MPS mask furor / P. 14
Chandler of�icer slain / P.10 An edition of the East Valley Tribune
Mesa a leader in pedestrian deaths
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Sunday, May 2, 2021
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE THE EAST VALLEY) | TheMesaTribune.com
BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
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Colorado River warning no threat here.
BUSINESS ................ 20 New BBQ restaurant opens downtown.
SPORTS ................... 26
Ashtin Webb has learned from adversity. COMMUNITY ............................... 17 BUSINESS ..................................... 20 OPINION .. ..................................... 24 SPORTS ........................................ 26 GET OUT ...................................... 28 PUZZLES ...................................... 29 CLASSIFIED ................................. 30 Zone 1
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olice reports tell the chilling story, in bland language: “Unit two was northbound on South Dobson Road just south of Southern Avenue in lane number two. Unit one, a pedestrian, was crossing in the crosswalk against the light from west to east. “This crosswalk has a traf�ic light but the
Despite Google’s absence, ‘Industrial Mesa’ in bloom
signal was green for northbound traf�ic. The pedestrian crossed the street in the darkness of night and was struck by unit two going northbound. “The pedestrian was taken to Banner Desert Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.” The average road vehicle weighs about 4,000 pounds with top speeds of around 120 mph. The average weight of a pedestrian is around 181 pounds with top walking speeds of around 4 mph.
When the two meet, the result is lopsided and horrible. Vehicle vs. pedestrian collisions are, said Mesa Police Department Sgt. Greg Loewenhagen, “very brutal, very gory. “When vehicles weighing between 3,000 to 8,000 pounds hit a human being, it does massive damage.” The good news in Mesa: As of Thursday, no
Heroes' award
��� PEDESTRIANS ���� 11
BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
L
ike spring �lowers popping up in gardens and lots around town, what can be called “Industrial Mesa” is in bloom. In the southeastern corner of the city, big chunks of land remain undeveloped – but not for long. Development plans zipped through approval phases for multiple projects that will throw up huge warehouses and other industrial buildings. Mayor John Giles, Economic Development Director William Jabjiniak and others have joked about “landing some big �ish” with recent deals. Google, the prized marlin, has been hard to reel in.
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Three generations of military service were honored with Quilts of Valor at Fountain of the Sun in Mesa last week. Among the 13 veterans honored were World War II bomber pilot Henry Darlington, flanked by his grandson Erick Valdes, left, and son-in-law Jim Siefert, who both served as well. See the story on page 17. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff Photographer)
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THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
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NEWS
Pot baron buys big warehouse in Mesa BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
H
ow valuable is industrial development in southeast Mesa? According to commercial real estate tracker Vizzda, a warehouse on 2.4 acres at 5405 S. Power Road – 2 miles from the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport – was sold on April 8 for $4.75 million. The buyer: George Archos, CEO of Chicago-based Verano Holdings. On his Linked In page, Archos says he
INDUSTRIAL ���� ���� 1
Earlier this year, Jabjiniak said he expected Google to break down on a massive campus near Sossaman and Elliot road this spring. Now, he’s not so sure. “They are very close to their vest,” Jabjiniak said of Google. “Originally, we were told (construction would start) this year. Now, they’ve put it back a little.” Jabjiniak noted Google has huge needs for electricity: “When you see heavy electrical (construction), that will be the �irst sign.” Back in mid-2019, Giles bragged “this is home run,” after Google signed a taxincentive agreement to build a massive data center in the Elliot Road Technology Corridor. Using Google’s project code name “Project Red Hawk,” the Salt River Project noted on its website months ago something was in the works: “SRP has received a request to provide energy to a commercial customer on its new 187-acre parcel for a data center located in east Mesa.” Things looked like they were moving quickly at the end of 2019, when SRP announced the Arizona Corporation Commission approved a certi�icate of environmental compatibility for the project. Last month, the Tribune asked SRP to provide details on the project. “While SRP continues to work on design for this project, construction has been postponed at the customer’s request,” Scott Harrelson of SRP responded. “We will wait for a green light to begin that activity and will notify customers and landowners in the area when that occurs. “SRP is not able to discuss certain de-
has “Extensive expertise and proven results in medical marijuana business operations throughout the country, having developed 10 facilities and brought them to pro�itability in record time. CEO of state-licensed cultivation, processing and/or dispensary facilities in Illinois, Maryland and Nevada, as well as numerous licenses currently in active development in multiple states and Puerto Rico.” According to the Chicago Sun Times, “Verano Holdings, a Chicago weed �irm
3
worth roughly $3 billion, was sued (March 8) in federal court as part of a sweeping racketeering complaint that accuses the company of illegally traf�icking marijuana from Illinois to Arkansas.” “The suit comes just weeks after Verano began trading publicly in Canada with a valuation of nearly $3 billion, making it one of the biggest weed �irms in the U.S.,” it reported. Archos did not immediately return a phone call from the Tribune asking for details on his purchase.
Metro Mesa sits on 47 acres south of Highway 60 bordered by South Hobson, South Horne, East Auto Drive and East Baseline roads. (Special to the Tribune) tails about the project, including the customer,” he added.
Mixed-use projects
Though Google continues to wait until the water is right, other projects are �lopping into Jabjiniak’s boat. One under-the-radar project is Metro Mesa, which Mesa City Council quietly approved as part of the consent agenda last month. This was the third phase of the development of 47 acres south of Highway 60 bordered by South Hobson, South Horne, East Auto Drive and East Baseline roads. The plan builds on the southern half of the property. Two buildings on the northern half are occupied by Amphenol Aerospace and Johnstone Supply “These four buildings, which can be easily combined to meet the demands of to-
day’s manufacturers, are a welcome and a much-needed addition to west Mesa,” said Jabjiniak. He acknowledged much is percolating across town in east Mesa: “There’s a lot of interest in the Elliot Road Tech Corridor, but nothing speci�ic yet,” he said. Multiple projects surround the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, including Gateway 202. “Gateway 202 is a mixed-use development in the very early stages. Not really anything to talk about yet,” said Jabjiniak. Both the east and west sides of Ellsworth Road south of Elliott Road are preparing for major projects. Eastmark received clearance for a “large-scale, campus type buildings for
��� INDUSTRIAL ���� 4
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
area is “What’s going on with Fiesta Mall?” Along with its anchor Sears, the mall at Alma School Road and Highway 60 thrived for several decades but has been a “ghost mall” since it shuttered in 2017. “The big one everybody asks me about is Fiesta Mall,” Jabjiniak said, with a cross between a chuckle and a grimace. He said a former glut of �ive owners has been reduced to two. “They are working on a master plan for the site.” Jabjiniak said a developer pitched his department about turning the dead mall into a transportation hub. “We said, ‘No, that’s not the place for a logistics center,’” he said. Then there is what Jabjiniak and others call “a Mesa icon”: Buckhorn Baths Motel, where baseball’s Cactus League is said to have been born. Closed since 1999, the 15-acre property on Main Street and Recker Road was sold three years ago for $2.15 million to The Avenue Shops. “The private sector has been all over that, �iguring out how can they repurpose that site,” Jabjiniak said. “Hopefully it will be more of a mixed-use (site), while still preserving the historic features.”
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Shopping malls comeback? Hard to tell
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n north Phoenix, the beloved-by-locals Paradise Valley Mall closed down earlier this month. It is making way for “an exciting mix of retail shops, grocery store, restaurants, multi-family residential units, entertainment, of�ice, self-storage and other uses coming soon,” according to the developer. This re�lects a national trend as shopping malls and centers continue to struggle. “America’s malls have reached the end of their useful life,” Mark Toro, of real estate developer North American Properties, said in a CNBC story. “Communities across the U.S. have turned their backs on what was once their center. “These properties often occupy real estate that would best be repurposed to better serve the community,” he said. Mesa is hardly immune from the mall demise. “The days of the old mall have come and gone,” said Economic Director William Jabjiniak.
INDUSTRIAL ���� ���� 3
employment use” on 325 acres on the east side of Ellsworth Road between Elliot and Warner Roads. Jabjiniak said this project is also in its early stages.
Industrial developments
Though hardly as eye-catching as Google or Apple centers, several hearty developments are sprouting. One, on Power Road off the Loop 202 near Roberts Tire, is rolling. “They have three industrial buildings going up, 300,000 square feet total. And they’ve already had a couple offers,” Jabjiniak said, “I think more employment bases, employers need space for combination.” Another industrial development is rooting on McDowell and Recker roads in northeast Mesa. And, back in the southeast corner of the city, Jabjiniak said plans are underway for another industrial development on Hawes and Elliott roads. “It’s going to be 1 million square feet,” he said.
Reflecting a national trend of dying malls, the Fiesta Mall has been empty for years, but Economic Director William Jabjiniak is hopeful it will be developed. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff
Photographer)
“But that’s just Bill’s opinion,” he footnoted. “We have a couple shopping centers that are underutilized ... We have not done a full, holistic approach to shopping centers,” Jabjiniak said. While some centers around Mesa are
On April 12, the Design Review Board listened to preliminary presentations on several industrial projects, including a 40-acre development south of Elliot Road on the east side of Power Road. The plan includes four buildings with three driveways leading to Power Road. The board also heard about a “high-end business park” called Ryan at PMG on the northwest corner of Ray and Ellsworth roads. The 35-acre industrial development with a proposed �ive buildings “will bring employment to this rapidly developing area,” according to the developer’s pitch. Also in the hot southeast corner of Mesa, the board was told, is a 235,000-squarefoot industrial building between Ray Road and the airport. As these were preliminary review cases, the board only gave comments and feedback and did not approve or deny any of the cases. Mesa City Council approved a plan for the third phase of Metro Mesa. Two buildings on the northern half are occupied by Amphenol Aerospace and Johnstone Supply. (City of Mesa)
looking for ways to survive, others are “being bladed because land is becoming valuable for other uses. “We’re in a booming market. Residential is white hot, so is industrial,” Jabjiniak stressed. Perhaps the biggest question in this
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
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NEWS
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THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Another big project coming to southeast Mesa TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
I
t doesn’t have a name yet, but another massive, “industrial” project is headed to land in southeast Mesa, across the freeway from the airport. Developers are eager to �lip a 101acre stretch of farmland into 1.5 million square feet of industrial space.
The parcel fronts the Loop 202 Freeway near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Six buildings are planned for an “industrial park.” LaPour Partners is teaming with Scottsdale Investment Management on the project. The developers hope for approval from the city to clear the way for construction later this year.
“We believe this is an ideal location for a Class A large-scale industrial park thanks to the property’s proximity to the 202 Freeway, Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport and the explosive population group that the East Valley is experiencing,” said Jeff LaPour of LaPour Partners. The new development is expected to
host both distribution and manufacturing uses. LaPour Partners recently opened a new AC Marriott hotel at the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix and is the developer of the Camelback Commons project at 28th Street and Camelback, including another AC Marriott hotel and a four-story Class A of�ice building.
Mesa prepared for Colorado ‘shortage declaration’ BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
A
recent statement from the Arizona Department of Water Resources and Central Arizona Project is enough to make many reaching for a glass of water – or for those in the W.C. Fields camp, perhaps something stronger. “As the drought in the Colorado River Basin extends beyond its 20th year, we anticipate the �irst-ever shortage declaration on the Colorado River. The shortage will result in a substantial cut to Arizona’s share of the river, with reductions falling largely to central Arizona agricultural users,” read the April 2 statement. “These reductions are painful, but we are prepared.” Ditto, said the City of Mesa. While state agencies created a Drought Contingency Plan, the city is looking to boost its water ef�iciency. And, according to Weston Brown, a spokesman with the city’s Water Resources Department, the Colorado River situation is in no need to get out the lifeboats. “Mesa would not be affected by initial shortages on the Colorado River because of Arizona’s priority system,” Brown said. The Colorado is a key part of Mesa’s water supply, but not the only player. “Mesa has three primary sources of water that include surface water from the Colorado River, Salt and Verde rivers and groundwater supplies,” Brown said. “The water you receive depends on where you live. Water is treated at one of three water treatment plants around Val Vista Drive, Brown Road and Signal Butte Road. The water then leaves the plant through Mesa’s distribution system for customer delivery.”
