Issuu

Virus leads to innovation / P. 25

New strategy to lure visitors / P. 6

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

NEWS ................................ 4 Suspects sought in Scottsdale man's slaying.

NEIGHBORS .............22 New chef comes from line of hard workers.

ARTS............................... 28 Roadhouse Cinemas ﬁrst moviehouse to reopen.

NEIGHBORS ..........................................22 BUSINESS ...............................................27 ARTS ........................................................ 28 FOOD ....................................................... 29 CLASSIFIEDS .......................................30

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

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Facemasks now required in city public spaces BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

he City of Scottsdale now requires the use of masks in most public spaces to combat the spread of COVID-19. Mayor Jim Lane signed an emergency proclamation last Thursday requiring mask usage in public spaces where social distancing cannot be maintained – including grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants and bars, gyms, shops, special events and public transit. The proclamation went into effect last Friday and will remain in place through July 20, though it could be repealed sooner – or extended if virus cases continue to surge.

Days before mandates were imposed on mask wearing in public, Hailey Steenhoek wasn't taking chances with the water aerobics course she teaches at McDowell Mountain Aquatic and Fitness Center in Scottsdale. (Pablo Robles/Progress Photographer)

But the rules for masks in Scottsdale could change. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors was scheduled to consider a countywide ban on Friday afternoon – afte the Progress' print deadline – that could supersede all

the mandates being considered or imposed by cities within the county. The Scottsdale mandate does not apply to children under 6, see MASKS page 8 restaurant patrons

But the candidates call the movement little more than a political ploy to distract from other more pressing concerns by wrongfully maligning legal contributions. Councilman Guy Phillips, who is running for re-election, wrote a letter to the Progress challenging all candidates to return campaign contributions from developers with business before the city – and com-

mitted to do the same. “I have reviewed the donors to my campaign, and I am in the process of returning those contributions from those givers that have, have had or will have an interest in City decision-making or permitting processes,” Phillips wrote. “I challenge not only my Coun-

Candidates divided on campaign donations BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

ampaign contributions – and where they come from – are taking center stage in the 2020 Scottsdale City Council and mayoral races as some candidates and residents allege developers are pumping money into the campaigns to curry favor.

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CITY NEWS

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.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Police seek help in probing Scottsdale man’s slaying PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

GoFundMe campaign has been set up to raise money for the family of a Scottsdale man found murdered inside his Gilbert business. Police reported that Nicholas Cordova, 40, of Scottsdale, was found dead May 27 inside Gilbert Air, Heating and Cooling at 511 W. Guadalupe Road. Police didn’t report the death until recently when they needed the public’s help in finding two suspects last seen near Cooper and Guadalupe roads. One suspect, caught on a gas station surveillance video, is described as a Hispanic or Native American man approximately 5’8” tall, with a heavy-set build, according to a news release. To view the video footage, go to gilbertaz.box.com/s/ vk9b1qsv8p4ea2x7693tkbg7iwdldgqj Police said based on its investigation, the case was an isolated incident. When asked if robbery was a motive in Cordova’s death, a police spokeswoman said all the information about the case that could be shared was in the release. One donor on the GoFundMe site said Cordova was a son-in-law of one of his close friends and that the victim was “murdered over a business deal.” As of last week, over 600 people donated $60,870 toward the $75,000 goal. Cordova was well thought of and loved by his family, friends and even customers. One donor on the GoFundMe site wrote that he was a customer that purchased new air conditioning units from Gilbert Air before Cordova took it over in 2018. He said he ran into difficulties with one of the units and the manufacturer was no help in fixing the problem but that Cordova “came to the rescue” and fixed the issue without charge. “He could have ignored our problems but he did the moral thing, the honest thing and over months of hard work he fixed the issue,” the man said. “Nick was the best. One of the nicest, honest, hardworking individuals I have met. Our world has lost a great person.” Cordova’s wife, Alysha, on her Facebook page notified family and friends what had happened the day after his death. “Yesterday evening our beloved Nick was brutally attacked and killed while

Nicholas Cordova of Scottsdale left behind a widow and two young children when he was killed in an unsolved murder in Gilbert May 27. Gilbert police just disclosed the slaying and did not give a cause of death, though relatives said he was shot.

Gilbert police are seeking information on this man and another suspect in Cordova's slaying. (Special to the Progress)

ending another hard day of work. I have no words to describe the gut wrenching pain my family is feeling,” she wrote. “Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.” Alysha Cordova later wrote that she had been watching the surveillance video of one of the suspects over and over again. “What a low life of a man,” she said. “His hunched over nonchalant walk in and out of the gas station. A carefree look on his face as if he didn’t just murder my husband in cold blood. This mon-

ster needs to be caught.” Both she and her mother-in-law Theresa Cordova on social media have been asking for the public’s help in finding the suspects. Cordova also leaves behind two young children, Cruize, 7, and Capri, 5. Cordova was born in Scottsdale and graduated from Chandler High School in 1998, according to his obituary. An avid football player and high school wrestler, Cordova worked as a personal trainer for a number of years before transitioning to work in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and eventually purchased Gilbert Air. He was a man of great faith who put his family first and doted on his children. He liked working on his vehicles and also had a passion for camping, boat trips to the lake, and day trips out riding in the desert. “Although he was notorious for being pokey or always being late, Nick never said ‘no’ to his family and friends and was always willing to work evenings and weekends to help them out,” according to his obit. To donate, go to gofundme.com/f/inmemory-of-nick-cordova. Anyone with information about Cordova’s death is urged to call Gilbert Police at 480-503-6500 or call Silent Witness 480-WITNESS.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Scottsdale tourism officials eye closer markets

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

cottsdale’s tourism arm unveiled its strategy for injecting life back into the city’s pandemic-devastated tourism industry. The strategy, which Experience Scottsdale executives discussed at length at its Virtual Tourism Industry Update May 27, includes a heavy focus on attracting residents from cities and regions within driving distance of Scottsdale. “Industry research is predicting that people will be more likely to travel by car than by plane in the short term and that drive markets will be the most lucrative in the early recovery phase,” said Caroline Stoeckel, vice president of marketing. Though the industry has rebounded somewhat from historically low occupancies in April, local hotels are still seeing just a fraction of the visitors they hosted at the same time last year. Scottsdale-area hotels and resorts were 34.4 percent occupied from May 31 to June 6 – a significant increase over April, when

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occupancy dipped below 10 percent, but still 48.4 percent lower than occupancy during the first week of June 2019. Experience Scottsdale is predicting the occupancy rates will increase gradually heading into the fall. “Researchers continuously tell us and believe that travel will pick up each and every month and significantly throughout the fall with so many travelers referring to stick closer to home,” President/CEO Rachel Sacco said. The organization is focusing its marketing efforts on Phoenix, Tucson and southern California, using radio, billboard and online campaigns through Labor Day. The focus on bringing visitors into Scottsdale as COVID-19 infections continue to rise could be a sore point for some locals, though, especially after local leaders blamed out-of-state visitors when photos and videos of crowded bars and pools in the city’s entertainment district went viral over Memorial Day weekend. Mayor Jim Lane said the crowds that

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weekend comprised “a lot The agency is also workfrom Vegas and from Califoring to bring in businesses nia and maybe even from the and associations for large Midwest, believe it or not.” meetings and conferences by But Experience Scottsdale emphasizing the way properleadership said those visities here contrast with other tors were not drawn by its cities without as much open campaign, which did not bespace. gin until after Memorial Day. “We’re really focused on “When our advertising talking about our campus does start to the Southern style resorts…the fact that California market, it won’t you don’t have to wait in an focus or target a party elevator with 20 people to crowd,” Stoeckel said. “In- Experience Scottsdale CEO get up to your room,” said stead, our message is going Rachel Sacco said industry Kelli Blubaum, vice presito focus on open spaces, analysts predict tourism will dent of Convention Sales & continue to pick up every our Sonoran Desert envi- month through the fall, driv- Services. “We really are poronment and resort rates.” en by visitors within driving sitioned well with our open Experience Scottsdale also distance of Scottsdale. (Spe- spaces and physical distancis focusing on attracting luxu- cial to the Progress) ing that we know that meetry travelers who may be wary ing planners are going to of international trips. have to take into consideration moving “The world’s top travel analysts are re- forward." porting that leisure travel will be the first to But it’s unclear how the continued rise rebound and that luxury travel will be the in virus cases in Arizona will affect Scottsfirst segment to return,” said Deanne Boyn- dale’s attractiveness for conferences. ton Grupp, vice president of tourism. Governor Doug Ducey recently said, Boynton Grupp said that American Ex- “This virus is something we need to learn press Travel reported that 80 percent of re- to live with, and we need to make sure that cent bookings were for domestic travel and we are protecting the most vulnerable in the Arizona was a top-five destination. our society.” Experience Scottsdale is going to begin According to Blubaum, 30 percent of the by working to attract luxury visitors from requests for proposal the organization has Phoenix and Tucson for staycations before seen are for events in 2020, with 56 percent expanding to other drive markets. looking for meeting dates in 2021.

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More city facilities have reopened after pandemic-related closures. Here’s the rundown. Pools: Cactus, Eldorado and McDowell Mountain Ranch pools open for lap swim and water aerobics classes. Swim lessons and recreation swim/dive teams begin on June 22.

Libraries: Civic Center and Mustang library open with limited service from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 1 – 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Appaloosa and Arabian libraries open for drive-thru only on Wednesday & Thursday – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m; Friday & Saturday – 1 to 5 p.m.

Senior Centers: Open with limited service from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Meal distribution and social services are available by appointment only. Vista del Camino Community Center: Open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays. Appointment required for food bank, social services and career center services. Hydration station is open. Paiute Neighborhood Center: Open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays by appointment only.

Parks: Playgrounds, spraypads, sports courts, open space, trails, skate parks and restrooms are open to the public.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Social distancing still scant at downtown bars

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

espite promises by the city to crack down crowding in downtown Scottsdale bars and clubs, it appears to be business as usual in the city’s Entertainment District as COVID-19 cases continue to rise statewide. Images of packed bars flooded social media over the Memorial Day weekend, making national headlines and drawing the ire of local officials. Mayor Jim Lane called the scene “disturbing” and promised to meet with local property owners alongside Scottsdale Police Department officers to educate them on social distancing protocols recommended by Gov. Doug Ducey and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But little has changed following that meeting. Last weekend, camera crews from 12News captured footage of “people shoulder-to-shoulder in Old Town Scottsdale and there are no masks in sight,” according to the local NBC affiliate.

