chophouse What: Penny mimosa package with the purchase of any two items. Where: 7135 E. Camelback Road, #154 Price: Varies Order: 480-494-2008 Website: handcutchophouse.com

Hotel Valley Ho Where: 6850 E. Main St. Price: Takeaway meal $36 per person, takeand-bake $89+, Bouquet + Bubbles $49

Morning Squeeze What: The Mother’s Day Brunch Package feeds four to six people and includes two quiches (veggie and meat), breakfast potatoes, six biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, and a chocolate chip French toast casserole. Add a bottle of champagne for $6 each. Where: 4233 N. Scottsdale Road Price: $120 Order: Call 480-945-4669 or email catering@morningsqueeze.com by May 8 Website: morningsqueeze.com

PHX Beer Co. What: $20 32-oz. crowlers of Bloody Marys, margaritas or mimosa kits (OJ and champagne); $10 of each item sold over the weekend weekend will go to local nonprofit Homeward Bound. Where: 8300 N. Hayden Road Price: $20 Order: 480-571-8645 Website: phxbeerco.com The Scottsdale Plaza Resort Where: 7200 N. Scottsdale Road Price: $31 Order: 480-951-5170 Website: scottsdaleplaza.com

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MAY 3, 2020

Obituaries Donald T. Downes Donald T. Downes passed away peacefully in his sleep Wednesday May 1, 2019 in Scottsdale, AZ after a short cancer illness. Don was born in Denver, CO. May 14, 1952. He attended George Washington HS until his senior year when his parents moved to Cody, WY. He graduated in May, 1970 from Cody HS. He graduated from the University of Wyoming in May, 1974 with a BS in Music. He worked in Laramie after graduation where he managed Diamond Lumber Company. He also tended bar at the Ramada Inn in Laramie. While in Laramie he met his future wife, Connie Rutner. She owned a hair salon. They were married in in August of 1987. They moved to Scottsdale AZ, where Don attended and graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. They later divorced and Don concentrated his time on cooking and food writing. He had several food articles published in The Scottsdale Progress newspaper and the Phoenix magazine. He managed several websites for various restaurants in the area. No formal services have been scheduled. As per his wishes this obituary was not to be published for several months after his death.

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