One of Mesa’s largest infrastructure investments, the Greenfield Water Reclamation Plant, which provides farms with effluent. (Special to the Tribune) Though the city Water Resources Department similarly downplayed any potential shortages at its April 15 budget presentation for Mesa City Council, the city is in a somewhat unique position as one of the state’s fastest-growing cities. Over the next �ive years, according to Brown, Mesa will have “a 7 percent increase year-over-year” demand for water. While the population is being rapidly boosted by the likes of Eastmark and Cadence mega-communities, Mesa has successfully recruited large employers, such as Apple, Amazon and Google; the latter has yet to move forward on plans for a massive data center. As big trucks have been long derided as “gas guzzlers,” data centers are now becoming known as “water guzzlers.” Time magazine noted an August 2019 conservation conference led by the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. “A few weeks earlier in nearby Mesa, Google proposed a plan for a giant data center among the cacti and tumbleweeds,” it said.
“The town is a founding member of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, but water conservation took a back seat in the deal it struck with the largest U.S. internet company. Google is guaranteed 1 million gallons a day to cool the data center, and up to 4 million gallons a day if it hits project milestones.” Brown would not comment on Google’s projected demands, explained, “Due to customer privacy protocols, we cannot discuss speci�ic customers.” Brown noted there is an agreement in place for water guzzlers. “About two years ago, the Mesa City Council approved the Large Customer Sustainable Water Allowance ordinance. This policy creates a water ‘budget’ for large water users who project their demand to be a half-million gallons or more of water per day,” he said. “The ordinance requires these large users to stay within their water budgets and in some cases, they must bring their own water to the table – meaning they must acquire long-term storage credits on
their own that they turn over to the city of Mesa,” Brown said. “This ordinance protects Mesa water supplies, while allowing industries who bring economic development opportunity to still be able to locate in Mesa.” As for smaller “sippers,” Mesa does not have any incentive plans for conservation, though it offers water-saving tips at mesaaz. gov/residents/water/water-conservation. Unlike a few cities in California, Mesa does not have a facility that turns wastewater into drinking water. But it does “recycle” some of what the city �lushes away. “Treated wastewater is bene�icially reused primarily for agricultural purposes in exchange for surface water credits, cooling and recharge to the aquifer,” Brown said. Indeed, the city recently posted about “one of Mesa’s largest infrastructure investments, the Green�ield Water Reclamation Plant.” “Treated wastewater (ef�luent) from the plant is provided to farms for irrigation in exchange for vital surface water supplies – it’s a win, win for us and for farmers.” According to the post, a $127 million plant expansion increased Mesa’s capacity of the existing plant by 10 million gallons per day.
Water upgrades
Meanwhile, requests related to upgrading the city’s water services are trickling into City Council. The May 3 agenda includes a $125,000 annual contract for software to process data from a sewer camera truck, “to improve ef�iciency and performance of cod-
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THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Food truck permits, business licenses loom BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
C
oming soon to Mesa: Business licenses and food truck permits. While Mesa has plenty of food trucks slinging tacos and burgers – notably at the Feastable Forrest every Saturday evening at Pioneer Park – they are currently considered “peddlers.” After a study session on the topic, Mesa City Council will vote this month on removing food truck employees from having peddler licenses, which require background checks, and creating a new category of “mobile food vendors.” A presentation stressed this would be a quicker process for the food trucks, which would have annual inspections and pay $100 per year. The annual fee for peddlers and solicitors is proposed to increase from $30 to $100. According to Tim Meyer, of the city’s Business Licensing and Revenue department, under the Peddler Code, “All employees have to go through a background check; that can take six to eight weeks.” The mobile food vendor code requires only owners to do background checks. “Mesa has a reputation for over regulating,” said Mayor John Giles. City Manager Chris Brady said the market demands a change. “We’re anxious to get it done because of complaints we’re getting, some of the delays for �ingerprinting,” he said. “We are trying to respond to the industry.” Sheepishly, he added, “We didn’t know about food trucks so we just put them into peddlers. Now we’re realizing that doesn’t work.” “I agree with Mr. Brady, let’s make
municate why we’re doing this and not that we’re trying to control them more, which is what everyone’s afraid of now,” she said. “This is something we’re doing to help the businesses, not to milk them,” Giles added. During budget study sessions, council heard presentations from the Parks Department, which will ask for a 22 percent increase from its $31.3 million allocation to $37.1 million. Notably, the department seeks to increase the number of park rangers, from seven to 11. The city park rangers Mesa City Council will vote on creating a mobile food vendor license to regulate the city’s food trucks. (Feastable enforce park rules and Festival) “coordinate, assist and es, according to the presentation, which communicate with (the Mesa Police Dechanges as soon as we can,” Giles said. Mesa also appears poised to launch noted the Mesa Chamber of Commerce partment) on shared concerns.” supports the idea. business licenses. Goals of the rangers include “increased Mesa is considering a $10 business fee focus on response to homelessness conThose who do commerce in the city currently are not required to have a license; with a $25 renewal. cerns,” with the park watchers “currently By comparison, Chandler charges a $45 spending approximately 75 percent of Phoenix and Tempe also do not require initial fee and the same renewal, while (their) time on homeless issues.” licenses for businesses. Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale’s business license fee is $62 The department also has scheduled Glendale and Scottsdale do require busi- with a $50 renewal. Gilbert’s fee is $35 expansions of Monterey Park, with a ness licenses, according to a recent Mesa with a $15 renewal fee. baseball/softball quad and playground “We’re at the very low end and we did it replacement planned for the winter of study season on the topic. City staff said a license requirement of on purpose … We didn’t want the dollars 2022, the North Center Sports Complex, the approximately 10,000 Mesa business- to be the barrier of getting people to regis- with �ive soccer �ields planned to start es would “protect the health and safety of ter,” said Brady. construction this summer and be ready our residents.” Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury stressed next fall, and Red Mountain Park, with 10 The city would need two new full-time the message to the business community soccer �ields and a baseball/softball quad employees to process the business licens- needs to be clear: “I think if we can com- planned for the winter of 2023.
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NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
9
Mesa water ‘safe,’ says city, despite alarm tions with known impacts to groundwater.” “What is known related to William Fields is approximately 12 percent of Mesa’s water supply is sourced from groundwater in the area,” he said. While that may raise alarm bells to residents of Cadence, Eastmark and other new communities in southeast Mesa, nothing to worry about, according to Weston Brown of the Mesa Wa-
TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
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his week, Gov. Doug Ducey sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, requesting “DOD to identify and treat water in Arizona contaminated in the areas surrounding four DOD installations." Ducey said the former Williams Air Base, which has become the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, is one of “four installa-
WATER ���� ���� 6
ing pipe and manhole defects.” And a $2.7 million annual contract is slated for equipment, parts, supplies and tools to be used “to maintain critical elec-
trical infrastructure for water and wastewater sites for the Water Resources Department.” Council will also consider a $1.4 million contract to install a water pipe between Pecos Road and Germann Road,
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“in advance of the construction of the future Signal Butte Road.” Another $1.1 million is on tap “to replace aging commercial water meter assemblies that are at the end of their service life.”
forwarded: “When you turn on your tap in Mesa, you can rest assured that your drinking water is safe, clean and meets all state and federal drinking water standards.” For questions, contact the city of Mesa Water Quality division at 480644-6461 or water.quality@mesaaz.gov.
Is a rate increase in the works?
“The City Council reviews utility rates each year during the budget process, which is happening now,” Brown said. “So we don’t know yet if utility rates will go up for next year.”
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10
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Giles delivers light-hearted ‘State of the City’ BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
P
erhaps be�itting an unprecedented time, Mayor John Giles gave an unusual “State of the City” address — delivered, like so much else during the pandemic, virtually. In a corny spoof of Zoom meetings and binge-watching, Giles starts the video from his computer, wearing a trademark blazer and button-down shirt as he ends a mock meeting; then, after closing his laptop, the camera pulls away to reveal he is wearing shorts. Giles then hits his phone, texting Mesa City Council members to rally them for the big “watch party.” They then gather for a Zoom meeting, and “vote” on what to watch. Each member has a Net�lix-like show (“Eastmark Down,” “Luna Landing,” etc.), but Giles overrules them and clicks on his own “Mesa�lix” production, which
Mayor John Giles gave a Netflix-inspired virtual “State of the City” address. (City of Mesa) launches the serious business of his annual address. Talking about the different experiences residents and businesses have had dur-
ing the COVID-19 time, Giles summarized how the city provided assistance. “We’re not all in the same boat. We’re all in the same storm,” he said.
He then boasted about the positive things that happened during the last year, including one of the lowest crime rates in the nation and continued growth. “Economic growth in Mesa has stayed strong despite the pandemic,” he stressed. “Opportunities are drawing new businesses and residents,” Giles said. He hit some of the big projects over the last year, from Mekong Plaza, Boeing and Banner Health expansions to Amazon launching its �irst distribution center in Mesa and massive warehouses and industrial parks going up around the city. And he celebrated new businesses that came to the city, including electric-car maker ElectraMeccanica. “This is an exciting time to be in Mesa. (We) welcome new growth while celebrating the historic foundation,” Giles said. The video ends humorously, with “outtakes” of Giles and others �lubbing lines.
Arizona mourns slain Chandler of�icer
BY CECILIA CHAN AND KEVIN REAGAN Tribune Staff Writers
A
rizona this weekend is mourning the loss of a veteran Chandler police of�icer who was killed in the line of duty during the deadly climax of a chase that began in Eloy and ended at a Gilbert auto multiplex. Of�icer Christopher Farrar, an 18-year veteran Chandler policeman who had been assigned to the K9 division, was struck and killed by an unidenti�ied man who had stolen a pickup truck in Pinal County the evening of April 29. Of�icer Farrar is the �irst East Valley of�icer killed in action this year and apparently the �irst police of�icer in Arizona this year to die in the line of duty. An unidenti�ied Gilbert police of�icer was in critical condition at the time of the Tribune’s deadline. He too was struck by the suspect, who is in custody. “Every day he came to work, he made a difference,” an emotional Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan said of Of�icer Farrar at a pre-dawn press conference Friday. “In the course of 18 years, he touched many lives. “So I just ask that you keep Chris’ fam-
OFFICER CHRISTOPHER FARRAR
ily in your prayers and just take a moment and remember and be mindful of the brave men and women who are out there daily helping to keep our community safe.” Tributes and expressions of sympathy for Of�icer Farrar �looded social media. “It’s just tragic,” said Chandler Councilman Matt Orlando. “These guys and gals put their life on the line every day and we
just got to keep supporting them and making a better police force.” Police departments across Arizona lowered their �lags half mast and paid tribute to him, as did numerous local and state of�icials. Gilbert Police did not release the name of its injured of�icer, who suffered a severe head injury. The pursuit occurred around 10:11 p.m. Thursday when a Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted a traf�ic stop on State Route 87 north of Eloy, according to a Gilbert police news release. “The suspect vehicle �led from the deputy and �ired gun shots at the deputy as he was in pursuit,” the release stated. “The pursuit continued into Chandler where the suspect drove into the Chandler Airport runway by breaking through the city’s security gates. The suspect then �led onto the 202 San Tan Freeway driving the wrong way.” Police said the suspect then exited the freeway where he eventually crashed near the Val Vista Drive eastbound on-ramp and �led on foot into the San Tan Ford dealership lot. Pinal County deputies, Department of
Public Safety troopers and Chandler and Gilbert Police surrounded the building. The suspect then stole a vehicle from the dealership and attempted to �lee the lot. In doing so, the suspect hit Of�icer Farrar, the Gilbert of�icer and a car dealership janitorial employee, who walked away with minor injuries. Two DPS troopers also were injured, according to the Arizona Troopers Association. “The troopers have non-life-threatening injuries,” DPS spokesman Bart Graves said. “I cannot go into any other detail.” Three Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies and four DPS troopers shot at the suspect, injuring him. The suspect was taken into custody where he was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the release. The suspect’s name was not released Friday morning by the Tribune’s deadline. Of�icer Farrar was described as a dedicated public servant and his work was acknowledged in 2010 after his agency honored him with its “Community Service Award.”