MASKS from front

while eating or those who can’t wear masks due to medical conditions. Masks are also not required during religious services, spaced-out outdoor exercise or in establishments with fewer than 10 people where social distancing can be maintained. The city’s order also carved out exceptions for services like dental work where masks are impractical, public meetings with adequate social distancing and for those complying with a public safety officer’s order. It also exempts people working in offices or riding in cars “where others are not present.” The announcement came a day after Gov. Doug Ducey – in an abrupt about-face – agreed on June 17 to give city, town and county officials the power to enact and enforce requirements for people to wear face masks. Minutes before Ducey’s announcement, Lane told the Progress he would not require mandatory masks, saying “No, I’m not considering it myself right now.”

Crowds packed into downtown Scottsdale bars like Bottled Blonde beginning on Memorial Day weekend and have continued to defy social distancing guidelines in recent weeks. (Photo by Wayne Schutsky)

It said crowds packed a number of popular downtown bars, including The District, Riot House, Bottled Blonde and Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row. Following Memorial Day weekend, Bottled Blonde denied ignoring the governor’s recommendations and said it had taken a number of steps to comply with

social distancing, including reducing capacity from 436 to 250 people, erecting Plexiglas between booths, limiting booth seating to 10 people, placing hand sanitizer throughout the venue, and requiring all staff to wear masks. But those types of precautions have not stopped shoulder-to-shoulder crowds

Scottsdale resident Susan Hughes, a retired physician, delivered a letter to Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane yjsy esd signed by around 3,000 medical professionals advocating for mandatory mask policies. (Wayne Schutsky/Progress Staff)

But hours later and after significant backlash on social media, the city issued a statement that it was now evaluating the legal and enforcement ramifications of implementing a mask mandate.

Other Valley cities also quickly issued or or prepared their own mask mandates. In neighboring Tempe, Mayor Mark Mitchell’s emergency declaration virtually mirrors Scottsdale’s.

from filling that bar and its neighboring establishments. A spokesperson for the Scottsdale Police Department said officers continue to talk with businesses about the importance of following CDC and state social distancing guidelines, but noted “social distancing measures are recommendations.” “We have met with the downtown bars and shared the information and covered the current mandate to have a distancing plan,” Officer Kevin Watts said. “Our officers have continued to reinforce that message in the field.” But there could be some form of punishment on the horizon for bars that defy social distancing. “If establishments do not respond to the education and continue to overcrowd, we will be submitting that information to the State Department of Liquor for sanction consideration,” Watts said. Lane's executive order requiring masks in restaurants and bars also "encourages" establishments that serve alcohol to limit their occupancy to 50 percent. Mesa Mayor John Giles also reached out to Lane on Wednesday in an effort to develop a regional approach to a mask mandate. That appeared unlikely in the short run as Phoenix, Chandler and Gilbert planned their own meetings Friday. Lane said he wanted to craft a mandate to deal with situations where social distancing cannot be maintained, such as well-publicized over crowding in the city’s Entertainment District. He also said he has not been in contact with local school districts as of June 18 and indicated that the city would defer to district leadership as to what rules they implement for schools. Some districts – including Kyrene and Tempe Union – both said last week they would require students and staff to wear masks on campuses and students will have to wear them on school buses. Mesa Public Schools, on the other hand, is still evaluating what to do in response to that city’s mandate as the district rolled out the first draft of its school-reopening plan. Scottsdale Unified has not announced

see MASKS page 21

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Council OKs budget, except for virus funds

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

he Scottsdale City Council approved a $1.5-billion budget for next year that includes millions in federal pandemic-relief funds but is otherwise identical to the tentative budget it adopted in May. The $1.54-billion budget is $30 million to $40 million less than a budget proposed by staff in April as the result of cuts made in response to the economic impact of the pandemic. In the tentative budget, the city reduced spending from the general fund – which pays for most city services – from $296.1 to $277.7 million, including a 10 percent cut for community services. Police and fire – the two largest chunks of the general fund budget – each saw reductions of 5 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively, from the April proposal, though both departments have bigger budgets over the fiscal year ending June 30. Some of those public safety cuts will likely be offset by the $29.6 million in federal virus-relief funding the city received through the state. General fund spending was reduced by about $12 million to $265 million, but that was replaced by $12 million of the $29.6 million in relief funds. Technically, that $29.6 million could only be used on existing or forecasted payroll expenses related to the response to COVID-19 from March 3. Budget Director Judy Doyle said that $17.2 million of the funds was applied to the 2019-20 budget with the remaining $12.4 million has been applied to the budget for 2020-21. As a result of the federal funds, the city has more flexibility to expand other programs to offset coronavirus-related costs and aid residents and businesses affected by the pandemic.

The city likely will use some virus relief funds for services such as food bags for the elderly, as was the case earlier this year at the Granite Reef Senior Center. (Progress ﬁle photo)

Essentially, by using the federal money to replace general fund dollars that had been allocated to the police and fire department budgets, the city freed up general fund resources for other uses. The city has not yet finalized how it will use those freed up dollars, but staff has presented options to City Council. Doyle said staff would bring a final proposal to the Council for approval on July 1. Of the $29 million available, up to $14 million could be used for the community, including $6 million for business assistance and $2.5 million to aid vulnerable citizens and $950,000 for utility payment assistance for residents. It is still unclear how the city will disperse the $6 million earmarked for business assistance. City Manager Jim Thompson said the city has to be careful not to violate the Arizona Gift Clause or the city’s own anti-

subsidy provision that was added to the city charter in 2010. Scottsdale Human Services Director Greg Bestgen said much of the $2.5 million being allocated to his department could be used to increase social services for the elderly and the city’s homeless population, which has more than doubled in recent years, according to the annual Point in Time count. Bestgen said the count identified 50 homeless individuals 4 years ago but that number jumped to 102 this year. The count reflects only the number of street people found during a particular period of time on one day. The city is considering partnering with a medical triage group in Phoenix to provide healthcare to homeless individuals. Bestgen said he is also working on a Scottsdale Works program modeled after Glendale Works.

The program would use city funds to provide hourly minimum wage work for five to 10 people by having them work with the city’s Parks and Recreation and Human Services departments. Bestgen said money could also be used to provide dental assistance for seniors, increase meals provided at senior centers and expand home meal deliveries in partnership with local nonprofits. Staff also proposed using $1.5 million to benefit arts and culture, $2.9 million for safety upgrades to public facilities and $200,000 for technology upgrades. The remaining $12 million in federal relief funds would offset operational costs connected to COVID-19, including retrofitting city buildings with safety upgrades like air filtration systems. Some money would also be used to reimburse public safety costs tied to the pandemic, purchase cleaning and protective equipment and prepare for any emergency response if needed. The city would leave around $3.4 million of the surplus unallocated to be used in the future at Council’s discretion, City Manager Jim Thompson said. Council was largely supportive of the proposal brought forward by city staff, though some members asked for additional information before the July 1 vote. Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp – who asked that the allocation for vulnerable populations be increased to $3 million – said she wanted specifics on the needs of various partner nonprofits that provide meal delivery services to at-risk populations. Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield also asked Bestgen to come back with a plan for additional services in the event the pandemic outlasts the federal assistance funds. “We can’t feed people for three months and then say ‘we’re done,’” Littlefield said.

Tell our readers about your opinions. Send letters to the editor to pmaryniak@scottsdale.org

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Scottsdale candidates weigh in on General Plan

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

cottsdale is in the midst of updating its General Plan, a process that could see the City Council put a new plan before voters in 2021. The city has not adopted and received voter approval of a new plan in nearly 20 years, despite a state law requiring new adoption or reapproval every 10 years. The plan is the overarching document guiding the long-term growth of a city. The Progress asked the city’s mayoral and city council candidates what changes, if any, the city should incorporate in the new plan, dubbed General Plan 2035.

MAYORAL CANDIDATES Lisa Borowsky: The real questions should be: Do the citizens believe changes are needed to the General Plan, and modified or not, does it protect them from substandard development? I was on the City Council in 2012 when the General Plan was defeated in 17 of 30 precincts. My take away was that voters did not feel protected. Given the massive outcry from the 17,500 voters who referred the out of touch decision made by the City Council on Southbridge II to the November ballot, we need to make sure residents are involved, feel their input counts, and that the General Plan protects them from substandard development. Suzanne Klapp: The General Plan should be updated, as the city has undergone many changes since the last plan. Certain state requirements must be added, and it must recognize that tens of thousands of people have moved here since 2001 and that we have a growing senior population with housing and service needs. The Plan’s Citizen Review Committee should complete some work before the council weighs in with other specific suggestions. Virginia Korte: Changes are needed in an updated General Plan, some of which are state requirements, other changes simply because we are a different community than 20 years ago. However, one thing remains the same in

that Scottsdale’s diversity from north to south is something to be celebrated and preserved. Our General Plan consistently defined three regions of our city: the rural nature of the northern region, the suburban nature of midtown and the urban nature of our southern region. I look forward to the updated General Plan to continue to respect the unique characteristics of each part of our city. Bob Littlefield: The current voter-approved General Plan, if followed, would have allowed Scottsdale to grow and evolve while maintaining our special character and high quality of life. Sadly, the current City Council majority, including my two major opponents in the race for mayor, have routinely approved development that is incompatible with this General Plan and have refused to put a resident-friendly update to this plan on the ballot for the voters to consider. The specific change that I believe should be made to the existing General Plan is to require a major amendment to change any zoning that results in a density or height increase of 25 percent or more from the current zoning, city wide, in order to maintain the lower height and density that is such a big part of Scottsdale’s special character and high quality of life. David Ortega: General Plan 2035 should be a continuum of General Plan2001, the voter approved General Plan. As Councilman, I participated in outreach, Council Study Sessions, final drafting, Council adoption of GP-2001 and I supported voter approval in 2002. GP-2035 concerns: GP-2001 recommended 22 Character Areas for study. Only seven were completed. Old Town Character Area Plan (OTCAP) passed in 2018. It modified the Central Business C-2/ DO 36- ft height limit. Council increased heights to 44- feet, 90-feet and 150-feet. OTCAP ignored GP-2001 Transportation and Infrastructure principles. Aging 50-year old water/ sewer lines and roadway capacity don’t support OTCAP “build-out.” The OTCAP is not practical, or sustainable. A massive facilities district is required. The 2018 OTCAP must be revis-

ited under GP-2001 criteria and might be subject to vote within GP-2035. GP-2035 will consider the size of land which would trigger GP Amendment in Old Town and north of the CAP canal.

