east valley
Volume 4 Issue 28 Mesa, AZ
January 23 2021
Dinosaur store offers fossils, activities for kids BY MELODY BIRKETT Tribune Contributor
W
IN THE BIZ
alk into Christian Kaleta’s Mesa store, and you’ll be greeted by a sight you won’t find anywhere else in the retail world: Stan the Tyrannosaurus Rex, aka T. Rex, a $20,000 dinosaur skull replica. “That’s our most popular attraction,” said Kaleta, who owns Tyrannostorus at 1816 W. Baseline Road, adding a skull that big takes about four-to-six months to produce. “When you find a dinosaur or a cast, it’s a piece of art,” Kaleta said. “Whoever made that cast, owns the rights to that cast.” T. Rex is one of many imitation and real skulls of hippopotamuses, giraffes, warthogs, polar bears, grazing animals from Africa, alligators and other creatures that range in price from $99 to as much as $2,000. “I struggled with getting some of these (skulls) because we’re not a museum or university,” explained Kaleta. “I was told ‘no’ on some – that it’s not for the retail world but for education. Well, this is educational.” Skulls aren’t the only things for sale at Tyrannosaurus. “We have a full collection of dinosaur replicas such claws, teeth, thumb spikes, triceratops horn, raptor claws - all kinds of stuff kids go wild for as well as the full toy section with different species of dinosaur and prehistoric reptiles and mammals,” said manager Bryan Troglia. The store even carries a big basket of coprolite, also known as dinosaur poo. “Very fun for the kids,” Troglia said. “You Public Notices ............... page 2 © Copyright, 2022 East Valley Tribune
Tyrannostorus manager Bryan Troglia, left, and owner Christian Kaleta, flank Stan the T. Tex, a replica of a tyrannosaurus skull. (Melody Birkett/Tribune Contributor) can buy as much poo as you like.” “We also have different pieces of animals like their teeth and tusk,” said Troglia. “We have real warthog tusks, real alligator teeth and alligator tooth jewelry.” The most popular activity is the sluice, according to Kaleta. Kids can dig for fossils and sift for treasure with purchased bags of sand. They pour the sand into the sifting trays, excavate it and then pull out stones and gems. There are nine varieties of dirt for purchase ranging from $4.99 to $40. Some bags have gems and minerals. Other bags have arrowheads, seashells and fossils and even real emeralds. “You can grab a $10 bag and the kids can come to play for a half-hour to an (USPS 004-616) is published weekly
Mailing Address: 1620 W. Fountainhead Pkwy., Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282
(480) 898-6500 Steven Strickbine, publisher Paul Maryniak, executive editor
hour and learn,” said Kaleta, calling it an economical way to learn for families with several children. “I have a 12-year-old son and we’re always looking for something different to do,” Kaleta said. “During the summer, we went to a fossil safari in Wyoming. We had so much fun. We brainstormed on the way back home.” That’s what gave Kaleta the idea for the store. He wanted kids here to have a similar experience. “I’ve always had an interest in dinosaur bones and fossils,” Kaleta added. “And, of course, my 12-year-old son has a major interest in this kind of stuff.” Kaleta also owns the Predators Reptile Center in the same shopping center. Since Subscriptions are $26 for 2 years, $14 for one year. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, AZ 85026.
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his background is in exotic animals, he thought opening a store Tyrannostorus would be a great fit. “We have a lot of educational stuff,” said Kaleta. “One of the biggest things with my son is everywhere we go, he loves museums and likes touching everything. That’s what kids do – they touch. “I wanted to build a place for him to not get yelled at. We encourage kids to come in to play and touch even the expensive stuff. That’s fine. I want them to get close and personal with T. Rex to bring that imagination together.” Another area of the store features some extinct mammals from the Ice Age and many of the relics were found in Arizona, including remnants of cave bears, dire wolves, the American lion and saber-tooth cat. The store also carries fossils such as ammonites, trilobites and shark teeth. A shark tooth runs around $19.99. Some are still in the stone they were excavated from and retail for about $49.99. “The interesting thing about sharks is they don’t have skeletons; they’re all cartilage,” explained Troglia. “The only thing
Public Notice OUT WITH THE OLD, CHIP RETURN RETURN YOUR TABLE GAMES CASINO CHIPS AT HARRAH’S AKCHIN BEFORE THEY EXPIRE! If you have Table Games Casino chips received be-fore July 7, 2021, please redeem them at the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino cashier cage no later than March 31, 2022 for a full refund. Disclaimer: Any discontinued Table Games chips not returned by March 31, 2022 will be void and hold no cash value. Redemption must take place at the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino cashier cage in per-son. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino is not responsible for any unreturned Table Games chips.