��� OFFICER ���� 13
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
11
Police say jaywalking tickets “not punitive” BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
M
onday’s City Council agenda includes an amendment to the Mesa City Code “to clarify that pedestrian civil traf�ic violators are required to provide full name, date of birth and signature to a citing of�icer … “The Mesa Police Department will be implementing an anti-jaywalking campaign to decrease pedestrian deaths which have been on the rise; in 2020, there were 15 pedestrian fatalities.”
PEDESTRIAN ���� ���� 1
pedestrian deaths were reported in the city in 2021. The bad news: In 2020, 15 pedestrians died after being struck by vehicles in Mesa – far higher than the national average. In March, the Governors Highway Safety Association published an early version of its 2020 pedestrian fatalities report. The GHSA measures fatalities per capita, with a national average of 0.9 per 100,000 projected in 2020. New Mexico had the highest pedestrian death rate with 2.12 fatalities per 100,000. Arizona was the fourth most-dangerous state for pedestrians, with 1.43 fatalities per 100,000. With 15 fatalities and a population of around 500,000, Mesa had about 3 fatalities per 100,000 in 2020 – more than double the state rate. In Mesa last year, there were a few chilling outliers where the driver was at fault. A semi-truck driver’s wheel jumped a curb and crushed a 6-year-old near North Power and East Jensen roads in February. Ten months later, a retired man out for a morning walk was instantly killed when a hit-and-run driver swerved off Alma School Road and onto a sidewalk. With the other 13 pedestrian deaths in 2020, drivers were not at fault. Pedestrians crossed against lights, darted into the street mid-block at night and sometimes seemed to want to be killed. As a passenger who witnessed one instance told police, “The victim was staggering across the street and seemed to be impaired ... the driver of his car swerved to miss the victim. As they passed the vic-
Mesa Police Department Sgt. Greg Loewenhagen said the campaign started in 2017, when vehicle collisions killed 15 pedestrians, Most victims had been jaywalking. That was up from �ive pedestrian deaths in 2015 and 10 in 2016. Though pedestrian deaths in Mesa fell to nine in 2018 and seven in 2019, they spiked again last year, when vehicles killed 15 pedestrians. “The one thing I’d love for the public to know is we don’t enforce these laws to be punitive. Our ultimate goal is to
stop people from dying,” Loewenhagen said. “We’re just trying to save lives.” He noted the great majority of pedestrian deaths involving jaywalking – someone crossing against a light, and/or without the protection of a crosswalk. Several years ago, when police launched the jaywalking enforcement campaign, “It garnered some negative publicity,” Loewenhagen said. “There were people saying we were being too aggressive in enforcement. What they don’t understand is it’s to keep people
from dying.” According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, “In 2019, the number of U.S. pedestrian deaths declined about 1 increase compared to 2018. This small but welcome decline followed an unprecedented 55 percent increase in pedestrian deaths from 2009 to 2018.” Around the country, pedestrian deaths in 2020 did not decrease, “despite large reductions in motor vehicle travel associated with the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the GHSA.
utes and the man was taken to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn, where he died.
Just discharged
In 2020, 15 pedestrians were hit by vehicles and killed in Mesa — with pedestrian deaths per capita here projected to be far higher than the national average. Intoxicated pedestrians jaywalking often was a fatal combination. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff Photographer) tim he looked back and saw the car behind them hit the victim.” Jaywalking and intoxication proved a fatal mix. “Predominantly last year, (pedestrian deaths) were jaywalking involving impairment, with the average age 50 years old,” Loewenhagen said. “These aren’t kids, they were old enough to know better.” “We tell kids look both ways before crossing, but try to get that message to people who are impaired, it’s dif�icult.”
No time to stop
In Mesa, the �irst of 15 vehicle vs. pedestrian deaths in 2020 took place at 6:34 p.m. Jan. 10 near McKellips and Lindsay
roads when a 65-year-old was hit by a Mitsubishi driven by a 28-year-old woman. A witness told police the man stepped into the street and approached his car. He swerved to miss the man, then watched in horror as the car behind him drove into the pedestrian. According to a report, the driver of the Mitsubishi told police the man she hit “was facing her vehicle and holding his hand up, like a police of�icer would when stopping traf�ic. (The driver) applied her brakes but was unable to avoid striking (the victim). “She stated she heard (the victim) �ly over the top of her vehicle as she was coming to a stop.” Responders arrived within three min-
At 1:18 a.m. on May 11, a man who 13 minutes before was discharged from Banner Desert Hospital was hit by a car as he crossed South Dobson Road in front of the hospital. A police of�icer, who identi�ied the man by a hospital bracelet on his wrist, found the man “was twitching and had labored breathing.” Despite life-saving efforts of Mesa Fire and Medical Department responders, the pedestrian died. The driver, who had just exited Route 60 and was six blocks from his Dobson Road home, told police he swerved to try not to hit the man he saw at the last moment, but the front passenger side of his car hit him. “As I was preparing to leave, I observed that the street light on the southwest corner of the intersection was burned out, causing the intersection to be darker than normal,” an of�icer reported. Video footage con�irmed reports of the driver and a passenger in his car: Using a walker, the pedestrian was in a crosswalk but going against the light.
Driver and victim intoxicated
Less than a month later, another man using a walker and crossing against a light was hit and killed in a crosswalk. Around 9:30 p.m. June 9, 2020, a man was crossing Main Street near 58th Street when he was struck by a westbound car. A friend said he and the man had just got
��� PEDESTRIANS ���� 12
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
outcome for someone. Joseph became emotional and began apologizing stating he only thought he hit the box.” On Dec. 12, Eckert admitted to leaving the scene of a fatal collision. With no prior convictions, he was sentenced a month later to three years’ probation. The relatively light charge and sentence came despite his admission to drug use before he killed the man. According to the police report, Ekcert “admitted to taking fentanyl the night before the accident. Joseph said he has MRSA and showed us a large open wound on his right hip. He said he is in a lot of pain and takes the drugs to help with the pain.” Because of the delay in �inding Eckert, “That’s where we lose a manslaughter charge. If we can’t prove impairment, we don’t have a manslaughter,” Mesa Police Department Sgt. Greg Loewenhagen said. “It doesn’t make me happy but we did what we could.” Eckert may end up facing a stiffer sentence, as he apparently violated terms of the probation: On April 15, the day before his 45th birthday, Eckert’s probation was revoked and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
12
Sharp-eyed detective nabs driver in hit-run fatal
E
arly morning last Sept. 19, Joseph Eckert asked his girlfriend to borrow her truck so he could get food at a Denny’s. When he didn’t return to her Tempe hotel room for six hours, she was upset and demanded to know where he had been. Eckert told her he was the victim of a hitand-run and had to have her Ford Ranger towed back. He told police the same thing. They didn’t buy his story and slapped handcuffs on him, charging him with leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Video footage of nearby convenience stores showed a vehicle matching the one Eckert drove near Alma School and Baseline roads, where witnesses saw a Ford Ranger swerve across two lanes, jump a curb, hit an electrical box and a pedestrian who later died. Ten days after the man was killed, a Mesa detective who was working on the case was driving back from an unrelated call in Phoenix when he spotted a damaged truck that �it the description of the vehicle that killed an 81-year-old out for
PEDESTRIANS ���� ���� 11
off a bus and crossed the street, heading to the Windemere Hotel. According to the witness, he crossed against the light and was far ahead of the victim, who walks slowly due to his use of a walker. The witness said he turned and saw a car driving at a fast rate and yelled to his friend to hurry up just before the vehicle hit his friend. The man died a week later. An of�icer noted in his report the driver “was showing signs and symptoms of impairment,” with slurred speech and a lack of balance, and had an open bottle of whiskey in the vehicle. He told police he was on his way home from the What the Hell bar, where he had one drink. An impairment check resulted in his arrest for driving under the in�luence. His blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was .14 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 percent. In this case, both the driver and victim were ruled intoxicated.
An 81-year-old man out for a morning walk was killed when a driver swerved off Alma School Road and smashed into an electrical box before hitting the pedestrian. (Mesa Police Department) an early-morning walk. When police interviewed Eckert’s girlfriend, she said she was suspicious of his story of being the victim of a hit-andrun: “I thought the damage to the vehicle looked like he had hit something instead of the story he was saying that someone struck him,” she told police. When police challenged Eckert’s story,
showing him there was no damage to the rear of the vehicle, where he said another driver rammed into him, “Joseph �inally admitted to driving off the road and hitting a box.” According to an of�icer’s report, “I asked if he knew he hit a person. Joseph seemed surprised and asked how the person was doing. I told him it was the worst possible
take 35 to 37 seconds. The crosswalk light only provides 25 seconds of green. So, even if the crosswalk button had been Nationally, pedestrian deaths rose 20 percent even though the pandemic pushed and illuminated saw fewer cars on the highways. (Governors Highway Safety Association) green, (the According to the police report, “the victim) would most likely have not had victim had a blood alcohol content of enough time to cross the entire length of .035 percent, with amphetamine, meth- the roadway.” amphetamine and cannabis detected in ‘Ran into the road’ his blood. On the night of June 13, witnesses A police report noted the man would have had a hard time safely crossing the watched a 63-year-old drunk man dash six-lane street even if he had a green light: into Stapley Drive near Southern Avenue. He was almost across the road when he “The distance to cross Main Street at 58th Street is approximately 105 feet … stumbled backward, into traf�ic, where he To cross the distance of 105 feet, it would was hit by a car and killed. A bottle of whis-
key was found in the dead man’s pocket. According to a toxicology report, the victim had a blood alcohol content of .249 percent. At 10:30 p.m. July 25, a woman driving a pickup truck on Alma School Road just past Ray Road saw a man, 59, pushing a shopping cart across the road; she slammed on the brakes but hit and killed him. Another driver said he swerved and narrowly missed the man, who was crossing the darkened road less than a quartermile from a lighted crosswalk. A witness said the pedestrian pushing the cart “seemed in a daze as he did not react to the vehicles coming at him.” Similarly, on the night of Aug. 29, a 74-year-old woman was killed while attempting to cross six lanes of East Southern Avenue near 70th Street, just east of Power Road. A witness told police the woman was “nonchalantly walking across Southern Avenue from south to north. The pedes-
��� PEDESTRIANS ���� 13
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
PEDESTRIANS ���� ���� 12
trian paid no attention to oncoming traf�ic and made her way into westbound traf�ic.” One vehicle swerved to miss the woman, but a Chevy Tahoe struck her. The witness said he “did not believe the SUV was speeding and was not sure why the pedestrian would try to cross the road where she did.”
No way to miss him
Around 9 p.m. Nov. 2, a food delivery driver glanced at his phone as he drove near West Juanita Avenue and South Country Club Drive just south of Highway 60. Just as he looked up, the driver hit a 36-year-old man, who died. Another driver said she saw the pedestrian dart into the street wearing dark clothes and “there was no way the driver could have seen him.” The police report suggests the victim may have been impaired, saying his blood “was found to contain amphetamine, methamphetamine, cannabis, and fentanyl.” Less than a week later, a woman driving on Dobson Road near Broadway “saw something white �ly across her windshield.”