COUNCIL CANDIDATES Michael Auerbach: The General Plan is a vision of what the 30,000-foot view of Scottsdale looks like for a decade. Specifically identifying those areas, if any, that are particularly suitable for planned multimodal transportation and infrastructure expansion and improvements designed to support a planned concentration of a variety of uses, such as residential, office, commercial, tourism and industrial uses. Conserve significant natural resources and open space areas in the growth area and coordinate their location to similar areas outside the growth area’s boundaries. Promote the public and private construction of timely and financially sound infrastructure expansion through the use of infrastructure funding and financing planning that is coordinated with development activity. Tom Durham: The existing general plan represents a good way forward, but I see several areas for improvement. First, I think the definition of a “major amendment” to the General Plan is confusing and should be clarified. Second, the “Housing Element” and the “Conservation, Rehabilitation, and Redevelopment Element” should be revisited in view of Scottsdale’s growth over the last twenty years. Finally, I would consider adding an “Education Element” to the plan. While school facilities are not under the control of the City Council, it may be useful to review the location of schools as part of the plan. The “Public Services and Facilities Element” also does not take into consideration the distribution of health facilities. Tammy Caputi: The General Plan must reflect the needs, desires and aspirations of our population. The current plan is a place to start, but it’s almost 20 years old; it must be updated to represent our current demographics, and to create a vision for the future. Scottsdale must focus on our livability and quality

Education must be included in our vision; it’s a key component in quality of life, and attracting and retaining families and outstanding businesses. Our model is high amenities and assets, strong property values, and low property taxes. This equation requires a robust, diversified economy balanced with livable, attractive neighborhoods. of place. We should incorporate respect for neighborhood area plans, while acknowledging our economic reality. We must balance our green areas and open space with nurturing our economic drivers. Education must be included in our vision; it’s a key component in quality of life, and attracting and retaining families and outstanding businesses. Our model is high amenities and assets, strong property values, and low property taxes. This equation requires a robust, diversified economy balanced with livable, attractive neighborhoods. Betty Janik: The General Plan should add a component that recognizes the importance of quality public schools as part of the housing/revitalization element. It should encourage the cooperation of the City of Scottsdale with Schools Districts in our boundaries. The land use matrix should define categories of Desert Rural and Rural neighborhoods in relationship to classification as a major or minor change. Major changes would need a super majority on City Council for approval. Rezoning of Desert Rural properties of 5 acres or more should be defined as major change. Becca Linnig: There are several ways our world (and city) has changed since the current plan was approved. The general plan is missing a few key elements.

see GENERAL PLAN page 14

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

GENERAL PLAN from page 12

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An addition of education and creating a plan for the future for sustainability. I would also like to see something in the plan regarding consideration for the heat index and future development to address how to reduce the impact of more hard surfaces. John Little: The most significant change to the existing General Plan is the glaring omission of not including an Education and Learning Element. It has been over a year since I first proposed fixing this oversight and I am still leading the charge to get it accomplished. I did not invent the idea. Plano, Texas, has a remarkably articulate and exciting vision for their community and its schools. Just like here they are completely separate political subdivisions but they are joined at the hip and dependent on each other for the future of Scottsdale. Time to abandon the “not invented here” complaint and have a true community conversation of how we can improve collaboration. Kevin Maxwell: I do not see the need for significant changes. The only change

I would like to see is the process of developing the General Plan. I would like to see a heavy dose of citizen input. The process that was developed in advance of the Bond Election last fall is an excellent example. A series of displays that could be viewed by citizens while being able to ask clarifying questions answered perhaps by the Citizens Advisory Committee. The draft that would be produced from a process like that would be something the entire community could get behind. Guy Phillips: The reason the last General Plan couldn’t get past City Council is the dispute against land categories. I believe that instead of existing zoning which puts 1-5 acres in the same category there should be two categories, a 1-3 acre category and a 3-5 acre category with any rezoning outside those categories being a Major General Plan Amendment. Another way would be to have a straight 25 percent of any land rezoning increase being a Major General Plan amendment. City Council candidate Bill Crawford did not submit a response to the Progress.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

CONTRIBUTIONS from front

cil colleagues, but those running for the Council to do the same.” But when asked by the Progress, Phillips reversed course and said he has no plans to return contributions, stating: “I have gone through my contributions list and I don’t have any contributors who are or will be coming to the council or engaged in city decisions.” The Phillips letter appeared to be aimed at a number of candidates running against Phillips – including Tammy Caputi, Bill Crawford and John Little – as well as council members Virginia Korte and Suzanne Klapp, who are running for mayor. All those candidates have received thousands of dollars in contributions from the development community during this election cycle, campaign finance reports show. But those candidates have noted the contributions as legal under state law and several have dismissed criticism. “These efforts are nothing more than a clever tactic by self-funded, elitist candidates attempting to deprive other candidates from raising money to get their message out,” Crawford said. Korte said, “It is offensive to suggest that my decisions would be influenced by one donor when I have a responsibility to all of my supporters and all voters. My promise is to listen to the points of view of the citizens of Scottsdale and our business community to make decisions that serve in the best interest of all Scottsdale.” Klapp said the contributions reflect her wide support from area businesses and the larger Scottsdale community. “They have a right and freedom to contribute to the candidates of their choice… My votes are not for sale.,” Klapp said. “I use campaign contributions for campaign purposes only, not for personal use.” Mayoral candidate Bob Littlefield and Council candidates Betty Janik and Tom Durham have also floated proposals that echo Phillips. “There is an appearance of impropriety when money is contributed to Scottsdale elected officials from developers with business before the city,” Janik said. Janik, Durham and Littlefield submitted a letter to City Council arguing that those types of contributions are barred under the city’s current ethics code, which bans gifts from anyone “engaged in a general practice or a specific situation that involved the city’s decision-making or permitting

Tammy Caputi

Suzanne Klapp

Bob Littlefield

Guy Phillips

processes.” The trio argued that because the code’s definition of “gifts” does not specifically exclude campaign contributions, they should be considered banned. When asked if he thinks the city should adopt a new rule banning these contributions, Phillips replied, “So the city doesn’t need to add a new rule; we just need to enforce the one we have.” Some candidates have criticized Phillips’ proposal as a way to draw attention away from the ethics complaint that had been filed against him that was dismissed by a three-judge independent panel. The panel found Phillips did not violate the city’s ethics code when he accepted around $2,400 in anonymous donations from a GoFundMe account set up by a resident after he was hurt while working as an HVAC contractor. The panel recommended that city amend the code to account to ban such anonymous donations because the loophole could “allow unscrupulous elected officials and their benefactors to disguise quid pro quo vote buying as personal gifts.” Korte said, “Councilman Phillips’ propos-

al to return campaign contributions does nothing more than deflect attention from the key issue behind the ethics complaint against him.” “If Mr. Phillips’ intention is to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest and get a ‘do over,’ then I suggest that he return the $2,400 in anonymous personal gifts that he received,” Korte said. Caputi also said the city should close the GoFundMe “loophole” rather than focusing on legal campaign contributions. “There is no equivalency between lawful disclosed campaign contributions and anonymous cash gifts,” Caputi said. Phillips, Durham, Janik and Bob Littlefield have argued that campaign contributions from developers are not exempt under the current ethics code. The city – and an independent ethics officer – disagree. Resident Jim Bloch filed an ethics complaint with the city on June 15 against Klapp and Korte, alleging the campaign contributions from various zoning attorneys and developers/business violated the city’s prohibition on gifts from individuals with business before the city.

Virginia Korte City Attorney Sherry Scott referred the complaint to the city’s independent ethics officer Hon. Ken Fields, a retired judge, who quickly dismissed it. Fields wrote that the contributions were allowed under state law and were properly documented on campaign reports. “The fact that the Council members were honest and transparent in their reporting of these contributions leads one to conclude that they were not engaged in unethical conduct under the Scottsdale City Code merely by accepting campaign contributions allowed under Arizona law,” Fields wrote. According to Scott, the city has never considered campaign contributions gifts. City spokesperson Kelly Corsette also said “that campaign contributions go to political committees, which are legally formed entities, and not to individual council members; therefore, they are not considered gifts.” Scott had tried unsuccessfully to have that codified in proposed changes to the ethics code that Council rejected on June 16. “We’ve never considered (campaign contributions) to be a gift controlled by the ethics ordinance but I thought it deserved some clarification,” she said. That stipulation drew significant blowback from the community, some of whom argued it was an attempt to add a new exception, not clarify an existing one. Bloch argued that Scott’s proposed addition proved that the contributions were not currently exempt under the existing code. The Bloch complaint was also reviewed by City Clerk Carolyn Jagger, who also dismissed it. “Arizona campaign finance laws govern

see CONTRIBUTIONS page 18

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Council rejects ethics code changes BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

espite loopholes cited by a threejudge panel earlier this year, Scottsdale City Council rejected proposed changes to the city’s ethics code. The calls for revisions came after an ethics investigation that found no wrongdoing by Councilman Guy Phillips but identified potentially-problematic loopholes in the code. The panel determined that the code – adopted in 2006 – does not account for anonymous donations made via crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe. “The ambiguities in the governing Code sections could allow unscrupulous elected officials and their benefactors to disguise quid pro quo vote buying as personal gifts not made in the course of performing official duties,” the panel said. Council directed City Attorney Sherry Scott to draft changes but rejected them after the return of proposals June 16. The proposed changes included a number of updates to definitions and other clerical changes along with adding a prohibition against anonymous gifts of any kind, except as explicitly allowed by the code. Scott also proposed adding a clarification that contributions to a mayor or councilmember’s’ reelection campaign does not constitute a gift. That last stipulation drew the ire of some residents, who saw it as a way to allow developers with business before the city to tacitly influence votes by donating to campaigns of council members up for re-election. Mayor Jim Lane and other members said they received hundreds of emails opposing that stipulation. But Scott said she only added the stipulation to clarify that the city’s existing interpretation of the code’s ban on gifts does not apply to political contributions. “I’m attempting to clarify what the rules and regulations currently are,” Scott said. “We’ve never considered (campaign contributions) to be a gift controlled by the ethics ordinance but I thought it deserved some clarification.” The controversy over the contribution

stipulation became moot later in the evening, though, as the Council majority decided to reject all the modifications. A motion by Councilwoman Linda Milhaven to accept all changes except the stipulation on contributions failed 5-2, with only Councilwoman Virginia Korte also in support. Council then approved a motion by Mayor Jim Lane to reject all changes on the same split vote. Lane argued the changes were not necessary and acknowledged receiving “probably hundreds” of emails complaining about the contribution stipulation, though he did not appear concerned about that part of the changes. “I’m not sure that I recognize (those concerns) myself, but at the same time, I don’t see that there’s any great consequences in staying with the product we’ve got right now,” Lane said. Korte disagreed. “I believe tonight we’re confusing all the emails that were received by us concerning campaign contributions; we’re confusing that with the key issue of this ethics code revision tonight, which was closing the loophole around the anonymous gifts,” Korte said. “And I believe that if we reject these changes, as a council you’re condoning these anonymous donations and…I don’t think any of us want that,” Korte said. But Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp, who is currently running for mayor against Korte and three other candidates, argued the changes were not necessary. “This does not apply to anybody else but us three,” Klapp said, referring to herself, Korte and Phillips, who is running for re-election. “So, by making the changes we’re making, it kind of makes you sound like you’re guilty before you’re proven innocent,” Klapp said. Both Klapp and Lane suggested more time was needed before making changes to the 15-year-old code, arguing that the city had experienced few problems with the statute until recently. But Council did not rule out modifying it in the future. A motion by Korte to bring the issue back before the new Council in 2021 won unanimous approval.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

