East Valley Tribune: West Mesa Edition - Aug. 28, 2016

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THE VOICE OF THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1891 AND WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR LOCAL REPORTING

Last chance to learn about elections

THE SUNDAY

Tribune

PAGE 6

West Mesa Edition

INSIDE THIS WEEK COMMUNITY | 18

Arizona Mills opens up zippy new electric vehicle charging stations

SPORTS | 20

Tempe High’s Johnson chase quarterbacks, state sack record

‘Toddlers’ show off in Gilbert

EAST VALLEY

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Sunday, August 28, 2016

FREE ($1 OUTSIDE THE EAST VALLEY) | EastValleyTribune.com

State moves Could East Valley score a pro team? to block ADA suits COVER STORY

Claims attorney seeks ‘enrichment,’ not access

BUSINESS | 27

BY JIM WALSH TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

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Casual Pint combines bar amenities with a coffee shop feel

(Tribune file photo)

SPORTS ......................20 OPINION ....................18 FAITH ..........................29 CLASSIFIED .............. 32

The NHL Arizona Coyotes might be the leading candidate team to wind up in the East Valley. Glendale City Council canceled its management agreement with the team, which plays in the Gila River Arena. The Coyotes immediately vowed to look elsewhere for a new home.

Coyotes, D-backs stir relocation rumors BY GARY NELSON TRIBUNE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SEDONA | 23 The best keeps getting better in Red Rock country

HIGLEY CENTER | 25 Fall schedule announced, features tribute shows

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f municipal boundaries were erased, the four largest towns in the East Valley would emerge as the 10thlargest city in the country. Ten times bigger than Green Bay, Wisconsin; five times bigger than Salt Lake City; and more than twice as big as New Orleans, the East Valley would be a metro powerhouse with a national cachet. History—each of our cities took separate root more than a century ago with miles of desert between them— stands in the way of there ever being such a merger. But thinking about the East Valley in comparison with the likes of Green Bay, Salt Lake City and New Orleans leads to this question: Why couldn’t the East Valley—like those other, much smaller towns—have its own big-league sports franchise?

Tempe shines on biggest stage in sports...Page 5 Mesa voters sack Cardinals stadium......Page 6

It may have seemed that was decided years ago when the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Coyotes all settled elsewhere. But in the restless, mercenary world of professional sports, very little is permanent. Now, three of the Valley’s big-league teams are publicly unhappy with their accommodations, leaving the door ajar for speculation about whether the East Valley could land one or more of the teams. The NHL Coyotes are probably the unhappiest of See

PRO SPORTS on page 5

eacting to thousands of lawsuits filed against small businesses in the East Valley, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office took the unusual step of intervening on the behalf of a defendant accused of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The goal is to get all similar suits consolidated into one case and eventually dismissed by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge, according to the Attorney General Office’s website. “We’re trying to get a ruling from a judge to say these are frivolous lawsuits,’’ defense attorney Lindsey Leavitt said. “Unfortunately, it takes time.’’ The ADA, passed in 1990, enjoys widespread support among small business owners, who agree with its purpose of ensuring that the disabled have access to public buildings through requirements for parking spaces and other accommodations. But East Valley businesses, particularly those in Mesa, have been hit by a blizzard of 1,850 lawsuits since June 2015. They’ve been filed by attorney Peter Strojnik, who says he’s a champion for the disabled, on behalf of Advocates for Individuals with Disabilities. See

ADA SUITS on page 3

East Valley businesses, particularly those in Mesa, have been hit by a blizzard of 1,850 ADA lawsuits since June 2015, mostly over parking.


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