OFFICER ���� ���� 10
In 2006, he was presented with a medal after he and another of�icer rescued a woman who was contemplating suicide. The public also shared their grief over the loss. “My heart aches for the family of this of�icer,” wrote a man on a Gilbert community Facebook page. “These men and woman are true heroes. They wake up every day and out their life on the line to protect and serve. May he RIP.” It has been seven years since a member of the Chandler Police force was killed on the job, according to the Of�icer Down Memorial Page, a nonpro�it organization. With his death, Chandler Police now have lost �ive of�icers who died while performing their job. Chandler Police also recorded a death of one of their own in January not directly linked to his line of work. Of�icer Tyler Britt, a 19-year member of the force, died from complications of COVID-19. In Mesa, two of�icers have died in the line of duty, the last in 1994 and Tempe Police has seen �ive of�icers die with the last death in 2006.
13
ing that all night.’”
Deaths on Main Street
This chart shows pedestrian injuries and deaths between 2009 and 2018. (Governors
Highway Safety Association)
She had just hit a 63-year-old woman. According to police, “Based on the witness accounts, evidence collected and the surveillance footage, the contributing factor to the collision was (the victim) crossing Dobson Road against the no cross sign.” Two weeks later, police received multiple calls about an incident near North Green�ield Road and East University Drive. Callers said a man “was walking in the northbound lanes of Green�ield. There were multiple witnesses that observed (the victim) in the roadway and they stated it appeared that he was trying to get hit
To date, according to the memorial page, Arizona has lost 264 law enforcement of�icers in the line of duty since the 1880s. In the state, Phoenix Police Department led with the most fallen of�icers at 41, followed by Arizona Department of Public Safety with 30. For 2021 so far, 118 law enforcement of�icers have died nationwide, according to the memorial page. And since 1776, there have been 24,870 known line of duty deaths in America, the memorial page stated.
GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com
by a vehicle.” As one witness later said, in a written statement, “He started walking in my lane so I swerved to miss him. He was wearing black pants and a black sweatshirt with his hood on.” Cars honked at the man in the street, but the 43-year-old did not respond and continued walking in traf�ic. A man driving a truck looked over his shoulder to change lanes, then heard a “boom.” When he pulled over to see what had happened, he told police, “people came up to him saying ‘that wasn’t your fault. He jumped out in front of you. He’s been do-
On the night of Dec. 3, two people ran across Main Street near Recker Road against a light. One did not make it to the other side. He was hit by a Nissan Versa and killed. The driver “was pretty shaken up and began to cry because he stated he just could not stop in time.” An of�icer reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby store. “As the vehicle travels it strikes one of the two pedestrians. … The pedestrian appears to have observed the vehicle coming as he appears to plant his foot to change directions just before being struck.” A few blocks away, ambulances returned to Main Street less than a week later. Early in the evening of Dec. 7, a 26-yearold man was crossing Main Street outside of a crosswalk near 56th Street. A man driving a Toyota Yaris eastbound on Main Street hit and killed him. A witness driving behind the Yaris said the pedestrian was jaywalking near the Travel Inn. “The car in front of us didn’t see or have time to stop,” the witness said.
MEMORIAL DAY EVENT Help Us Honor Our Heroes
Sunday, May 30th • 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery 7900 E. Main St., Mesa • 480-832-2850
Come and enjoy patriotic music from
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Please bring a lawn chair or a blanket to sit on. We ask that everyone respects social distancing. Aioli Burgers and Kona Ice will be here with their food trucks. They accept cash or debit cards, or credit cards. Now through May 30th we will be having our Annual Toiletry Drive for Homeless Veterans. We are looking for: soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, nail files, wash cloths, lotion, razors, shaving cream, first aid items, combs, brushes, etc. Thank you for always being so supportive of our veterans. You can drop all donations off at the funeral home.
Thanks for voting us Best Funeral Home in Mesa!
14
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Turbulence continues over MPS mask policy
BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
T
he turbulence over masks continued at the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board last week. After a study session during which Assistant Superintendent Scott Thompson unveiled a likely – though temporary – $23 million budget de�icit, 23 people lined up to voice their opinions about the MPS mask policy during the regular board meeting. After Gov. Doug Ducey two weeks ago unexpectedly lifted mask requirements in schools and left it up to districts to decide on their own policies, MPS Superintendent Andi Fourlis did a quick �lip-�lop. First, she stated there would be no change; hours later, Fourlis issued a statement that masks would not be required at Mesa schools as of tomorrow, May 3 “if Mesa Public Schools does not exhibit any high transmission indicators on the county dashboard as of Thursday, April 29.” She stressed that, if those conditions are met, “the use of masks will be strongly recommended, but not required. All other mitigation strategies such as physical distancing to the extent possible, frequent hand washing, and use of hand sanitizer will remain in place.” The day after her announcement, county data showed MPS moved to “substantial” levels of COVID-19 transmission, just short of “high community transmission.” The data covers areas served by the district. This week, though, cases per 100,000 rose slightly from 86 to 89, MPS remained in the yellow/substantial range, shy of high transmission. While Gilbert Public Schools, Tempe Union and Chandler Uni�ied are keeping their mandatory mask policy in effect until the end of this month, Higley Uni�ied’s governing board ignored warnings by the district administration and made masks optional last week. At the April 27 MPS board meeting, multiple teachers expressed outrage over the policy change and said they were baf�led about why it was made in the �inal stretch of the school year. Liz Rivera, a social studies teacher at Mesa High, insisted, “Eliminating our mask mandate is inconsistent with every message we sent to our students and par-
sonable accommodation until these children can get vaccinated, or at least have the option to get vaccinated.” Mallory Siebers of Fremont Junior High begged the board, “Please rethink this mandate for the lives and trust of your teachers.” Teachers union President Josh Buckley of Red Mountain High School warned, “I have students who might not come to class because of the change in the mask mandate” One parent, Rachel Clausen, expressed frustration over the twists and turns the board has taken with its pandemic policies. Brittany Smith was one of several who congratulated the “Every time there’s been MPS board for lifting its mask requirement. (MPS/Youtube) a change it’s been a stressor ents about being safe, strong and ready … for our family,” she said. “... we were asCome to my classroom and you’ll see so- sured as parents masks were our mitigacial distancing is impossible.” tion strategy. “Why are we adopting a policy inconsisBrittany Smith felt otherwise. tent with CDC policies?” she asked. “Is it “Thank you for your leadership in endworth risking everyone’s safety for 17 days ing the mask mandate or giving students of a few people being more comfortable?” and families the option to choose … ParShasta Payne, a teacher at Johnson Mon- ents and teachers are leaving the district tessori, had a similar plea. in droves because parents want to have a “Please keep masks in place, it is a rea- choice,” Smith said.
Finnegan Pendergast, a third grade student, was one who asked the MPS board to reconsider the district’s decision to make masks optional in schools as of Monday, May 3. (MPS/Youtube)
Two students spoke to the board, with each expressing polar-opposite views. Finnegan Pendergast, a third grader at Pomeroy Elementary, noted “scientists say we should wear masks ... I want to be safe and stay in school to �inish the school year. Please require masks.” An older student, Molly Olson of Mountain View High, congratulated the board for “standing up for the students and allowing us to make a choice.” She said in one of her classes, the teacher has not worn a mask all year. “I have one teacher who at the beginning of the year told the class, ‘Would you be OK if I take off my mask to teach and stay 6 feet away at the front of the classroom?’ We all agreed. It is my favorite class …. I know my teacher and feel like I can talk to him.” The Tribune asked the district if the student’s story of a high school teacher not wearing a mask in class is correct. At press time, no answer had been received. During the placid, information-packed study session that preceded the volatile meeting, Thompson stressed the extraordinary times. “This is the �irst time in the many years I’ve been doing this I’m bringing a structurally de�icit budget in M and O (maintenance and operations) to the board at this point in the year,” he said. “That is only possible because of the federal aid that has been provided to the district,” he said. “We have more options than I’ve ever seen.” He noted �igures are preliminary, as districts are waiting to hear what the state will set as the per-student funding level. “It won’t be the $425 (per student) from last year. This year’s amount is $733 per student which is a very signi�icant increase in that funding,” Thompson said, noting the of�icial per-student �igure has not been approved. Though he projects a $23 million de�icit due to an 8 percent decline in students, federal stimulus and COVID-19 relief funds will quickly plug the “hole” in the budget, he noted. The district expects some $230 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, which Thompson noted have a great deal of �lexibility.
��� MASKS ���� 15
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Community college bill before governor BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
I
t’s taken at least four decades, but Arizona’s community colleges appear on the verge of being able to offer fouryear degrees. On a 24-6 vote last week, the Senate gave �inal approval to legislation setting out the conditions for these traditional two-year and certi�icate institutions to start offering baccalaureate degrees. With the House already having approved, the only thing that remains now is a decision by Gov. Doug Ducey. An aide to the governor said he does not comment on pending legislation. Ducey is likely to face a last-ditch effort by the Arizona Board of Regents, which for at least 40 years fought any effort to infringe on what it sees as its turf as the governing body of the state’s three universities. Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, one of the
MASKS ���� ���� 14
“I can �ill in the hole of any gap with ESSER funds,” he said, noting he expected to use the funds to pay 175 teacher salaries to relieve the de�icit. Meanwhile, an unof�icial teacher-salary race is on. “I know Chandler is trying to get to a (teacher) starting salary of $50,000,” Thompson said. “This is a race we need to keep up with.” According to Expect More Arizona, Arizona ranks near the bottom of teacher average pay, at $46,404; the national average is $59,670. According to MPS, the district’s teacher pay has steadily increased over the past three years, from an average $46,426 in 2018 to $55,826 in 2021. The current average is 20 percent higher than the state teacher pay average. Higher teacher salaries may be on the way, according to a presentation by Dr. James Driscoll, an MPS assistant superintendent. He gave “salary compensation study results” from multiple MPS groups. All recommend minimum raises of 2 percent, with a $2,000 “stipend” for Mesa educators.
champions of SB 1453, said they tried to quash this bill even after proponents included much of what the universities wanted – mainly limiting when and how such upper division courses can be offered. Boyer said he remains concerned that even if the bill becomes law, universities will attempt to stymie new course offerings at community colleges. But he told Capitol Media Services that while the measure does give an opportunity for university input into community college plans, it does not give them veto power. Central to the multi-decade battle has been the question of both physical and �iscal accessibility of higher education. Rep. Becky Nutt, R-Clifton, has argued for years that the current system requires rural students who want four-year degrees to leave their homes. And Nutt said many community colleges already have buildings and other infrastructure in place that would allow
them to start offering four-year degrees without new investment and without raising local taxes. Larry Penley, chairman of the Board of Regents, has argued that the university already has working relationships with community colleges around the state, partnering in ways to offer four-year degrees. And he has told lawmakers there is reduced tuition for university courses that are taught on community college campuses. Sen. David Livingston, R-Peoria, said he fears the additional costs of upperdivision courses comes with a price tag, whether higher local property taxes or from the state. But Livingston said he agreed to support the plan for a simple reason. “It expands school choice,’’ he said. “It expands competition in the education setting, which is very important to me.’’ The measure does not provide carte blanche for the schools to start offering bachelor’s degrees.
NEWS
It �irst requires a district governing board to determine if there is a local workforce need for the degrees that would be offered. There also would need to be a study of the costs and whether a similar degree is offered by other Arizona colleges. There also are speci�ic restrictions on new programs offered in Pima and Maricopa counties, with community college limited to offering no more than 5 percent of their degrees at the baccalaureate level for the �irst four years and, after that, capped at 10 percent. Public universities also would be given a chance to provide a written response to any planned community college degrees. Costs to students are an issue. Typical tuition at state universities runs north of $9,000 a year and up to more than $12,000. Maricopa Community Colleges has a �lat rate of $1,020 per semester, putting the cap at slightly more than $3,000 annually.