CONTRIBUTIONS from page 16

campaign contributions, and do not prohibit contributions to incumbent councilmembers by constituents who may have business coming before them,” Jagger wrote. Other states and cities have adopted socalled “pay-to-play” laws that limit or ban contributions from entities that do business with their elected officials. According to the national law firm Venable LLP, 20 states and dozens of municipalities in the U.S. have adopted pay-toplay laws, but Arizona is not one of them. Last December, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance that “barred from giving political contributions to Los Angeles city officials and candidates for council, mayor or city attorney while the city weighs key approvals for their building projects, including zone changes and allowing added height” for up to a year after their case is decided, according to the Los Angeles Times. But it’s unlikely Scottsdale will see a similar ordinance. Diane Brown, with the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, said her organization has advocated for measures to remove the influence of money in politics, but hasn’t seen any legislation on the horizon at the local or state level. Arizona PIRG is a non-partisan group that works for consumers and public interest issues. “Public interest advocates for quite some time have urged policy makers to go back to the tenet of America of a democracy of, by and for the people versus a system reliance on money interests.” Brown said. “Unfortunately, at the legislative level and the congressional level, we have increasingly seen lax policies versus policies more stringent in favor of everyday citizens,” she said. Janik said there are a number of solutions the city could adopt, including banning the contributions outright or limiting them to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for PACs. Alternatively, she said, the city should require council members to recuse themselves from voting on cases involving campaign contributors. But there is some question about whether or not Scottsdale could legally pass its own pay-to-play ban or restriction. Arizona has a history of pushing back against local municipalities that pass or-

dinances that are more restrictive than state law. An Arizona law passed in 2016 allows legislators to request an investigation by the Arizona Attorney General into “any ordinance, regulation, order or other official action adopted or taken by the governing body of a county, city or town that the member alleges violates state law or the Constitution of Arizona.” That law, which empowers the state to withhold shared state funding from municipalities that are found in violation, was used to challenge local ordinances such as a ban on plastic bags approved by the Bisbee in 2013. During discussion on the ethics code on June 16, Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield said Scottsdale could not pass a pay-to-play ban. “We can’t declare accepting contributions from someone who has business before the City Council is illegal; (State of Arizona) says we can’t do that,” Littlefield said, arguing that the city could still make those contributions a violation of the ethics code. Scott and a city spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the legality of Scottsdale passing its own ban. Brown anticipated pushback from the state if Scottsdale attempted to pass its own ordinance. “Unfortunately, the State Legislature has been thwarting efforts from local municipalities to exercise their right for policies more stringent and in line with what local citizens want to see enacted,” Brown said. The prospect of a ban on certain developer contributions received a mixed reaction from candidates. “If on council, I would certainly be open to having that conversation,” Caputi said. Little said if elected, “I’m open to a full review of our ethics code – after significant input from the community.” But Korte said, “I do not believe we should deny people their right to engage in the political process because they work in industries that some don’t like. If we exclude developers today, who will we exclude tomorrow? We should not exclude anyone.” Klapp said that she believes the contributions should be allowed in accordance with the law and should be “reported in the light of day.” “I would not recommend modeling our city in any way after Los Angeles,” Klapp said. “Targeting a select group of contributions can lead to entities funneling money through “dark money” organizations.”

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Lawmaker says special session urgently needed

BY KEVIN REAGAN Progress Staff Writer

s Scottsdale Unified and other school districts finalize reopening plans, a state lawmaker says a special session of the Arizona Legislature is urgently needed to address funding issues. State Rep. Jennifer Pawlik, D-Chandler, hopes lawmakers will reconvene before the schools in her district resume classes on July 22. The COVID-19 pandemic has generated some uncertainty as to whether school districts can expect to receive the same level of funding this coming year since many students may stay home and continue learning online. The issue is particularly critical for districts that are adopting so-called “flex models” that split all students’ week between distance learning at home and in the classroom. So far Gov. Doug Ducey has not indicated if and when he might convene a special session. Lawmakers themselves can call

a special session, but that requires a twothirds majority vote. While some legislators have indicated a need to convene to address a wide variety of pandemic-related issues, this also is primary election campaign season and it is unclear if legislators would call one before the new school year kicks in. Scottsdale Unified and some neighboring districts have not yet announced its reopening plans. Surveys indicate some parents are worried about their child contracting COVID-19 and plan to keep them home during the fall semester. But beyond parent and student preferences, superintendents are voicing increasing concerns about the rising number of virus cases in Arizona. Arizona presently pays districts based on the number of students who physically show up to school each day or by those who enroll in a certified online school. Students who spent these last couple months learning from home by emailing and calling their teachers, theoretically,

wouldn’t get counted under the state’s current funding structure, Pawlik said. That could have a major fiscal impact on a school district’s budget. Pawlik, a teacher herself, said the state needs to address this funding gap by ensuring that all students learning from home during the pandemic will get counted. “We need to have a way to fund the students who are learning at home because we know the teachers are reaching out, we know the kids are getting some education,” she said. School districts with an existing online program get paid for every student they have enrolled, but Pawlik noted how funding for online programs is lower than what districts get paid for in-person instruction. Furthermore, the Arizona Board of Education must review and authorize any online programming before school districts can enroll students into them. When schools started closing back in March, they held districts harmless by continuing to fund them through the end

of the school year without many changes. But there has been no action to address the upcoming school year, Pawlik said. Republican and Democrats have been looking at various ways to change the funding structures, Pawlik said. She added that lawmakers have been breaking off into working groups to examine how athome students can be counted the same as classroom students. She hasn’t heard of anyone opposing the possibility of expanding the law’s definition, but Pawlik said it may not be long before some political gridlock starts to form. “I feel like oftentimes there’s opposition to any idea that’s offered,” she said. Gov. Doug Ducey could also issue some sort of executive order on the matter, Pawlik added, stating she has not been advised if the governor’s planning to do this. Ducey’s office did not respond to a question regarding education funding. Pawlik said she’s being particularly pushy on this issue because some school districts within her legislative district are starting the new year in a month.

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

U.S. Supreme Court puts businesses under gay firing ban

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

new ruling last week by the U.S. Supreme Court on gay rights is imposing new restrictions on Arizona employers that neither the Legislature nor state courts were willing to do. The 6-3 decision by the high court effectively puts a provision into federal law that says people who contend they were fired the opportunity to sue under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which bars employers from discriminating based on sex. “Homosexuality and transgender status are inextricably bound up with sex,’’ the justices said. The move follows decades of unsuccessful efforts by some legislators to add sexual orientation and gender identification to existing laws that now prohibit discrimination in public accommodation and employment. Monday’s court ruling catches the rest of the state up to cities like Tucson, Phoenix, Tempe and Flagstaff – whose anti-discrimination laws already cover sexual orientation. But the high court decision covers only employment discrimination. Rep. Daniel Hernandez, D-Tucson, chair of the Arizona LGBTQ Caucus, called the ruling a significant but only partial victory. He said nothing in the ruling provides blanket legal protections for gays. “In Arizona, you can still be discriminated against in stores, restaurants and hotels,’’ he said. “You can still be denied housing.’’ Hernandez noted that the Arizona Supreme Court last year ruled that Phoenix could not enforce its anti-discrimination ordinance against the owners of a calligraphy firm who refused to design wedding invitations for same-sex couples because it conflicted with their Christian beliefs. On one hand, Hernandez said, it was a narrow ruling, with the justices applying it to only the specific facts in that case. “But it laid out, essentially, a toolkit for those businesses that want to discriminate,’’ he said. Hernandez said there needs to be a statewide law to overturn that ruling.

its discrimination based on disability. A state attorney general’s opinion concluded that AIDS fits within the definition of handicapped. The judge said jurors should ignore the question of whether Blain was fired because he is gay. The jury ruled in favor of the company. That sent the case to the Court of Appeals. Langerman told the appellate judges the verdict might have been different if the jury had considered whether his client’s sexual preference also was a factor. State Rep. Daniel Hernandez, D-Tucson, head of the Arizona LGTBQ Caucus, said Arizona needs a Judge Joseph Livermore, broader law supporting gay rights. (Capital Media Services) writing the unanimous “If you are a business that has an open- Monday’s Supreme Court ruling, with appellate opinion, disdoor policy, you can’t decide who you press aide Patrick Ptak said the gov- agreed. close the door on just because you dis- ernor is reviewing it with his staff. But The judges said Arizona employers do Ptak said his boss “remains opposed to not need a reason to fire workers. agree with them,’’ he said. House Speaker Rusty Bowers earlier discrimination in all its forms.’’ What companies cannot do, however, In a 1994 ruling, the state Court of Ap- is fire someone for a bad reason, like vithis year refused to assign his anti-discrimination proposal to a committee for peals, pointed out that state lawmakers olating constitutional protections based a hearing, telling Capitol Media Services have never extended legal protections to on race, religion or sex. Bad reasons also at the time he saw no reason to overturn individuals based on sexual orientation. include violations of public policy, such And based on that, the judges ruled that as firing a worker who refused to break that state Supreme Court ruling. “I think that my right of freedom of re- Arizona employers are free to fire work- the law. ligion and religious beliefs and expres- ers solely because they are gay. The judges said they could find nothSince that time there have been no ing in Arizona law that makes a dission is at least equal to anybody else’s,’’ new cases on the issue. he said. charge based on sexual orientation a And attorney Richard Langerman, who violation of public policy. What might happen next year could depend in part on business community represented Jeffrey Blain in that case, Livermore noted that lawmakers in backing. But the head of the Arizona told Capitol Media Services that had his most states, including Arizona, have not Chamber of Commerce, while declaring case been tried as recently as last month, enacted laws barring discrimination his support for what the Supreme Court before Monday’s Supreme Court ruling, based on sexual preferences. did on Monday, refused to commit to the results would have been the same In some ways, Arizona’s business comand his client and all others would have munity is out ahead of Ducey and state backing such a law. “We’re going to be very sympathetic no legal recourse in Arizona. lawmakers. Blain, an employee of Golden State when we look at different laws to make Many major Arizona employers alsure we don’t have discriminatory treat- Container Inc. of Phoenix, claimed he ready have policies prohibiting disment in our society,’’ said Glenn Hamer, was fired because he is a gay man with crimination based on sexual orientathe organization’s president and CEO. AIDS. tion. And some in 2014 went on record Maricopa County Superior Court Judge in urging then-Gov. Jan Brewer to veto “We will certainly review any proposal Norman Hall instructed the jury that legislation which would have expanded of that sort.’’ As recently as last year, the governor they should rule in Blain’s favor if they the right of businesses to claim they said he did not support extending state determined that he was fired because he are entitled to deny service to anyone anti-discrimination laws to protect peo- has AIDS. based on the owner’s “sincerely held’’ That was based on provisions of the religious beliefs. ple based on sexual orientation. The governor declined comment on Arizona Civil Rights Act, which prohibBrewer ended up killing the measure.