Public Notice ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROPOSED STUDY RESULTS FOR THE MESA ZONE D PHASE 1 FLOODPLAIN DELINEATION STUDY WITHIN THE CITY OF MESA, MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ The Flood Control District (FCD) of Maricopa County has conducted a floodplain delineation study (FDS) for the previously unstudied Zone D area within the City of Mesa. The FCD conducts floodplain delineation studies to identify and refine areas that are subject to flooding by a 100-year flood.
you find is their teeth.” The store’s sea life section contains shark jaws, corals, seashells, barnacles, replicas of a big 16-foot great white shark as well as its teeth. You can buy just a tooth or the whole jaw. “We also have a wide variety of fossil plates that have been excavated out of quarries up in Wyoming, South Dakota,” said Troglia. “Shrimp, little fish like mackerelsized fish, little squid, all kinds of cool stuff.” Another section has model kits and authentic Arizona candies. “It’s the kind of stuff you remember getting at your elementary school field trips. We have all of that along with a Geo table and gem bag.” And there’s a wide selection of gemstones and precious metals such as bismuth, amethyst, citrine, agates and quartz. “But probably one of our most popular specimen collections are our shadow box insects,” said Troglia. “They literally fly off the shelves but they’re also done by local artists which makes them unique to our store.” Shadow boxes start at $79.99 and go up
These floods have a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. The FCD also proposes to establish areas subject to a 500-year flood. These floods have a 0.2% chance of occurring in any given year. The Zone D area is approximately 10.2 square miles and roughly bounded by Meridian Road to the east, Baseline Road to the north, Ellsworth Road to the west, and Ray Road to the south. Phase 1 studied the portion north of Elliot Road, approximately 4.1 square miles. As a result of this revision, this study proposes to establish Zone AE and Zone AO 100year floodplains and Base Flood Elevations (BFE’s), and Shaded-X Zone 500-year floodplains along several water-courses and within several Regional Detention Basins. Specifically, these floodplains and BFE’s are pro-posed along Crismon Channel and Crismon Channel Breakouts #1 and #2 extending from the US 60 to Elliot Road; Eastridge Channel extending from Baseline Road to near Guadalupe Road; Sunland Springs Channel extending from Baseline Road to Signal Butte Road; Guadalupe Channel extending from Santa Rita Road to Crismon Road; Siphon Draw extending from Meridian Road to Elliot Road; and the Elliot Road Regional Detention Basins EA, WA, and WB located along the north side of Elliot Road between Signal Butte Road and
EAST VALLEY BUSINESS
to about $250. The butterfly palettes are done by a separate artist and range from $400-$500. “It’s fun not just for kids but for the entire family,” added Troglia. “When you come into our store, you always leave with something whether it’s something you purchase in the store or just a new piece of knowledge about natural history.” Kaleta notices that parents are just as excited as their kids when entering the store. “It’s interesting to watch because the kids start to do the activities such as the sluice or the digging but then the parents make their way in,” said Kaleta. “And it’s interesting to watch the parents and kids interact,” he added. “Everything these days is electronic and hands-off. Kids are playing video games and parents are working. This is a chance to come in, get together and learn together and that’s a lot of fun to watch.” Store hours are weekdays from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information: tyrannostorus.com, 480597-4467
Ellsworth Road. Remaining areas within the study that are not one of these watercourses or Basins, are proposed to become Unshaded-X Zones, which are not Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). Study Documentation is pending finalization. Once it is finalized, impacted property owners will be notified. In the interim, they can review information about the study and proposed floodplains on the FCD website: https://apps.fcd. maricopa.govfcdprojects/Details/71 The results will be used by the City of Mesa and the District to regulate development within the flood-plains. Technical documentation for the study will be submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for updating FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps which are used to determine federal flood insurance requirements and rates. Any relevant technical information or comments can be sent to Richard Harris at 2801 W. Durango Street, Phoenix, AZ 85009 or Richard.Harris@maricopa.gov. Published: East Valley Tribune, Jan. 16, 2022 / 43991
Public Notice CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that
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the City of Mesa is seeking a qualified firm or team to act as the Construction Manager at Risk for the following: PUBLIC SAFTEY CAMPUS MICROGRID 245 W 2ND STREET PROJECT NO. CP1032 The City of Mesa is seeking a qualified Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to provide PreConstruction Services assistance and complete Construction Services as the CMAR for the City Of Mesa Public Safety Campus Microgrid Project. All qualified firms that are interested in providing these services are invited to submit their Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) in accordance with the requirements detailed in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The following is a summary of the project. The City of Mesa will construct a new microgrid station at the Public Safety Campus (Microgrid.) The Microgrid will include the installation and commissioning of natural gas generators totaling approximately three (3) to four (4) megawatts (MW) in nominal capacity, 15 kilovolt (kV) switchgear, system protection relays, distribution source-transfer equipment, controls, communications equipment, modularized control room, transformers, ductbank, cabling and facility security. Site improvements include installation of a security wall, site grading,