Native American nonpro�it slates open house TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
T
he Native American Fatherhood and Families Association has slated an open house to showcase its new Mesa headquarters. The association has moved to 525 W. Southern Ave., expanding its total of�ice space from 4,000 to 14,000 square feet. The open house will be held 2-6 p.m. May 14 and will include tours of the remodeled facility, Native music, dancing and refreshments. “NAFFA is now able to expand their programs in the Mesa Community Court, reentry and addiction aftercare,” a spokeswoman said. Since 2002, association founder Albert Pooley has pushed to strengthen families by promoting responsible fatherhood and motherhood.
“NAFFA programs are different from other recovery models,” he said. “Our programs promote in three primary areas: self-worth, personal identity, and a purpose driven life. We focus on strengthening families, keeping families together and reuniting families.” Pooley was born to the Hopi and Navajo Native American cultures and holds master’s degrees in social work and public administration. He has extensive experience in marriage and family counseling. The association states on its website, “Today, many people and agencies view fathers as the cause of most family social problems. However, NAFFA takes the position that fathers are not the problem, but the solution & must take the lead in keeping families together. “NAFFA understands that to help oth-
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Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak @timespublications.com
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ers make positive changes, you must love the people whom you serve and the work you bring to them.” It boasts of an approach that is “a culturally rich model that inspires and selfmotivates through natural techniques.” “Our method is to uplift, encourage, assist, and teach,” it says. “Filling life with hope, gratitude, and understanding has a powerful effect in changing attitudes and behavior. There is no better way. Information: 480-833-5007 or nativeamericanfathers.org The impact and testimony of NAFFA’s three curriculum of Fatherhood is Sacred®/Motherhood is Sacred, Linking Generations by Strengthening Relationships and Addressing Family Violence and Abuse can be found at www.nativeamericanfathers.org.
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
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Mesa community hosts special veterans tribute BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor
R
esidents of the Fountain of the Sun retirement community in Mesa often go the extra mile to show their gratitude to military veterans. They stage elaborate tributes on special holidays, such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and �ind other ways to honor those who served. One of those other ways occurred on April 24, when Fountain of the Sun residents presented 13 heroes with Quilts of Valor. Those were part of more than 269,000 Quilts of Valor that 600 groups representing 10,000 volunteer quilters nationwide have given to active military and veterans since Delaware mom started the effort in 2003 after a dream about son, then �ighting in Iraq. The 13 quilts presented last weekend also brought to 60 the number that Fountain of the Sun has given to veterans with the help of Fountain of the Sun resident Joyce Marks, who coordinates with the quilters themselves. Those quilters, who call themselves the Arizona Piece Makers, comprise a group of a dozen women who meet for six hours every Thursday just to make Quilts of Valor. Formed two years ago by Alyce Downer, who winters in San Tan Valley for six months and spends the other six in her native Michigan, Arizona Piece Makers have made 195 Quilts of Valor over the course of their weekly meetings at Chandler Heights Community Church. It’s the least they can do for veterans and active military, said Downer, whose family has a long history of military service. “It is an award, not charity,” stressed Downer, who organizes ceremonies for the quilts’ presentation, telling recipients at each one, “We do not know what you’ve gone through. We just want to thank you.” Among the recipients of the Arizona Piece Makers’ quilts last weekend were three generations of military service led
Among the veterans who received Quilts of Valor at Fountain of the Sun were, from left, Jim Kugel, Harley Hamstead, Bern Westphal, Robert Flanagan, Al Laehn and Tom Pohl. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff)
by 99-year-old World War II veteran H.R. Darlington – who went through a lot when he served between 1942 and 1945. Darlington, of Queen Creek, was a World War II B17 bomber pilot who �lew 35 missions between July 1944 and February 1945, dodging heavy enemy �ire during raids over German forti�ications, factories, supply lines and other high-value targets. Though he has written about seeing
some other bombers go down in �lames during some of those stories, Darlington never lost a plane or a crew member despite unnerving enemy action both in the air and, at times, back at base. Also receiving a Quilt of Valor were Darlington’s son-in-law, James F. Seifert, an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam 1962-1966; and Darlington’s grandson, Erick N. Valdes, another Air Force veteran
Also honored with Quilts of Valor were, from left, James Menacher, Bruce Flygare, Richard Batten, Richard Haines and David France. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff)
who served 1997-2001 in South Korea. The other recipients included: Jim Kugel, a Vietnam War vet; Richard John Batten, a Navy veteran; Robert A. Flanagan, who retired from the Marines after 26 years of service; Air Force veteran Bruce D. Flygare, who also served in Korea. Also honored were Vietnam veterans David France and Richard Haines; Harley Hamstad, who served aboard the USS Noah when it picked up John Glenn after he became the �irst American to orbit Earth in 1962. Quilt recipients also included Allen Leahn and Thomas Pohl, two more Air Force veterans; Army veteran James Menacher and Vern Westphal, who served in both the Army and Navy. The Piece Makers all have had some connection with the service. Some, like Cindy Koepke of Mesa, actually served in the Army during the Vietnam War. She joined the group as a way to make veterans, especially those who served during the Vietnam War, feel a little more valued. “Vietnam veterans weren’t treated so well when they returned,” Koepke said. “This makes them feel more appreciated.” Downer said the quilters who witness an award ceremony often are moved as much as the recipients. “I get very emotional,” she said, adding the recipients themselves have different reactions. “We will not surprise anyone because of PTSD,” Downer said, adding that some recipients have been so traumatized by war experiences that they do not want a quilt made in red, white and blue. Even when the pandemic prevented the quilters from their weekly meetings, Downer would meet them outside the church building and give them material so that they could keep on quilting. Downer recalled delivering quilts to a group of women veterans suffering from
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THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Mesa man’s software aims to help kids’ grades BY CASEY FLANAGAN Tribune Contributor
A
Mesa student management software uses academic insights, emotional cues, and arti�icial intelligence-based predictions to catch struggling students before their grades suffer. Ben Smith, CEO and creator of Gnosis IQ, said he created the program to solve a problem he has experienced with his own children. Smith said in traditional schooling, a student may be nine weeks into the semester “before you get that midterm report showing that you really didn’t grasp what was going on two weeks into the school year.” Rather than wait for a midterm report, Smith said Gnosis IQ uses arti�icial intelligence, real-time data, and machine learning models to “analyze real-time, what kids are doing, how they’re doing, and show the weaknesses before the kids fail.” According to Smith, “we’re not showing grades anywhere” but instead performance scores based on a wider range of indicators than grades alone. The program organizes performance in attendance, classwork, homework, projects, and testing, into color-coded charts and graphs to give a visual representation of student performance, Smith explained. Gnosis IQ automatically pulls information from systems in which teachers already enter data, so “nothing in the system requires additional input from the teacher,” Smith said. Smith said Gnosis IQ is not a replacement
QUILTS ���� ���� 17
MST – military sexual trauma – and how moved the women were by their awards. That �its the conclusion that Quilts of Valor Foundation founder Catherine Roberts reached as she analyzed a dream in 2003 about seeing her son hunched over in his bedroom, looking broken and demoralized. “Then, as if viewing a movie,” Roberts writes on the foundation’s website, “I saw him in the next scene wrapped in a quilt. His whole demeanor changed from one of despair to one of hope and wellbeing. The quilt had made this dramatic change. The message of my dream was: Quilts = Healing.”
BEN SMITH
for traditional learning management systems and grade books but a “supplement.” There are a number of learning management systems available, Smith said, but explained, “None of them offer arti�icial intelligence to predict and support the students, nor do they offer tools designed to empower the students, and the educators and the parents.” The arti�icial intelligence analyzes a student’s recent performance, along with their performance throughout the semester, and compares it to a “virtual peer set based on the historical data that we’ve got,” Smith said. Aligning student performance with a virtual peer set allows students to “see
That’s why Quilts of Valor are never awarded posthumously and are given only to those who may either be still healing or simply deserving. Recipients are nominated through the Quilts of Valor Foundation’s website, qovf. org, where people also can support the group’s efforts. Downer said that if nominees or donors jot down 66303 on their forms, the money or the request will go directly to the Arizona Piece Makers. Helping to coordinate with the Arizona Piece Makers were Fountain of the Sun residents, from left, Commander Zara King, Joyce Marks and Jim Marks. (Pablo Robles/Tribune)
what will happen if nothing changes,” with over 90 percent accuracy one day out as it currently shows, Smith said. Smith said the software is also over 90 percent accurate up to a week out and he hopes that by June 2022 he can make it 90 percent accurate up to three months. Smith said the software currently only shows one day of predictions – in part due to “Hollywood, they’ve turned arti�icial intelligence into a sci �i nightmare.” In contrast to its Hollywood reputation, Smith added, arti�icial intelligence is “actually empowering.” It “allows parents, students, schools, the district, to really understand what’s going to happen if they stay the course,” he said. Smith said Gnosis IQ also allows for quick emotional communication from students to parents, teachers, and administrators through a “social emotional cues” feature. Students can give social emotional cues through a simple extension available on all major web browsers, or within the program itself, Smith said. The social emotional cues consist of 12 “core emotions that lead to action” which Smith said he found in a study he conducted while working toward a Ph.D. in psychology. Smith said Gnosis IQ’s social emotional cues feature avoids the “social stigma that comes with sitting in class, raising your hand, and asking to go see the counselor or the principal or wanting to talk to the teacher after class.” “It’s something they can do without really anybody else seeing, and it allows them to share with their academic stake-
holders how they’re feeling, without having to take any more action than two clicks,” Smith said. Social emotional cues are logged on a timeline page as well as in Gnosis IQ’s built-in task calendar, Smith said. He said this allows parents, teachers, and administrators to “paint an entire picture of really what’s going on with that student.” While teachers can see every emotional cue, they are only noti�ied for “risk emotions, like depressed, sick, and mad,” so they know when issues arise, Smith said. According to Smith, student engagement with Gnosis IQ at Isaac Elementary School District, where the program is currently in use, has “been amazing.” “There have been students that have used the tool to really cry for help, and there’s other students that use the tool to just share that they’re having a great day,” Smith said. Smith explained that data for each student is grouped together to provide analytics for any part of the school system. Smith said he and his team had been toying with the idea for Gnosis IQ since 2015, but most of the program’s development has happened since March 2020. Smith said they are negotiating with “a good number of other districts who plan to go live in the fall.” Smith said the team at Gnosis IQ is also talking to schools nationwide about implementing the program for summer school this year. Gnosis IQ is also in talks with the Arizona Governor’s of�ice “to support students statewide,” Smith said.
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
19 PAID ADVERTISEMENT
PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN WARNING! Our clinic is taking every precaution and we follow strict CDC guidelines to ensure that our patients, clinic and staff are SAFE! Mesa, AZ — The most common method your doctor will recommend to treat your chronic pain and/or neuropathy is with prescription drugs that may temporarily reduce your symptoms. These drugs have names such as Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin, and are primarily antidepressant or anti-seizure drugs. These drugs may cause you to feel uncomfortable and have a variety of harmful side effects. Chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves often causing weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and the most debilitating balance problems. This damage is commonly caused by a lack of blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet which causes the nerves to begin to degenerate due to lack of nutrient flow.
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Fig. 2
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The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be
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The Sanexas electric cell signaling system delivers energy to the affected area of your body at varying wavelengths, including both low-frequency and middle-frequency signals. It also uses amplitude modulated (AM) and frequency modulated (FM) signaling. During a treatment session, the Sanexas system automatically changes to simultaneously deliver AM and FM electric cell signal energy.
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The treatment that is provided at Aspen Medical has three main goals. 2) Stimulate and increase small fiber nerves
As you can see in Figure 2, as the blood vessels that surround the nerves become diseased they shrivel up which causes the nerves to not get the nutrients to continue to survive. When these nerves begin to “die” they cause you to have balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and many additional symptoms.