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

MASKS from page 8

any decision on masks, though it also has not yet released a reopening plan. Scottsdale’s proclamation asks private businesses to be the first line of enforcement “by asking any person failing to comply…to leave their premise.” “The first line is going to be the proprietor, the owner of the establishment,” Lane said. “They are going to have to make sure that before someone comes into their establishment or when they enter the place that they have to have a mask.” If a person refuses, they can be charged with a misdemeanor, according to the proclamation. But punitive action is a last resort. The city emphasized that enforcement will first focus on education and all individuals will be given a chance to abide by the mandate before enforcement action is taken. Initially, Lane expressed concern about having police enforce the mandate. “And again, given the current environment, the Police Department doesn’t want to be seen anymore as a police state than maybe they’re being accused of, fairly or unfairly, now,” Lane said. Though Lane received criticism online

for his initial comments on masks, it took the mayor and city staff only about 24 hours to craft the proclamation following Ducey’s change of heart. Ducey’s reversal came six days after state Health Director Cara Christ acknowledged there have been “hot spots,’’ places in Arizona where COVID-19 has spread quicker than elsewhere. But the governor at that time rejected the possibility of giving local officials the option of imposing their own restrictions, saying he wants a statewide standard to “reduce confusion.’’ On Wednesday, however, Ducey cited those same hot spots as a reason to provide local control. In the same press conference, the governor also: Said he was going to provide for more enforcement of existing regulations that businesses are supposed to obey to promote “social distancing’’ among customers and for staff to wear face masks. There have been multiple reports and photos of patrons crowded into bars and restaurants despite a requirement for businesses to have plans to prevent that from happening. Deployed 300 members of the Arizona National Guard to help with “contact tracing.’’ The idea is to better be able to find

people who may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus but did not have symptoms; Agreed to allocate $10 million for masks and other personal protective equipment for long-term care facilities. Ducey also separately encouraged what he believes is more responsible behavior, saying that there appears to be a spike in cases spread by people having parties in their homes, including graduation ceremonies. If nothing else, he said, anyone who was at one of those parties who contracts the virus should call everyone else who was there so they can get tested. In initially shying away from a mask mandate, Lane said, “We have tried really, rather than going an independent way to try to maintain some consistency of application across the state and city boundaries.” Following Ducey’s press conference, the Progress learned that Giles had been in contact with other East Valley mayors, including Lane, in an attempt to broker a regional mask rule, which would seem to alleviate some of Lane’s concerns. “Mayor (Lane) agrees that it doesn’t make sense to have a patchwork of different actions across the Valley,” Rachel Smetana, Lane’s chief of staff, told the Progress.

Ducey’s decision also came days after around 3,000 medical professionals signed a letter asking him to issue a statewide mandate requiring anyone age 2 and older to wear a mask. They cited the lack of a vaccine or proven treatment, saying that the disease is just as contagious now as it was when he implemented his stay-at-home directive. “There is sufficient, clear, scientific evidence that wearing masks is one way to decrease the spread of COVID-19 and thus would reduce both the wave of severely affected patients requiring ICU and ventilator resources as well as unnecessary deaths,’’ they wrote. Scottsdale resident Susan Hughes, a retired physician, delivered hard copies of the letter to Ducey, Christ and Lane in person. Hughes, part of a community group that has been sounding the alarm about COVID-19 since the early days of the pandemic in the Valley, said she was glad to see the city taking masks more seriously but wished it had taken action sooner.“We had communications with him before,” Hughes said, referencing conversations in March. “I would’ve liked to see it a lot sooner.”

Post said what makes that particularly offensive – and illegal – is that these private prisons decide who has violated rules. “That discipline can result in the person remaining in the prison longer because of disciplinary ‘tickets,’ ‘’ Post said. “And we know from research that more tickets are given out in for-profit prisons, which results in inmates remaining longer than they would have if they didn’t have said tickets.’’ “These financial incentives create serious risks of erroneous deprivations of liberty for each prisoner in private prisons,’’ the lawsuit states. The other half of the problem, according to Charles Fanniel, president of the state NAACP conference, is the way the contracts between the state and the private facilities are written. “You have to maintain so many beds, per the contract,’’ he said. That’s because the Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry guar-

antees the state will pay for a certain number of inmates whether they get sent there or not. “Those people are monetized by the forprofit prisons, both for selling stock, for payments to shareholders, for their success rates, etc.,’’ Post said. “The value of The Geo Group and CoreCivic (two companies with contracts with the state) is materially affected by the number of prisoners they incarcerate, by projections of how may prisoners will be incarcerated and detained in their facilities, and by projections on further opportunities for growth,’’ the lawsuit reads. Post said these companies take positions against moves that would reduce the number of people sent to prisons, whether through sentencing reform or legalization of marijuana, in an effort to keep up the flow of cash-producing inmates. She said most of those inmates that end up at these private facilities have been convicted of non-violent crimes.

“They don’t want the violent ones who require more supervision because they cost more,’’ she said. The lawsuit charges that inmates are “treated as a commodity, as property, or as a slave.’’ “In this sense, ADCRR enables private prison corporations to commodify human beings just as private jails in the 19th century South commodified slaves,’’ the legal papers state. “Such private incarceration creates financial incentives to design and operate facilities that incarcerate more people for longer periods of time, provide fewer rehabilitative programs for successful re-entry to society, and discourage release of prisons,’’ according to the lawsuit. The result, it says, is “never-ending cycles of incarceration, parole, and re-incarceration that profit the private jailer." A representative of the state agency said it does not comment on pending litigation.

-Howard Fischer of Capital Media Services contributed to this report.

Lawsuit targets Arizona’s privately run prisons BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

new lawsuit by the state NAACP claims private prisons used by the state violate constitutional provisions including a prohibition against slavery. In filings in federal court here, attorneys for the organization and some individuals locked up in private prisons are asking Magistrate John Z. Boyle to declare the use of private prisons in Arizona is unconstitutional and order the state to begin removing inmates from private facilities. Dianne Post, the organization’s legal counsel, said the system is built on the idea of maximizing the number of inmates sent to those facilities. She said the private companies have a financial interest in maximizing the number of inmates, as any increase means increased profits for shareholders and increased earnings for company officials.

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New chef’s work ethic a family tradition BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

s a teen, Scottsdale resident Jeremy Pacheco spent his summers with his brother working on his father’s cotton farm in Marana. As early as 4 a.m. they would walk up and down the fields and pull morning glories and weeds. “We were called ‘hoe hands,’” Jeremy recalled, adding with a laugh, “It was very long, boring and hot.” The Pacheco family’s Arizona roots go back 10 generations and since spending his summers pulling weeds and driving the tractor to the field and spraying weeds – “we broke a lot of stuff,” Jeremy admits – Jeremy has traded his weeding gloves for a white, crisp chef’s jacket em-

Four generations of the Pacheco family include, from left, grandfather Art Pacheco Jr., father Lyall Pacheco, and Jeremy Pacheco and his sons, Tyler and Nathan. (Debby Wolvos)

broidered with the title “Executive Chef.” Having worked for several renowned establishments throughout the Valley, including the Phoenician and LON’s at the Hermosa Inn, Jeremy’s quick to attribute his successes to his father, Lyall Pacheco. “I remember him being a really hard worker and working all the time, and a lot of what I got from my dad from farming was a work ethic that’s carried through with me today,” Jeremy said. It’s this same work ethic that Lyall learned from his own father, Art Pacheco Jr., who farmed as much as 3,000 acres. “He taught integrity,” Lyall said. “He taught me how to have a good work ethic, just like Jeremy said. And that’s what

see PACHECO page 18

Scottsdale teen helping families in need BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

iss Arizona USA Yesenia Vidales and Miss Arizona Teen USA Molly Schwanz, a Scottsdale resident, want to make a difference amid the pandemic. To help those in need of food and financial assistance, Vidales and Molly have partnered with Phoenix Rescue Mission and its Hope For Hunger Food Bank to host a Valley-wide food drive. “We knew how much Phoenix Rescue has done for others, so there was no other charity we wanted to team up with,” Schwanz said. The Valley-wide food drive continues through the June and includes several drop-off locations, including four in Scottsdale. The public can donate non-perishable

Glow Blow Bar owner Lynette Louissia, flanked by Miss Arizona USA Yesenia Vidales, left, and Miss Arizona Teen USA Molly Schwanz is helping the two pageant queens with a drive to help needy families. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

food items to the following locations: Glam Squad Couture in Scottsdale, Scotts Training Systems in Chandler, Cryoworld Drip & Spa in Phoenix, AZ Fit Pro in Scottsdale, Spray Tan Queen Studio in Scottsdale, Hard Knocks Gym in Phoenix, Face Therapy in Scottsdale, Glow Blow Bar in Scottsdale, Regina Valenzuela Hair and Makeup in Phoenix, and Francisco Adame Dance Arts Modeling Academy in Phoenix. Suggested donations include cereal, soup, rice, beans, pasta, pasta sauce, canned vegetables, canned meat, peanut butter, ramen noodles, mac and cheese, and crackers. “We are so grateful to provide North Phoenix/Scottsdale a convenient drop-off location for their Valley-wide food drive and help fight hunger here in the Valley,” said Lynette Louissa, Glow Blow Bar owner.