JANUARY 23, 2022
landscaping, and drain-age. The project includes off-site system upgrades to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA) as well as communication infra-structure, as needed to support the project. The estimated construction cost is $8,000,000. The city anticipates completing construction by June 2023. A Pre-Submittal Conference will be held on January 26, 2022 at 9:00 am through Microsoft Teams. If you would like to participate, please send an email to Stephanie Gishey (stephanie.gishey@mesaaz.gov) and request an invitation. At this meeting, City staff will discuss the scope of work and general contract issues and respond to questions from the attendees. Attendance at the pre-submittal conference is not mandatory and all interested firms may submit a Statement of Qualifications whether or not they attend the conference. All interested firms are encouraged to attend the Pre-Submittal Conference since City staff will not be available for meetings or to respond to individual inquiries regarding the project scope outside of this conference. In addition, there will not be meeting minutes or any other information published from the Pre-Submittal Conference. Contact with City Employees. All firms interested in this project (including the firm’s employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists, attorneys, and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in the selection process. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms, to assure that contract decisions are made in public, and to protect the integrity of the selection process. All contact on this selection process should be addressed to the authorized representative identified below. RFQ Lists. The RFQ is available on the City’s website at http:// mesaaz.gov/business/engineering/ construction-manager-at-risk-andjob-order-contracting-opportunities. The Statement of Qualifications shall include a one-page cover letter, plus a maximum of 10 pages to address the SOQ evaluation criteria (excluding PPVF’s and resumes but including an organization chart with key personnel and their affiliation). Resumes for each team member shall be limited to a maximum length of two pages and should be attached as an appendix to the SOQ. Minimum font size shall be 10pt. Please provide one (1) electronic copy of the Statement of Qualifications in an unencrypted PDF format to Engineering-RFQ@mesaaz.gov by February 10, 2022 at 2 pm. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Statements of Qualifications. The City is an equal opportunity employer. Firms who wish to do business with the City of Mesa must be registered in the City of Mesa Vendor Self Service (VSS) System ( h tt p : / / m e s a a z . g ov / bu s i n e s s / purchasing/vendor-self-service). Questions. Questions pertaining to the Construction Manager at Risk selection process or contract issues should be directed to Stephanie Gishey of the Engineering Department at stephanie.gishey@ mesaaz.gov. BETH HUNING
City Engineer ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen City Clerk Published in: East Valley Tribune January 16, 23, 2022/ 44009
address the SOQ evaluation criteria (excluding PPVF’s and resumes but including an organization chart with key personnel and their affiliation). Resumes for each team member shall be limited to a maximum length of two pages and should be attached as an appendix to the SOQ. Minimum font size shall be 10pt. Please provide one (1) electronic copy of the Statement of Qualifications in an unencrypted PDF format to Engineering-RFQ@ mesaaz.gov by February 10, 2022 at 2 pm. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Statements of Qualifications. The City is an equal opportunity employer. Firms who wish to do business with the City of Mesa must be registered in the City of Mesa Vendor Self Service (VSS) System ( h tt p : / / m e s a a z . g ov / bu s i n e s s / purchasing/vendor-self-service). Questions. Questions pertaining to the Job Order selection process or contract issues should be directed to Stephanie Gishey of the Engineering Department at stephanie.gishey@mesaaz.gov. BETH HUNING City Engineer ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen City Clerk Published in: East Valley Tribune January 16, 23, 2022/ 44002
Public Notice ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Mesa is seeking a qualified firm or team to act as the Job Order Contractor for the following: TRANSPORTATION JOB ORDER CONTRACT PROJECT NO. JOC-T22 The City of Mesa is seeking a qualified Contractor to provide Job Order Transportation Construction Services. All qualified firms that are interested in providing these services are invited to submit their Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) in accordance with the requirements detailed in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The following is a summary of the project. The Transportation Job Order Contract will require a variety of tasks to be completed, including but not limited to roads, streets, sidewalks, curb and gutter, utilities located in transportation Right of Way (ROW), paving, striping, landscaping associated with roadway ROW, lighting, traffic signals, and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and