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Vendors converge at downtown Mesa grocer BY MELODY BIRKETT Tribune Contributor
J
on Przybyl brought bread and baked goods to downtown Mesa and now he has brought a concept that helps people just like him – local vendors who make unique products. His Main Street Harvest, which opened in January and which he runs with his wife Amanda, is just two doors down from Proof Bread – Jon’s �irst brick-and-mortar bakery that he opened last year after his made-at-home Old World artisan breads and pastries won a big following. “Proof has been a heck of an adventure with building out our �irst commercial production facility in downtown Mesa,” Jon said. “Main Street Harvest is an idea I have been dreaming about for many years,” he continued. “Basically, it’s a way to complete the circle of what we do at Proof and that brings all of our friends from the local food production community. “It’s a local driven grocery store. All of the products are produced by local families.”
Man Street Harvest in downtown Mesa brings together products made by local entrepreneurs. (Special to the Tribune) He ran a test in December around the holidays before opening Main Street Harvest by developing a priority list of vendors whose products best paired with bread. “The �irst vendor I called was a coffee vendor,” Przybyl said. But he wound up also carrying shrimp
Mesa restaurateur follows father’s dream BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tribune Staff Writer
L
eo Chavez was working in a university’s �inance of�ice when his father, Edward T. Chavez, fell ill. He leaned over from his chair and said he wished his son would do something he loved. “I did not like the corporate world anymore,” Chavez said. “I was unhappy, and he got sick and he’s like, ‘You’re passionate about your food, so why don’t you pursue it?’” His father died in September 2017 and Chavez �igured it was “now or never.” The Tempe High School graduate went for it and opened the now-successful Herb ‘n’
Smoke food trailer at the end of 2017. “I went into the of�ice one morning and called my wife, I said, ‘I am quitting this morning and I gave my notice.’ Well, as you can imagine, there was no response on the other end. I thought I lost the call. “Then I heard her say, ‘Well, what is your plan?’ I said I would just make it work. She said she would stand by me.” On February 6 of this year, he took another chance. Chavez unveiled the Herb ‘n’ Smoke
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Those enticing smells pedestrians notice on Main Street come courtesy of Leo Chavez's Herb 'N Smoke. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff)
from Wild Shrimp Co. in Rocky Point. “They were among the last of the 20 I called,” he said. “If it was just bread and shrimp for a holiday market, that would be a little bit weird. So, we went in the priority order of things that paired with bread.” He admits he wasn’t sure his idea would
work, recalling how he thought “there’s no chance we’re going to have a whole grocery concept off the �ly because literally, I planned this event days before it happened. “To my great surprise, everyone I called agreed to join. We had a holiday market of around 20 vendors with everything from coffee to produce to chocolate to meat to eggs to shrimp to granola and a lot of things in between.” Yes, the store even carries locally produced chocolate. “We source DNA Chocolate for Proof and it’s the chocolate we’ve been using in our chocolate croissants since 2017,” said Przybyl. One of the most recent vendors to join is Ramona Farms. “They are a group from the Tohono O’odham tribe in Southern Arizona that grows grains and legumes and so there’s all kinds of beans as well as wheat and wheat berries grown by the tribe down there,” he explained. A lot of the original vendors brought in
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BUSINESS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Bonelli Doors + Windows opens its doors TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
B
onelli Doors + Windows is opening its own doors and windows in Mesa. Bonelli relocated its manufacturing headquarters here and plans to hire 35 at its 50,000 square foot facility at Landing 202 in Mesa’s Gateway Area where it will
HARVEST ���� ���� 20
during the test holiday market are folks the couple knows from the farmers’ markets. “With the bakery, we attend markets around the valley,” said Przybyl, who makes the rounds of farmers markets in Gilbert, Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale. “And we have been with all of these people for years,” he said. “We neighbor them at the market, we help one another setup tents, we share stories, we support one another. So, we thought what better way to enter downtown Mesa than not only to bring a bakery but bring dozens of other local businesses.” When the couple �irst started this as a holiday pop-up, they had no idea what the future would bring. “We knew we wanted to use our building to sell bread over the holidays,” Przybyl said. “And we thought this would be a great opportunity to see how the public responds to a marketplace where they can attend more than just on Saturdays to buy other local groceries. We had a really good response.” Main Street Harvest now has 50 local food producers with many grocery categories. All of them have some sort of a tie to Arizona. “What’s important for us is we actually understand what we’re selling,” Przybyl explained. “It’s a little bit different than when you go into the supermarket. There are so many products in the supermarket you can’t possibly expect the clerks to know much about. “We have very close relationships with the folks who are represented in the store. It’s very important for us to sell
design, manufacture and ship �inished products. “Mesa is a great �it for Bonelli. With its low cost of living, educated workforce, freeway connections to major markets, and international airport, it is an ideal location for our headquarters and operations to be in one building,” said Cameron Wyatt, president of Bonelli.
Mesa Mayor John Giles said, “We’re pleased to have Bonelli join the growth and momentum happening in East Mesa.” “I am very excited to welcome Bonelli to District 6 and the Gateway area.” District 6 Councilmember Kevin Thompson stated. “The diversi�ication of Mesa’s local economy is important to our City’s overall economic health, and the jobs
Jon Przybyl has won a huge following with the homemade breads and pastries he sells at his downtown bakery, Proof Bread, as well as at area Farmers Markets. (Special to the Tribune)
their products in the same type and way we sell our own bread, with knowledge and information.” The vendors occupy about half of the 2,500-square-foot store but the grocer is expanding. “We also have a notable partnership we just started with Local First Arizona,” Przybyl said. “There’s a Local First kitchen in Mesa just East of our location near Pioneer Park. That kitchen is a commissary, a
collection of very young businesses that in some cases are just starting out and some that have been around a while. “We are featuring a number of those businesses on a rotating basis every month with Local First. Some of those businesses are then transitioning to joining the store.” Another new initiative in the works is home delivery that should be rolling out in the next few months.
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that Bonelli will be bringing into our community are just as important to me and to our citizens.” Including jobs, the Bonelli team is passionate about paying it forward. Recently, the company donated to the House of Refuge in Mesa. Information: 7958 E. Ray Road, bonelliinfo@bonelli.com. “Our focus is to highlight local businesses, to promote local eatings, promote local food production and also to give a lot of the local businesses we’re working with more of a regular opportunity to sell their goods,” Przybyl added. “The farmers’ markets are incredible but we offer something they can have throughout the week.” He said prices are very competitive to local foods but they come at a different price point than items, such as bread, you �ind at the supermarket. “You can come into our store and you can browse the product and ask questions of people who will have answers for you and get an understanding of the real cost of food production,” said Przybyl. “As you can imagine, our local food producers are not running around in Ferraris and Porsches and living in multi-million dollar homes. They’re among the humblest people you’ll meet. Food production comes with high costs. “A lot of times when we shop at the supermarket those costs are hidden behind government subsidies, behind international trade, behind other mechanisms that drive the price of food down below levels that’s even possible to produce locally.” “When we got into bread, we always had an interest in food,” explained Przybyl. “We’re both the children of immigrants.” Jon’s parents came from Poland and Amanda’s family from Lebanon. The couple, who have lived in Mesa for the last four years, has two daughters, 8 and 10. Information: 121 W. Main, mainstharvest.com, 480-428-8305.
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THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
HERB ���� ���� 20
brick and mortar in Downtown Mesa. “I’m hoping we become a staple here in Downtown Mesa,” Chavez said. “We would like to keep expanding. I don’t want to franchise it. I want to open other Herb ‘n’ Smoke locations that family members can run. I want to help them out. I really want to keep it in the family. “I’m hoping my kids will take it over for me at some point and just keep it going. It’s good food, comfort food, and I want customers to keep coming back.” So far, guests have returned for his brisket fries ($14), slow smoked brisket and cheddar cheese sauce served on fresh-cut fries, as well as the burgers ($8 to $14), brisket sandwiches ($12) and barbecue chicken sandwiches ($9). “I absolutely love the brisket fries,” he said. “That’s my favorite because I’m a potato and brisket guy. It’s just amazing. I just love that. It’s mouthwatering.” New to Herb ‘n’ Smoke is the smoked gouda bites appetizer ($4.50), which are gooey mac and cheese smoked bites. They’re served with Sriracha cream and chipotle barbecue sauce for dipping. He has vegetarians in mind,PMS too, with 7260
PMS 7260
Smoke 'N Herb brings a varied BBQ menu to downtown Mesa that includes brisket fries. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff)
smoked tofu ($9), which is washed with smoke and covered in barbecue sauce. Then, there are the spiced cauli�lower wings ($6.50), which are dipped in tabasco-inspired batter and served with Sriracha cream and chipotle barbecue sauce. Chavez said Herb ‘n’ Smoke sets itself apart by using proprietary spices and woods that are native to Arizona in the smoker. He takes his father’s recipes and throws it in the smoker.
“I literally copied every single recipe,” Chavez said. “His recipes were always in his head. We’d just walk it through, and I’d watch. “That’s how I learned how to cook. I still do it to this day. My wife keeps telling me I need to measure things. I said, ‘Why? It works. This is what I do – here’s a pinch of this, here’s a pinch of that.’” Chavez calls his style a diversion from typical barbecue. It’s not Kansas City or
Tennessee style. “It’s just me,” he said with a smile. “I try to put everything into this restaurant that we’ve done on the food trailer.” Aesthetically, Herb ‘n’ Smoke provides a comfortable setting for guests. Chavez said he decorated the small restaurant, so it made him cozy as well. Chavez’s tattoos are just as meaningful. He literally wears his loves on his sleeve — his father’s name and a cleaver, which symbolizes his passion for cooking. “The knife is a symbol of my dad,” he said. “It was the cleaver that I can always remember that he always had and used. It was the ‘everything’ knife. So, now he cooks with me.” Herb ‘n’ Smoke means so much to Chavez. He said he proved the naysayers wrong. “When I opened the door to this building and I just looked at the inside of it, it was a moment in my life that really made me re�lect on how good we have it now,” Chavez said. “I say that we’re truly blessed at this point.”
Herb ‘n’ Smoke 123 W. Main St., Mesa 480.359.5129, herbnsmokeaz.com
PMS 7260
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OPINION
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Good luck, danger lovers, dodging vaccine BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist
F
or the past 14 months, my logic about the COVID-19 pandemic has been a lot like my rationale for turning down any and all offers to go skydiving. Whenever possible, I avoid optional danger. That means I don’t jump out of perfectly good airplanes, especially for kicks. And when it comes to risking a potentially lethal virus, I’ve done my best to avoid danger. You know the drill: Stand 6 feet away from folks whenever possible. Wash your hands like a surgeon with a raging case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Wear a mask to the grocery store, pharmacy, restaurants and anywhere else the law requires. Was I certain all the above would keep me healthy? No. But smart people I trust –
like doctors and other -ologists – said not doing so would risk a serious downside, like, you know, death. As an added bonus, the things I was asked to do weren’t that tough. I hate going shopping or sitting in meetings, so avoiding them felt a lot like not skydiving. The easiest sacri�ice to make is the sacri�ice you were going to make anyway. Getting a COVID-19 shot also was easy. The whole process took maybe two hours. When the state opened up vaccines to my age group, I registered online. Then in early March and again three weeks later I ventured across the Valley to the State Farm Stadium vaccine site. The �irst shot left me with a sore arm for a couple days. The second shot did the same. Again, it came down to trust. Trained medical professionals said the vaccine was safe. Out of curiosity, I dug up some studies. The research indicated the risk of serious side effects was low. For the peace of mind being vaccinated
would provide, it seemed like a safe play, a small price to pay for avoiding a virus that has killed more than 17,000 Arizonans and infected 870,000 people statewide. That’s why I’m surprised to �ind myself in the minority as April comes to an end. To date, in a state of 7.3 million people, about 40 percent have gotten at least one vaccination. Only about 30 percent of us – 2.2 million Arizonans – have been fully vaccinated. According to the state, demand for �irst doses of the vaccines has been falling lately, so now they’re allowing folks to just pop in whenever, even without an appointment. “We know sometimes making an appointment for a later time is not as easy as … driving by and thinking, ‘I want to get a vaccine, I’m going to stop by.’ We can accommodate that now,” Dr. Cara Christ, Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, told KTAR Wednesday. Christ is one of those folks in whom
I have some basic trust. She has a master’s degree in microbiology with an emphasis in molecular virology and public health. And she earned her medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Would I take her recommendations on how to invest my life savings? No. But on getting this vaccine, she’s the expert – and her recommendation squares with the rest of the global medical community. That’s good enough for me. But apparently not for most Arizonans. You all must be the risk-takers who keep skydiving companies in business. The adventurers who run with scissors, drink expired milk, think bungee-jumping is a hoot and who go swimming in the ocean without waiting 20 minutes after you eat a sandwich. You’re real daredevils, you optional danger lovers. I honestly hope it works out for you. Or that you have fantastic health insurance. Me, I’m playing this one safe.