see DRIVE page 24

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

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PACHECO �� page 22

the main thing was, is to stick it out and work hard and do your job.” Jeremy is now the executive chef and culinary director for Genuine Concepts. Previously, he spent seven years as executive chef at LON’s at the Hermosa Inn, and also worked at the Phoenician before working at Society Café at Encore and SW Steakhouse at the Wynn. “What he’s done is overwhelming. It’s unbelievable,” Lyall proudly, yet incredulously said of Jeremy’s culinary career. “I don’t know how he does it.” At Genuine Concepts – the neighborhood-focused restaurant group behind the Vig, the Little Woody, The Womack, Ladera Taverna y Cocina, and The McMillan – Jeremy will oversee all brands and menus. His goal while reworking said menus, he said, is to evolve the restaurants into culinary destinations. For example, “the Vig’s been known for being a great bar with food and we really want to push it to being great food with a cool bar, too,” Jeremy said. In addition to revamping the menus,

DRIVE �� page 22

“Both our Glow Blow Bar staff and customers have been asking how they can be more involved, and they can help during pandemic. No one should go hungry,” Louissa added. This partnership is a personal one for Vidales, whose family relied on Hope for Hunger Food Bank to make ends meet. “I can’t tell you what it means to me that there are organizations like Phoenix Rescue Mission that have a sole focus of helping families like mine — families that don’t know when or how they’re going to get their next meal,” Vidales said. Vidales earned the crown of Miss Arizona USA earlier this year and chose to use her platform to give back to those experiencing the same struggles she and her family endured during her childhood. “It means the world to us to know that Hope for Hunger played a part in Yesenia’s life, and we are so happy to see her succeed,” said Phoenix Rescue Mission CEO Ken Brissa. Brissa added: “Yesenia is a prime example of why it’s so important for communities to come together in support of their struggling neighbors. She is a blessing to

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Jeremy plans to gradually integrate as much local product as possible – as he did at LON’s, where he used durum wheat from his father’s farm for the restaurant’s house-made gnocchi. The wheat from his family’s farm was milled by Hayden Flour Mills in Queen Creek specifically for use at LON’S. “We’ve already started,” Jeremy said of incorporating local product into the Genuine Concepts’ restaurants’ dishes. “I’m actually using Sonoran Pasta Co. on our menus now, which they’re using Hayden Flour Mills and local wheat for their pasta.” Jeremy said working the family farm helped emphasized just how important local products are and how important it is to use local ingredients in his dishes. “I know how much work goes into growing it, even just the cotton, the wheat. I know how much those farmers are going through to get it to our employees, and I really appreciate what they’re doing,” Jeremy said, adding, “It’s the appreciation I have for the hard work that goes into it that I want my kids to understand — that tomatoes don’t just come from the store.”

us and the entire community as a whole, and we wish her the best as she goes on to compete for Miss USA later this year.” According to Brissa, the number of families Phoenix Rescue Mission has served has nearly doubled since last year at this time. However, the most shocking statistic, he said, is that the number of new families is five-times what it was last year. “[It] shows us that while we continue serving the people who regularly receive food from us, we are seeing a major increase in new families who are receiving help for the first time,” Brissa explained. “At our Mobile Food Pantries, the line to receive food has been long even before we open, and we often give away everything we have within the first hour of opening,” he added. Hope for Hunger Food Bank is the largest food bank in Glendale and serves families across the entire Valley. Since the pandemic, Phoenix Rescue Mission has served more than 11,000 households between their food bank and their mobile food pantries. “That represents over 32,000 people here in the Valley of the Sun,” Brissa said. With such an urgent need for food and

“I know how much work goes into growing it, even just the cotton, the wheat. I know how much those farmers are going through to get it to our employees, and I really appreciate what they’re doing. It’s the appreciation I have for the hard work that goes into it that I want my kids to understand — that tomatoes don’t just come from the store.” Jeremy and his wife, Vicki, have two sons: Nathan, 9, and Tyler, 6. They not only made baby food for Nathan and Tyler, but Jeremy and Vicki also, more recently, built and planted a garden in their backyard to teach them to have an appreciation of food. Since they started the garden in February, they’ve grown all sorts of fruits and veggies, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchini. “They come out and help me pick tomatoes in the morning,” Jeremy said. Of course, their backyard garden isn’t nearly as sprawling as the family farm,

the need for social distancing, Phoenix Rescue Mission changed their food distribution to a drive-thru style. “Though we could not provide many other services during that time, we put new procedures in place and reopened our food bank building to clients at the beginning of June,” Brissa said. “With this new system,” he added, “we can finally get back to assisting people with other programs and resources that will help them move out of their needy situation, which is the heart of what we do.” In addition to non-perishable items, Phoenix Rescue Mission is also in need of cases of water and toiletries for their summer heat relief initiative, Code:Red. “Our street outreach case managers are out there finding the homeless where they are at and using water, toiletries, and sack meals to begin a relationship so that they can provide case management and the assistance to get these folks off the streets for good,” Brissa said. So far, Molly said, the Miss Arizona food drive is going well. She and Vidales estimate all 10 boxes will be “half or completely full” by the end of the month.

which consists of 1,000 acres of cotton and 750 acres of wheat. “They really enjoy coming out and seeing how huge it is and how huge the operation is,” Lyall said, adding that Nathan and Tyler visit the farm a couple times a year. “It’s just beautiful to see. Like when the cotton’s ready to pick, it’s beautiful.” While Jeremy doesn’t anticipate his sons will pursue the same career he did, he does hope to influence his kids the way his own father did. “I just hope to be able to instill in them the same work ethic that I learned from my family and my father,” Jeremy said.

“Coming together as a community is going to be most important at this time,” Molly said. “We need to be supporting local businesses, lifting each other up and, most importantly, staying healthy. This time really made me and almost everyone I know appreciate the small things in life.” In addition to helping organize the food drive, Schwanz has put an emphasis on mental health during the pandemic through her hashtag #becausekindnessmatters. “Many people feel lost with no work [and] businesses closing, but I was an outlet to let people know that many others are feeling this way and it is completely normal. Our country will recover from this,” Molly explained, adding: “My hashtag #becausekindnessmatters has been extremely important for me and many others. You don’t know what someone else might be going through so always be kind and do random acts of kindness when you can.” Those interested in getting involved in the food drive can visit Miss Arizona USA on Instagram at @MissAZUSA or Facebook at @MissArizonaUSA. Information: phoenixrescuemission. org, hopeforhunger.org

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COVID-19 inspires Scottsdale inventor BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

his time last year, northern Scottsdale resident Ron Laikind began selling the ExtremeMist Personal Cooling System, a hands-free, professional misting system designed to keep outdoor enthusiasts refreshed, hydrated and safe. His invention caught the attend of retailer REI, who began selling the product in October. Of course, a lot has changed in one year. Now, to help businesses and residents swiftly and frequently sanitize their work and living spaces in response to the coronavirus, Laikind repurposed the ExtremeMist PCS to ExtremeMist Portable Sanitizing System. The product launched mid-April, and since, Laikind has sold more than 1,000 units. “The feedback I’ve received has been 100 percent positive,” Laikind said. “Not only can they frequently spray/ disinfect, but it allows people to feel more comfortable knowing the location is being sanitized and disinfected frequently. The result is peace of mind,” he added. It took Laikind just a few minutes to convert the PCS into the PSS. The portable, lightweight and easy-touse eight-speed mist system disperses antimicrobial solutions and other chemical disinfectants to sanitize areas of all sizes. The PSS backpack not only makes sanitizing solutions last up to three-times longer than trigger-spray bottles but also gets the job done in one-third the time. Plus, the entire cord-free system weighs under six pounds when �illed with two liters of solution. “It was the simplest part of my inventing process,” he said, adding that all he had to do was remove the drink hose from the drinking/misting system and extend the chest-level mist line to arm’s length.

Jonathan Cottor and Ron Laikind are the COO and founder of ExtremeMist PCS, respectively. (ExtremeMist)

The ExtremeMist PSS Portable Sanitizing System is a mobile, light-weight backpack system that allows you to sanitize large or small areas quickly and efﬁciently with the touch of a button. (ExtremeMist)

Now, businesses of all kinds, from doctor’s of�ices and hospitals to gyms, restaurants, airlines, yachting companies, timeshares as well as homes can be protected. Elmhurst Hospital, Northwell Health and Metropolitan Transportation Authority — all in New York — use the portable sanitizing system, as does Jani-King Commercial Cleaning in Texas.

And more locally, Acoya Senior Living in Mesa, Freedom Fitness in Scottsdale and Ledesma Foot & Ankle, also in Scottsdale, have purchased the ExtremeMist product. “The portability of the Extreme Mist Portable Sanitizing System and, most of all, the ef�iciency of delivering disinfectant solution was particularly attractive,” said Dr. Paul Ledesma of Ledesma Foot & Ankle. He said it was “crucial” to have a device that would “cover common surfaces that patients would potentially come in contact with quickly and ef�iciently.” Moreover, he noted, “It was particularly attractive that the Extreme Mist system could do so while conserving disinfectant solution, which is in signi�icant demand and hard to come by.” Ledesma uses the PSS at least three to four times an hour at his practice — “each and every time a patient leaves a treatment room,” he said. Ledesma calls the PSS “far superior” than any other cleaning tool he’s used and that it’s “perfect” for his medical practice. “The Extreme Mist Portable Sanitizing System has become an integral part of daily operations to ensure that we are providing the cleanest and healthiest environment not only for our patients but also for

our staff,” he said, adding: “I have no doubt that this piece of equipment will remain a part of our disinfecting routine from now on and well beyond the time comes when we are less worried about a pandemic.” The idea for the PSS came to Laikind when his gym was about to shut its doors. “My gym was going to close before the shut-down order, since the clients were not secure in the knowledge that the gym wasn’t being properly sanitized,” Laikind said, explaining: “When I learned that the gym was having a meeting to close down, I asked them to wait and that I may have a solution.” Laikind walked back to his of�ice, quickly retro�itted the PCS, and headed back to the gym to show them a new way to disinfect. “Since it is in a hiking/running backpack, ExtremeMist Portable Sanitizing System is the most comfortable backpack spraying system in the world,” Laikind said. “Establishments can keep it on their employees all day long without major fatigue.” Following the success of the PSS, Laikind said he is inventing more items for the system to be released in the coming weeks. In the meantime, Laikind continues to use the PSS every day at his own home. “My other half has an immune system de�iciency, so I spray everything in the garage before I come into the house — groceries, mail, everything. Even my shoes!” he said. The PSS backpack costs $239 and comes with a two-liter reservoir, and the whole system weighs approximately six pounds fully loaded. The complete pack comes with an extra solution reservoir for quick-change extended use. Laikind said dealers interested in stocking either the PSS or PCS are invited to reach out to him at 602-368-9625 or info@ extrememist.com. Information: portablesanitizingsystem.com

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

Contractors build support for Special Olympics BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Progress Staff Writer

couple building a 4,415-squarefoot home in The Village at Silverleaf allowed Airpark-based Cullum Homes to color the skeleton of their house like Lego to show support of the Special Olympics. Insulated concrete forms are frequently compared to Lego, so Cullum Homes’ managing principal Lindsay Cullum-Colwell and Litch�ield Park-based ICF Specialists Ltd. teamed to build the block toy concept for the �irst time in Scottsdale. The couple’s name was not released. The Arizona-made ICF blocks were painted in the bright colors of red, green, blue, white and yellow. “We were really excited to be involved this year in the Lego build,” Cullum-Colwell said. “It’s something that ICF Specialists has started putting on annually. They are the subcontractor we used for the ICF block. “This is something they started last year. The blocks look like Lego and they stack like Lego. The job site looked like little Lego men building bricks. It’s eye catching. It’s an opportunity to talk about the Special Olympics.”