other work as deemed necessary. A Pre-Submittal Conference will be held on January 26, 2022 at 8:00 am through Microsoft Teams. Parties interested in attending should request an invitation from Stephanie Gishey at stephanie. gishey@mesaaz.gov. At this meeting, City staff will discuss the scope of work and general contract issues and respond to questions from the attendees. Attendance at the pre-submittal conference is not mandatory and all interested firms may submit a Statement of Qualifications whether or not they attend the conference. All interested firms are encouraged to at-tend the Pre-Submittal Conference since City staff will not be available for meetings or to respond to individual inquiries regarding the project scope outside of this conference. In addition, there will not be meeting minutes or any other information published from the Pre-Submittal Conference. Contact with City Employees. All firms interested in this project (including the firm’s employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists, attorneys, and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in the selection process. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms, as-sure that contract decisions are made in public and to protect the integrity of the selection process. All contact on this selection process should be addressed to the authorized representative identified below. RFQ Lists. The RFQ is available on the City’s website at http:// mesaaz.gov/business/engineering/ construction-manager-at-risk-andjob-order-contracting-opportunities. The Statement of Qualifications shall include a one-page cover letter, plus a maximum of 10 pages to
EAST VALLEY BUSINESS
Public Notice JAMES MADISON PREPARATORY SCHOOL, INC 5815 S MCCLINTOCK DR. TEMPE, AZ 85283 480-345-2306 480-345-0059 (FAX) www.madisonprep.org Announces open enrollment for grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12 for the 2022-2023 school year. The open enrollment period is February 7-28, 2022.
Public Notice CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Mesa is seeking a qualified firm or team to act as the Job Order Contractor for the following: GENERAL BUILDING JOB ORDER CONTRACT PROJECT NO. JOC-G22 The City of Mesa is seeking a qualified Contractor to provide Job Order General Building Construction Services. All qualified firms that are interested in providing these services are invited to submit their Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) in accordance with the requirements detailed in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The following is a summary of the project. The scope of this contract is to provide general contracting pre-construction and construction services for maintenance, repair, minor and major new construction services, including minor associated incidental design services, for a broad range of City facility related projects. A Pre-Submittal Conference will be held on February 3, 2022 at 9:00 am through Microsoft Teams. Parties interested in attending should request an invitation from Donna Horn at donna.horn@ mesaaz.gov. At this meeting, City staff will discuss the scope of work and general contract
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issues and respond to questions from the attendees. Attendance at the pre-submittal conference is not mandatory and all interested firms may submit a Statement of Qualifications whether or not they attend the conference. All interested firms are encouraged to attend the Pre-Submittal Conference since City staff will not be available for meetings or to respond to individual inquiries regarding the project scope outside of this conference. In addition, there will not be meeting minutes or any other information published from the Pre-Submittal Conference. Contact with City Employees. All firms interested in this project (including the firm’s employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists, attorneys, and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in the selection process. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms, assure that con-tract decisions are made in public and to protect the integrity of the selection process. All con-tact on this selection process should be addressed to the authorized representative identified be-low. RFQ Lists. The RFQ is available on the City’s website at http:// mesaaz.gov/business/engineering/ construction-manager-at-risk-andjob-order-contracting-opportunities. The Statement of Qualifications shall include a one-page cover letter, plus a maximum of 10 pages to address the SOQ evaluation criteria (excluding PPVF’s and resumes but including an organization chart with key personnel and their affiliation). Resumes for each team member shall be limited to a maximum length of two pages and should be attached as an appendix to the SOQ. Minimum font size shall be 10pt. Please provide one (1) electronic copy of the Statement of Qualifications in an unencrypted PDF format to Engineering-RFQ@ mesaaz.gov by February 17, 2022 at 2 pm. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Statements of Qualifications. The City is an equal opportunity employer. Firms who wish to do business with the City of Mesa must be registered in the City of Mesa Vendor Self Service (VSS) System ( h tt p : / / m e s a a z . g ov / bu s i n e s s / purchasing/vendor-self-service). Questions. Questions pertaining to the Job Order selection process or contract issues should be directed to Donna Horn of the Engineering Department at donna. horn@mesaaz.gov. BETH HUNING City Engineer ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen City Clerk Published in: East Valley Tribune January 23, 30, 2022/ 44081
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