ICF Specialists and Cullum Homes raised money for the Special Olympics by painting ICF bricks in primary colors, like Lego. The money was raised through YouTube videos. (Courtesy Cullum Homes)

“This is something they started last year. The blocks look like Lego and they stack like Lego. The job site looked like little Lego men building bricks. It’s eye catching. It’s an opportunity to talk about the Special Olympics.”

According to Vicki Connell, ICF Specialists Ltd.’s of�ice manager, ICF blocks are frequently compared to Lego. “They’re very similar,” Connell said. “They’re a giant scale of a Lego block. There are lugs that snap into the next block. It was the brainchild of one of the owners. He thought, ‘What if we painted them primary colors and make it a charitable type of project?’” The Special Olympics was chosen because one of ICF Specialists’ HVAC subcon-

The Lego-like house was 3,600 square feet but is now covered with stucco, making it indistinguishable from other nearby homes. (Courtesy Cullum Homes)

tractors is involved in the organization. The �irst “Lego home” was in Waddell last year. “It was off of the 303 and Peoria and we just had droves of cars driving by,” Connell said. “It took off from there. We talked about doing it again this year. We met with Cullum Homes and they decided to do it

for one of their projects.” The only obstacle, Connell said, has been the HOAs, but once they understand the blocks aren’t multicolored permanently, they’re on board. At Silverleaf, the bricks were stuccoed over in early April. “Those blocks are typically white, and they stay exposed throughout the con-

struction process just like a framed home would be,” Cullum-Colwell adds. “The ICF replaces framing and insulation and foam they put on the outside of a framed wall. The stucco layers go on top of it. A regular passerby would never know those blocks were painted to look like classic Lego bricks.” Like ICF Specialists, Cullum Homes is dedicated to giving back to the community. The companies raised money through donations and viewings of YouTube videos. “We’ve been philanthropically minded over our history,” said Cullum-Colwell. “When ICF Specialists came to us and asked for our involvement, we were thrilled to be involved. Silverleaf is also philanthropically minded. We thought we would utilize that community and bring the Special Olympics’ message to the public and garner increased support for it. “People were really grabbing on to it. It’s so unique. You don’t see it very often. We hope to be invited next year. We think this is a creative way to use building science to bring awareness to a cause.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

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Roadhouse Cinemas reopens for business BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

rizona’s reported cases of COVID-19 may be increasing and making headlines nationwide, but that isn’t stopping one Scottsdale movie theater from opening. RoadHouse Cinemas opened on June 10, nearly a month after movie theaters were given permission by Gov. Doug Ducey to reopen on May 16. Their �irst weekend back in operation didn’t go as General Manager Azra Bajraktarevic expected. “We actually assumed that we were going to be very slow,” Bajraktarevic said, “but on Wednesday, when we opened, we were actually busier than we expected. This weekend, Friday through Sunday, we were super busy.” Bajraktarevic estimates the theater, which is running at half capacity, saw about 1,200 guests throughout the weekend. For comparison, she added, a normal Saturday usually sees about 1,300 guests. “We’ve been getting a lot of positives from the guests who’ve been coming in,” Bajraktarevic said.” “We had people who’ve been coming to RoadHouse since day one and just thanking us for being open [because] they’ve been cooped up at home for two months. Then, we’ve had guests who’ve never been to RoadHouse, and they heard on the news that we’re the only theater in the Valley that’s open,” she said. Bajraktarevic said RoadHouse opened when it did because they wanted to work through the kinks before new releases hit theaters and �igure out what their “new normal” is. “A lot of businesses opened before us, and we’ve noticed that they’re struggling with the new normal,” she explained. “We want to make sure that if we have any hic-

Azra Bajraktarevic is the general manager of RoadHouse Cinemas in Scottsdale, a movie theater that recently reopened this month. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

cups, that we don’t make them [mistakes] once we have our blockbuster movies come out.” RoadHouse was one of the more than 700 movie theaters across the country that were open as of last week, according to Comscore. Texas has the most locations open with 45. In the Valley, however, RoadHouse is the only reopened theater – for now, at least. AMC said they expect to open most of their theaters worldwide in July. According to Harkins Theaters’ website, the Scottsdale-based theater chain expects to open their theaters a couple of weeks in advance of the release of blockbusters such as Warner Bros.’ “Tenet” and “Wonder Woman 1984” and Disney’s “Mulan.” “For our business to reopen, another necessary criteria is a reliable and continuous slate of great new theatrical �ilms,” Harkins wrote. Flix Brewhouse in Chandler also intends to reopen prior to the premiere of “Tenet.” “Mulan” and “Tenet” are expected to hit

theaters July 24 and July 31, respectively; but, according to Bajraktarevic, these dates could change. On June 12, “The King of Staten Island” was supposed to show at RoadHouse Cinemas, but Universal abruptly pulled it from theaters around the country. In response, RoadHouse staff spent a lot of time issuing refunds to guests. “But none of the guests were mad because they knew it was the studio,” Bajraktarevic said. “We have a lot of guests who are trying to book birthday parties and events, and we’re telling them we can’t guarantee that these movies are going to come out because the studio can just pull them right from us.” RoadHouse made many changes leading up to reopening, from a truncated menu and reduced prices and serving popcorn in plastic bags instead of bowls to new safety signage and stickers on the �loor to encourage social distancing and more rigorous cleaning procedures, including sanitizing auditoriums after every screening. Before even stepping foot into the the-

ater, however, guests will notice one big change to the booking process: RoadHouse’s seat reservation system now automatically blocks two seats on both sides of guests’ selected seats. These seats will serve as a social buffer. “We don’t want to split a family, but we also want to make sure that we’re still practicing social distancing,” Bajraktarevic said. “We’re trying to limit as much interaction with our guests as possible,” she continued. “Even buying tickets, we’re asking everyone to purchase tickets on our website. We’re not doing any cash transactions, either.” While the entire RoadHouse staff is required to wear masks and gloves at all times, as well as get their temperature checked upon arrival, guests are not required to wear masks. They are, however, encouraged to wear masks during entry and exit of the premises as well as continue to wear a mask until they’ve ordered food or drinks. They can remove the mask to eat and drink, of course. The theater’s hours of operation – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily – are different, too. Despite the changes and challenges, Bajraktarevic said they’re happy to be back. “We’re happy that we can help people get away and experience movie magic all over again,” she said. Those not comfortable returning to movie theaters, however, can continue to pick up popcorn from RoadHouse Cinemas, which is also continuing to offer food to-go. “We completely understand people are scared. We don’t know how long it’s going to last. So, if people are uncomfortable, we’re not asking them to come out by any means. They’ll come when they’re ready,” she added. Information: roadhousecinemas.com

FOOD & DRINK

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

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Scottsdale man’s brewery giving back before it opens BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

farmhouse-inspired, philanthropic brewery named after reigning punk-rock trio of the late ‘90s and early aughts, Blink-182, right here in the Valley? It exists. Well, almost. Roses by the Stairs Brewing, founded by central Scottsdale resident and engineer Jordan Ham, will be located in a 7,000 square-foot warehouse space on McDowell Road and near 5th Avenue in Phoenix. The space was once occupied by Easley’s Fun Shop, a storied, 72-year-old costume store that closed its doors for good in 2018. Inside, the brewery will do more than serve craft beers; Ham plans to give a portion of his revenues directly to sustainability and educational charities, too. “I wanted to make a business that made the world a better place,” Ham said. He isn’t waiting until early next year, when the brewery is expected to open, to make his �irst charitable move. Roses by the Stairs is one of the more the 700 breweries taking part in the Black Is Beautiful Initiative, started by Weathered Souls Brewing in Texas. The Black Is Beautiful Initiative is a nationwide effort where breweries donate 100 percent of a special, stoutbased beer’s proceeds to local foundations that support police reform and legal defenses for those who have been wronged. “I started the brewery with the focus on the environment, my employees and the community,” said Ham. “Our community includes everyone, and for many years, part of that community has

Scottsdale resident Jordan Ham is the owner of Roses by the Stairs, a new brewery slated to open early next year in Phoenix. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

not been treated fairly. “For this time to be different, everyone needs to step up and take action; and this program provides us with the opportunity to support the Black Lives Matter cause. We’re here to be part of the movement.” Because Roses by the Stairs is under construction, Ham and his head brewer, William Hampton, partnered with Tucson-based Dillinger Brewing Company. The Black Is Beautiful Initiative offers an Imperial Stout recipe created by Weathered Souls Brewing Company, but participating brewers can add their own twist to the beer. Ham said he’s hoping to partner with black-owned coffee shop A.T. Oasis Coffee & Tea Shop in Phoenix. Owned by Aisha and Abdul Tedros, A.T. Oasis serves Ethiopian coffee and teas from east Africa and Morocco, among other unique imports. “hey said they’d be more than happy

to work together. So, now I just need to convince everyone that we need to put coffee in the beer,” Ham said. “Even if we don’t use it in this beer, we will de�initely work together in the future,” he added. The other Arizona breweries taking part in the Black Is Beautiful Initiative, also include the Beer Research Institute (B.R.I.) in Mesa. “We’re involved in this project because it’s the right thing to do,” said Matt Trethewey, B.R.I. owner and cofounder. “We need to band together as humans and denounce racism in all its forms.” B.R.I. will donate proceeds to the Arizona Chapter of the ACLU. “I can’t think of a better cause to make a donation to than an organization that supports and defends the rights we have as humans that are outlined in the U.S. Constitution,” Trethewey said. Ham plans to donate 1 percent of rev-

enues to sustainability charities and another 1 percent to local educational charities. “If I just wanted to make beer, I could home-brew. But opening this brewery allows us to make a real impact in the world,” Ham said. “We’re not going to make money in the �irst year, but we’re still going to donate to charities and give back.” Roses by the Stars will focus on sour, mixed fermentations, barrel aged and spontaneous fermented beers. “I’m going to try and do some sours, more wild yeast, more experimentaltype stuff,” Ham said. What will set the brewery apart, though, is its focus on sourcing and using local ingredients. Ham hopes to head the Four Peaks area to harvest saguaro �lowers and prickly pear, freeze what he harvests and use the wild ingredients when they start brewing. “Buying local is so important,” Ham said. “To me, beer is more of what it actually tastes like. If you can sit back and know 1 percent of your money has gone to support the environment, and maybe another 5 percent has gone to buy your child’s teachers’ chalk or pens, that beer is going to taste pretty good.” As for name of the brewery, they’re lyrics pulled straight from track eight of Blink-182’s ‘99 album, “Enema of the State.” “The song [“All the Small Things”] ends with ‘my little windmill.’ That was my second choice,” he said with a laugh. “I wanted [the name] to be something a little unique, a little quirky.” Keep an eye on Roses by the Stairs’ Instagram — @rosesbythestairsbrewing — for updates on when their Black Is Beautiful beer launches. Information on the initiative: blackisbeautiful.beer.

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Public Notices IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MOBILE COUNTY ALABAMA DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION NOTICE OF VIRTUAL HEARING MOTION CASE NO. 02-DR-2005-500042.04S Toni Wilson Williams, Plantiff Vs Rodger D. Williams, Defendant. Notice is hereby given to Toni Wilsom Williams, whose whereabouts is unknown, that a virtual hearting on the motion Motion to terminate child support filed by Toni Wilson Williams will be heard by the Domestic Relations Court, by accessing Zoom. Failure to appear at this conference for the Virtual Hearing may result in sanctions/default and/or dismissal of this case. Join Zoom Meeting http://join.alacourt.com Meeting ID: 910 1324 7206 Password: 462739 Done this 16th day of June, 2020. /s/JoJo Schwarzaurer JoJo Schwarzaurer, Circuit Clerk. ATTY: Richard R. Williams, 160 S. Cedar St., Mobile AL 36602. Telephone: 251-432-4127 Attorney for the Defendant. Published: Scottsdale Progess, June 21, 28, July 5, 12, 2020 / 31317 Project Name: Medical Marijuana Text Amendment Case Numbers: 1-TA-2020 Location: Citywide Purpose: Request by applicant to amend the City of Scottsdale Zoning Ordinance (Ord. 455) for the purpose of amending Section 1.403.M.1.g to change the allowed hours of operation for medical marijuana uses from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Staff contact persons: Greg Bloemberg, 480-312-4306 email: gbloemberg@scottsdaleaz.gov Applicant contact person: Lauren Niehaus, 480-948-3737 email: lniehaus@harvestinc.com A copy of the proposed amendments is available for review in Suite 105, 7447 East Indian School Road, Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information, call 480-312-7767 or enter case number at: https://eservices.scottsdaleaz.gov/bldgresources/Cases NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Scottsdale, Arizona, will hear public comment regarding these cases at the hearing listed below: Hearing Date: July 8, 2020 @ 5:00 P.M. Location: Meeting will be held electronically and remotely Attest Lorraine Castro, Planning Specialist PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY MAY REQUEST A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION BY CONTACTING THE CLERK'S OFFICE AT (480-312-2412). REQUESTS SHOULD BE MADE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE, OR AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO ALLOW TIME TO ARRANGE ACCOMMODATION. FOR TTY USERS, THE ARIZONA RELAY SERVICE (1-800-367-8939) MAY CONTACT THE CLERK'S OFFICE AT (480-312-2412). Published: Scottsdale Progress, Jun 21, 2020 / 31296

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Public Notices NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Scottsdale, Arizona, will hold a public hearing on July 8, 2020, at 5:00 P.M in Scottsdale, Arizona. Until further notice, Planning Commission meetings will be held electronically. While physical facilities are not open to the public, Planning Commission meetings are televised on Cox Cable Channel 11 and streamed online at ScottsdaleAZ.gov (search “live stream”) to allow the public to listen/view the meeting in progress. Only written comments submitted electronically at least one hour prior to the meeting are being accepted. A written Public Comment may be submitted electronically to PlanningCommission@ScottsdaleAZ.gov 1-TA-2020 (Medical Marijuana Text Amendment) Request by applicant to amend the City of Scottsdale Zoning Ordinance (Ord. 455) for the purpose of amending Section 1.403.M.1.g to change the allowed hours of operation for medical marijuana uses from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Staff contact person is Greg Bloemberg, 480-312-4306. Applicant contact person is Lauren Niehaus, 303-827-9039. 1-ZN-2020 (Canalside) Request by owner for a zoning district map amendment from Central Business District, Downtown Overlay (C-2 DO) to Downtown/Downtown Multiple-Use, Type 2, Planned Block Development, Downtown Overlay (D/DMU-2 PBD DO), including development plan and development standards for gross floor area and building stepbacks, for a new mixed-used development consisting of 51 units of multifamily residential and +/-900 square feet of commercial space, located at 6804, 6806, 6808, 6810, 6820 and 6824 E. Indian School Road Staff contact person is Greg Bloemberg, 480-312-4306. Applicant contact person is George Pasquel III, 602-230-0600. 4-GP-2020 (Scottsdale Civic Center Medical Plaza) Request by owner for approval of a non-major amendment to the City of Scottsdale General Plan 2001 to change the land use designation from Urban Neighborhoods to Minor Office on a +/- 1.37-acre site at 3271 N. Civic Center Plaza. Staff contact person is Bryan Cluff, 480-312-2258. Applicant contact person is Colin Slais ,480-403-1788. 10-ZN-2019 (Scottsdale Civic Center Medical Plaza) Request by owner for approval of a zoning district map amendment from Service Residential (S-R) to Commercial Office (C-O) on a +/- 1.37-acre site at 3271 N. Civic Center Plaza. Staff contact person is Bryan Cluff, 480-312-2258. Applicant contact person is Colin Slais, 480-403-1788. 4-AB-2020 (Haughton Abandonment) Request by owner for abandonment of 13-feet of GLO easement located along N. 77th Street, 33-feet of GLO easement located along E. Cavedale Drive, and 20-feet of Right-ofWay located along E. Cavedale Drive for a property with Single-family Residential District, Environmentally Sensitive Lands, Foothills Overlay (R1-70 ESL FO) zoning located at 7720 E. Cavedale Drive. Staff contact person is Jeff Barnes, 480-312-2376. Applicant contact person is John berry, (480) 385-2727. 44-UP-2000#4 (Scottsdale Ranch Community Association Type 4 Wireless Communication Facility) Request by owner to renew a Conditional Use Permit for an Existing Type 4 Alternative Concealment-Wireless Communication Facility (WCF) concealed within two existing flagpoles at 10585 N. 100th Street with Open Space, Planned Community District (O-S PCD) zoning. Staff Contact Keith Niederer, 480-312-2953. Applicant contact person is Todd E. Daoust, 602-549-9054. 11-AB-2019 (Shaw Butte Abandonment) Request by owner for approval of an abandonment of portions of the General Land Office Patent Easements (GLOs) along the north, east, and south boundary of a property with Single-family Residential (R1-43) zoning located at 10535 E. Cactus Road. Staff Contact Katie Posler, 480312-2703. Applicant contact person is Mischael Ligget, 602-695-1845. For additional information visit our web site at www.scottsdaleaz.gov search “Scottsdale Planning Case Files” or in your URL search bar you can type in https://eservices.scottsdaleaz.gov/bldgresources/Cases/ A COPY OF A FULL AGENDA, INCLUDING ITEMS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND ANY MEETING LOCATION UPDATES, IS AVAILABLE AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING AT THE FOLLOWING Online at: http://www.ScottsdaleAZ.gov/Boards/planning-commission

LEGAL NOTICES Deadline for Sunday's Edition is the Wednesday prior at 5pm. Please call Elaine at 480-898-7926 to inquire or email your notice to: legals@evtrib.com and request a quote.

CHAIRMAN Attest Lorraine Castro, Planning Specialist For additional information visit our web site at www.scottsdaleaz.gov PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY MAY REQUEST A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION BY CONTACTING THE CLERK'S OFFICE AT (480-312-7767). REQUESTS SHOULD BE MADE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE, OR AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO ALLOW TIME TO ARRANGE ACCOMMODATION. FOR TTY USERS, THE ARIZONA RELAY SERVICE (1-800-367-8939) MAY CONTACT THE CLERK'S OFFICE AT (480-312-7767). Published: Scottsdale Progress, Jun 21, 2020 / 31294

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 21, 2020

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23144 N 79th Place Scottsdale AZ 85255 44 Bedroom | 4.5 Bath | 4,656 Sqft | SOLD FOR $1,385,000 Sonoran Hills

9270 E Thompson Peak Parkway Unit 335 Scottsdale AZ 85255 3 Bedroom | 3.5 Bath | 2,765 Sqft | SOLD FOR $899,000 DC Ranch

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10040 E Happy Valley Road 300 Scottsdale AZ 85255 3 Bedroom | 3.5 Bath | 4,266 Sqft | SOLD FOR $860,000 Desert Highlands

21122 N 75th Street Scottsdale AZ 85255 5 Bedroom | 3.5 Bath | 3,841 Sqft | SOLD FOR $880,000 Grayhawk

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9626 E Peak View Road Scottsdale AZ 86262 4 Bedroom | 2.5 Bath | 3,558 Sqft | SOLD FOR $850,000 Fairways at Troon

ANDREW BLOOM

Senior Partner REALTOR® Andrew@BVOLuxury.com

BABS BLOOM

Director of Marketing Director of Client Care Barbara@BVOLuxury.com

AUSTIN BLOOM

Director of Expansion REALTOR® Austin@BVOLuxury.com

9172 E Pershing Ave Scottsdale AZ 85260 3 Bedroom | 2 Bath | 2,253 Sqft | SOLD FOR $572,000 Vista

480.400.1985 | www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com