lawn, and shouting, “Go Get Vaccinated, America!” Of course, there is no vaccination for “presidential fever” and it’s obvious that the strain of the fever that has gripped Biden for most of his political life is especially virulent. In 1988, Joe’s �irst run for the White House was pink-slipped for plagiarism. Biden “borrowed” most of the comments that British Labour Party Leader Neil Kinnock used on the stump as his own. When American TV Networks ran “split screen” comparisons of the two politicians, Biden decided it was time to “split” from his campaign. In his �irst joint address 33 years later, President Biden seemed to follow a similar course, but the words Joe echoed were not from a far-removed foreign leader; instead it seemed that the 46th President was channeling the 45th.
Returning to a theme that Donald Trump championed and acted upon, incurring the wrath of “Big Pharma,” Biden set aside the derision he employed during last year’s campaign and embraced the same stance. “Let’s lower prescription drug costs…we pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world right here in America – nearly three times as much as other countries. We can change that,” said the President, using language seemingly unchanged from that of his immediate predecessor. To pretend the Biden policy prescription for prescription drugs is new or novel requires a form of “indulgent amnesia.” Fortunately for the President, most media elites are willing participants in accepting “the world according to Joe.” The American people, on the other hand, present a much greater challenge to the President and the partisan press agents who share his political sensibilities. While
John and Jane Q. Public may have encountered “information overload” in these �irst 100 days of the Biden Administration, they also are acutely aware of what is not being reported. Americans are increasingly skeptical of why there are fences and troops around the Capitol and White House but not on our Southern Border; they are troubled by the Pentagon’s introduction of ideological evaluations for our �ighting forces and the specter of discharge for those who don’t share the political preferences of the Commander-in-Chief; but most of all, they simply don’t trust the mathematics or the methods of the Left. If the “First 100 Days” come attached with a bill totaling $6 trillion, how can we accept the President’s promise that taxes will only increase for those who make in
Maybe it wasn’t Biden’s night, after all BY J.D. HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist
I
t was supposed to be Joe Biden’s night. Sure, it came in a House Chamber that seemed empty when compared with the joint addresses of his predecessors, but that’s the price he and his party willingly paid by politicizing a pandemic. Never mind that the success the President claimed against COVID-19 was negated by the extreme social distancing that scattered his sparse audience, and the masks that they were forced to wear. Those in attendance – all vaccinated – were following the edicts of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who prefers political science to sound science. And yet, there was President Biden squinting directly into the television camera, invoking the irritated tone of a senior citizen who discovers kids playing on his
��� HAYWORTH ���� 25
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
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excess of $400 thousand annually? That’s right, we can’t. No wonder Joe delivered most of his speech in whispered admonitions, trying to sound as if those whispers conveyed some deeper grandfatherly wisdom. A little over an hour after President Biden began his speech, it mercifully ended. Words he intended as soaring were delivered with a snarl. Perhaps Joe realized it just wasn’t his night after all.
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SPORTS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
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Ashtin Webb’s bout with adversity led to success at Mesa BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor
A
shtin Webb’s high school experience was unlike what most baseball players face throughout their careers. Homeschooled all 4 years, he began to play baseball for Mesa as a sophomore after he and his family were forced out of their home in the Desert Ridge High School boundary when toxic mold was discovered after a �lood. The family vehicles, clothes, furniture and all of his baseball gear was left behind due to possible contamination. He and his family had to start their lives over inside of an apartment in the Mesa boundary. But he was quickly welcomed to the community and baseball program. “It was a learning experience on how to face adversity,” Webb said. “I think it helped me morally, just being able to handle things more. They helped a lot and it meant the world to me. Webb and his family never went out of their way to ask for donations from family or friends. Many helped voluntarily. Several players on Mesa’s baseball team also offered to help him get set up with new equipment. As a catcher, he used more than just a bat, glove and cleats. The entire setup of pads and a helmet can easily skyrocket to more than a few hundred dollars. Nonetheless, the Mesa community rallied behind their new teammate. Webb was out�itted with new equipment and in return, he’s become one of the Jackrabbits’ best leaders in the clubhouse and one of the top players in the state. “He’s a leader, he’s one of our captains,” Figueroa said. “He’s one of those kids where if he doesn’t make it in baseball, he’s going to make it in something. The things he’s gone through and how he handled it, it’s turned into a good situation.” Webb was elevated to the varsity roster at Mesa the �irst day he stepped foot on the diamond. Figueroa said he and his fellow coaches knew right away they had a talented ball player on their hands. He hit .356 as a sophomore with 14 RBI
Mesa senior Ashtin Webb battled through adversity throughout his high school baseball career but he believes it has prepared him for the next level. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff) and a pair of home runs. He helped the rebuild with Webb, Cainen Escalante, Jackrabbits �inish 14-8 overall in the 2019 Noah Rogers and Adrian Caballero, the season. But in 2020, he and his teammates captains of this year’s team that is �illed were well on their way to perhaps a deep with young talent still �inding their way playoff run before the season was cut at the varsity level. short due to the start of the pandemic. “They’re all good kids, bright kids,” In nine games Figueroa said. Webb had im“This senior proved his batclass, they just ting average to enjoy the game. .435 as a junior The younger and had already guys really look nearly reached up to them.” his sophomore Like last seamark for RBIs son, Webb has at 12. Mesa again improved jumped out to his batting averan 8-1 start to age to .488 this the year led by year. He’s also big bats at the made the switch plate and a solid from catcher to pitching staff. out�ield, a move But with the Figueroa becancellation of lieves puts him the season also in his natural came the end position. of the careers His improvefor several of ment has led Mesa’s start- Mesa baseball coach Ray Figueroa said Ashtin Webb him to coming seniors. has become a leader both on and off the diamond mit to Central for the younger players in the program. (Pablo RoThe Jackrabbits Arizona Colbles/Tribune Staff) were forced to lege, a baseball
program that is currently the top-ranked team in junior college rankings that many believe could compete at the NCAA Division I level. But beyond recognition from college programs, Webb has also captured the attention of pro scouts. Several have called over the course of the past few months and Webb has completed the necessary steps to be eligible for this year’s MLB Draft in July. Whether or not he hears his name called is something he isn’t banking on, however. He knows it’s a greater possibility that comes in a year or two when he is with Central Arizona College. Even then, knowing scouts already have eyes on him this early in his career is an accomplishment in itself. “It’s pretty amazing,” Webb said. “I know if I get drafted out of high school it will probably be in the later rounds but when I go to college, I’m hoping to make it in the top �ive rounds. Central has produced 12 �irst round draft picks, which is amazing for a junior college. “I hope to be the next one to do that.” The adversity he has faced having to essentially rebuild his life has led Webb to become an easy-going teenager who admittedly would rather talk about his small gains in the stock market than his personal success on the diamond. He’s become one of the go-to leaders for the freshmen and sophomores in the Mesa baseball program both on and off the �ield, helping them in the batting cage or with homework. Webb knows how quickly one’s world could be turned upside down by an unforeseen event. But he also has learned not to harp on small misfortunes or bad days. As the 2021 season nears its end for Mesa, Webb plans to make the most of his �inal days with his teammates. Despite all he had gone through that led him to the Jackrabbit program, it’s a move he wouldn’t go back and change even if he had the opportunity. “I’m just trying to enjoy every moment and take it all in,” Webb said. “Playing for this program, with these guys, it means the world. It’s Jackrabbit pride. It will be with me forever.”
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
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Cinco De Chandler returns May 5 downtown BY DAVID M. BROWN Tribune Contributor
A
celebration of independence and freedom, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the French Empire at Puebla in 1862. On May 5 downtown, Cinco de Chandler celebrates Mexican food, drink, music, culture and camaraderie during springtime in the desert. Ghett’ Yo Tacos, 241 S. Oregon St., is hosting the �iesta, in its second year as a full participatory event. The restaurant is the colorful building behind the Perch restaurant with the spray-painted “Dia de Los Muertos” mural painted by Valley artist, Lalo Cota, known for murals and paintings focusing on Mexican culture, desert landscapes and politics. Cinco de Chandler begins at 10 a.m. and includes dancing to live bands, mariachis and DJs. The 4-year-old taqueria will offer its signature street tacos, a variety of cervezas and margaritas. For the children, Gilbert’s Christina Ranburger with Blushing Peach Art will offer face painting and Chandler’s Cheryl Tisland, co-owner of Burst of Butter�lies, piñata-making 4-7 p.m. Yard games and prizes are also scheduled. For the adults, DJ Wyzeman will host a party from 6 p.m. until midnight. “Last year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, we compromised by offering guests the chance to experience live music performances from local bands while they waited for their meals,” said Wally Ansari, who acquired Ghett’ Yo’ Tacos in 2018 a year after the restaurant opened. A sister property is Ghett’ Yo’ Pizza at 4747 E. Elliot Road in Ahwatukee. “But the �irst year we hosted the festival in 2019, we had more than 1,200 people come throughout the day,” he added. “We know it is something that the community enjoys taking part in, and we are excited to be back again this year. Please come out whenever you would like, day or night.”
Ghett’Yo Tacos at 241 S. Oregon St. will be party central May 5 as Cinco de Chandler roars into high gear with a full day of music and food. (Special to the Tribune) Mexican street tacos are smaller than traditional restaurant varieties, allowing someone purchasing from a street vendor, for example, to hold and eat them without dropping the �illings from the corn tortillas. The street tacos at Cinco de Chandler
will include grilled chicken, carne asada, al pastor, jackfruit for the vegetarians and other varieties, Ansari explained. The venue’s popular sliders will also be available, which include the OG Angus beef, carnitas and �iery chicken. And just
What’s a Cinco de Mayo celebration without tacos, and Ghett’Yo Tacos in Chandler will have plenty of them May 5. (Special to the Tribune)
for Cinco de Chandler, Gett’ Yo Taco employees will be preparing whole roasted chickens on charcoal outside. “Our full bar will feature frozen margaritas in a variety of �lavors and several Mexican beers to keep everyone cool and happy,” Ansari said, noting that the Corona, Dos XX and Corazon Tequila companies will be offering samples. During the day, three local bands will be playing: Johnny Gowans, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; the Taide Pineda Band, 12–3 p.m., and The Conveyors, 3–6 p.m. A Gilbert resident, Ansari has grown Ghett’ Yo Taco with vibrant downtown Chandler, which has become one of the Valley’s go-to areas for restaurants and meeting spots. “We’re an urban taqueria specializing in authentic street-style tacos, a fun and affordable spot for children and adults, family members, friends and colleagues,” he said. Ghett’ Yo Taco has 20 employees, mostly East Valley residents, including Stuart Shainberg of Gilbert, who is the operations manager for the restaurant, handling dayto-day responsibilities while Ansari coordinates the menu. “Our team members set us apart from other taquerias. All of them have a passion for having fun with each other and guests and serving outstanding food. We want the community who visit Ghett’ Yo to feel like they’re having a meal with close friends, instead of just stopping by to get a quick bite,” Ansari said. Cinco de Chandler, he explained, “is a great representation of our mission as a local restaurant and Mexican culture. And, it is fun for the whole family. With such a dif�icult year behind us, our goal is to put on a safe outdoor festival that everyone can enjoy!” Children 12 and under are free to the event. Adults may purchase tickets online before for $5 or at the door for $8. The restaurant also caters and hosts buy-out private parties. Information: ghettyotaco.com.
THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
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Obituaries Lloyd Kent Pearce Lloyd Kent Pearce 81, passed away Tuesday, April 20, 2021. He was born in Taylor, Arizona to the late Hal and Norma Crandell Pearce. Lloyd is survived by his wife Beth H. Pearce also 6 daughters, Vicki Evens, Kimberley Sorenson, Cheri Amador, Deena Hudson, Melissa Vincent, Shawna Hudson, sisters; Kathy Pearce, Evelyn Brinkerhoff, Jennifer Baum, Myrna Woffinden, brothers; Tim Jones, Randy Jones, Richard Pearce, Lester Pearce and Russell Pearce he is also survived by 19 Grandchildren, 23 Great Grandchildren, and 4 Great-Great Grandchildren. Lloyd is preceded in death by his parents, son; Gaylan Kent Pearce, sisters; Donna Koozer and Carmon Scott, brother; James Jones. There will be a Memorial Service at a later date in Pinedale Arizona. Under the direction of Heaven's Gate Funeral Home 361-573-2777. Sign the Guestbook at: obituaries.EastValleyTribune.com
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Renesas Electronics America, in Tempe, AZ is in need of: Anlg Engr (job#VJ0409) Perf des, sim, & lyt of indus-leadng hi-perf timng prdcts. Refer to job#. Apply: us-hr-staffing@dm.renesas.com
Sr. Quality Engineer, Medtronic, Inc., Tempe, AZ. Req. Master’s in Industrial, Mechanical or Biomedical Engr. & 2 yrs. exp. w/quality engr. in the medical device industry. Must possess at least 2 yrs. exp. w/each of the following: 21 CFR 820, ISO 9001, ISO 13485 & ISO 14971; development protocols incl. Installation Qualification, Operational Qualification, Performance Qualification, Special Process Validations, & Test Method Validations; nonconformance & Good Manufacturing Practices; Failure Modes & Effect Analysis, validation, methodical problem solving, product development & mfg. engr.; Design of Experiments, Statistical Process Control & Acceptance Sampling; & Minitab or JMP. To apply, visit https://jobs.medtronic.com/ , select Req. #21000AOH. No agencies or phone calls please. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer committed to cultural diversity in the workplace. All individuals are encouraged to apply.
Self Development Academy is seeking an Elementary Teacher, Minimum Requirements: Bachelor's Degree in Education + 5 Year experience and Arizona State Certification. Please mail Resumes to HR, 1709 N Greenfield Rd. Mesa, AZ 85205. Deployed Services is hiring Security Guards in Tucson, AZ! This is a great opportunity to join a fantastic culture and growing organization! We’re offering a $200 signing bonus and will pay for your AZ security license and uniform. Our Security Guards are paid $18.59 an hour and are eligible for annual leave, paid sick leave, 401K, and training. Visit DeployedServices.com/Careers to learn more and apply!
Employment General
NOW HIRING
IMMEDIATE OPENINGS Full Time
EVERLASTING MONUMENT Co.
“Memories cut in Stone” • MONUMENTS • GRANITE & BRONZE • CEMETERY LETTERING • CUSTOM DESIGNS
480-969-0788 75 W. Baseline Rd. Ste. A-8 Gilbert, AZ 85233
www.everlastingmonumentco.com info@everlastingmonument.phxcoxmail.com
Make your choice Everlasting
Generous Pay
Help Wanted for a new location at SE Corner of Higley & Elliot in Gilbert
Benefits
145 S HIGLEY RD, GILBERT 85296
v
v
v
Paid Vacation v
Paid Sick Time v
401K Apply online at maaxspas.com or call 480-895-4575
E ELLIOT
N HIGLEY
MAAX Spas is hiring
HERE WE GROW AGAIN! HIRING FOR ALL POSITIONS Full Time and Part Time. All Shifts: M-F & Weekends. Great Pay and Environment.
CALL OR TEXT 480-744-0451 TO APPLY
THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Engineer II sought by Carvana, LLC in Tempe, AZ. Design, develop, maintain and deploy complex back end and API solutions using C# / dotNetCore (RESTful server side via Web API) stack and cloud services (Azure). Telecommuting is permitted. Apply @ www.jobpostingtoday. com #69362. Clairvoyant has openings for the following positions in Chandler, AZ area. Software Engineers reqs US Masters degree/foreign equiv or Bach degree + 5 yrs experience w/ skills in J2EE, Java, XML, SQL, and Unix to analyze/dsgn/dev/implement/test systems & applics. Sr. Programmer Analyst reqs US Bachelors/equiv (3 or 4 yr degree) in Commerce/BusAdm/ST EM field to analyze/resolve/test/report on IT related projects using skills in EMC/MS/SQL/Excel/ Java/C. Email your resume to jobs@clairvoyantsoft.c om with ref # 2021-19 for Software Eng; 2021-20 for Sr. Prog Analyst & ref EVT ad
Employment General Supply Chain Manager in Scottsdale, AZ w/36 mnth exp, to oversee, purchase, distribute & manage Mattress & Bedding products. Mail resume to Amerisleep, LLC, 7167 E. Rancho Vista Dr, Ste 137, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.
Merch
Real Estate for Sale
Air Conditioning/Heating
Manufactured Homes
THE LINKS ESTATES Why Rent The Lot When
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YOU CAN OWN THE LAND And Own Your New Home
A/C TUNE-UP INSPECTION ($19.95 Value)
Applies to one unit. Cannot be combined with any other discount or coupon.
FREE
SERVICE CALL NO REPAIR REQUIRED! Cannot be combined with any other discount or coupon.
480-818-4772 • www.acrangers.com • ROC # 328460
Wanted to Buy
FROM THE UPPER 100’S
ASK US HOW YOUR $105,000 CASH INVESTMENT AND OUR SENIOR LOAN PROGRAM ENABLES QUALIFIED 62+ SENIORS MAKING THE LINKS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE HAVE NO MORTGAGE PAYMENT & NO LOT RENT AS LONG AS YOU LIVE IN HOME.
Gawthorp & Associates Realty 40667 N Wedge Dr • San Tan Valley, AZ 85140
602-402-2213
www.linksestates.net
QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!
Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship HVAC Tune Up - $129 New 3-Ton AC Units - now $3,995 New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!
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Real Estate
For Rent Apartments Crismon/Apache Trl/Merrill Cottage Cozy 2br 1ba Bad Credit ok. $900 No Deposit. Water/trash incl'd (602) 339-1555
ItsJustPlumbSmart.com
480-405-7588
Air Conditioning/Heating Family Owned & Operated
Three Phase Mechanical
480-671-0833
Employment General
www.3phasemech.com
EARN EXTRA INCOME!
Earn up to $400 per week. All routes are 7 days a week.
Sales, Service & Installation NO TRIP CHARGE • NOT COMMISSION BASED ROC# 247803 Bonded • Insured
ACCREDITED BUSINESS
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
Repairs • Installations •Tune-Ups
49
$
AC/Heat Tune-Up Special
0% Easy Financing • Free Estimates New Units as low as $39/mo. ROC# 197366
Work just 2-3 hours a day between 12:00AM – 6:00AM. Routes available now in your area (East Valley, West Valley, North Phoenix). Current Arizona driver's license, insurance and access to a vehicle are required. Visit deliveryopportunities.gannett.com or call 602-444-4243. Job Type: Contract Pay: Up to $400.00 per week. ***MUST INCLUDE HOME ZIP CODE AND PHONE NUMBER WHEN APPLYING.***
furniture moving moving furniture furniture moving pre-spotting pre-spotting pre-spotting deodOrizer deodOrizer deodOrizer
$
2 rooms rooms 22free rooms free hall hall
39 free hall
$ $
5 rooms rooms 55FREE rooms FREE HALL HALL
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sofa && sofa sofa & loveseAT loveseAT loveseAT Free chair Free chair
Cleaning Services SPARKLE & SHINE CLEANING SERVICE Immaculate, Dependable Service. Affordable Rates. Commercial & Residential services All supplies included. Sanitized & masks worn You've tried the rest, now try the BEST!" Ask for Martha or Annie 480-495-5516 or 480-797-6023
HOME FOR RENT? Place it here!
Free chair
No hidden hidden charges. charges. No Seniorcharges. and No hidden Senior and veteran discounts. Senior and veteran discounts. discounts. veteran
81% of our readers, read the Classifieds!
FREE ESTIMATES ESTIMATES FREE FREE ESTIMATES 480.773.4700
480.773.4700 480.773.4700
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Appliance Repairs
Appliance Repair Now
Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252
Gannett Publishing Services wants to contract you to deliver newspapers and magazine products in the early morning hours in the Phoenix metro area. Gannett Publishing Services (GPS), a division of Gannett Co. and a recognized leader in the publishing industry, operates printing & packaging facilities throughout the country.
CARPET & UPHOLSTERY STEAM CLEANING
Financing Available
———— Your Comfort is Our Mission! ————
andise
Cash 4 Diabetic Strips! Best Prices in Town. Sealed and Unexpired. 480-652-1317 Diabetic Test Strips by the box, unused. Any type or brand. Will pay top dollar. Call Pat 480-323-8846
Repairs Installations Tune-ups
Carpet Cleaning
FREE FREE FREE
Employment General
31
480-977-6916 aircareaz.com
Trusted Service for 18 Years • A+ Rated BBB • Complaint-Free Record
ADD COLOR TO YOUR AD! Ask Us. Call Classifieds Today! 480.898.6465 CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM
If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! • Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed
We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not
480-659-1400
Air Conditioning/Heating
Licensed & Insured
THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
32
Home Improvement
Concrete & Masonry
Garage/Doors
Block Fence * Gates
GARAGE DOOR SERVICE
602-789-6929 Roc #057163 Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley
YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST!
Broken Springs Replaced Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610
Not a licensed contractor
Glass/Mirror
GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS
Drywall
JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING House Painting, Drywall, Intall Doors, Baseboards, Crown Molding Reliable, Dependable, Honest! QUICK RESPONSE TO YOUR CALL! 15 Years Experience • Free Estimates
480.266.4589 josedominguez0224@gmail.com Not a licensed contractor.
Electrical Services HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY
• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •
East Valley/ Ahwatukee
• Panel Changes and Repairs • Installation of Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel
ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932 Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured
Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures, Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors, We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors. If it’s glass, we can help you. QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices. FREE Estimates
WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR wesleysglass.com SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY Call 480-306-5113
HOME REMODELING REPAIRS & CUSTOM INTERIOR PAINTING Move a wall; turn a door into a window. From small jobs and repairs to room additions, I do it all. Precision interior painting, carpentry, drywall, tile, windows, doors, skylights, electrical, fans, plumbing and more. All trades done by hands-on General Contractor. Friendly, artistic, intelligent, honest and affordable. 40 years' experience. Call Ron Wolfgang Pleas text or leave message Cell 602-628-9653 Wolfgang Construction Inc. Licensed & Bonded ROC 124934
Classifieds 480-898-6465
Hauling
Juan Hernandez
• Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris
• Old Paint & Chems. • Yard Waste • Concrete Slab
8
TREE
Drip/Install/Repair & Tune ups!
TRIMMING
Not a licensed contractor
25 Years exp (480) 720-3840
25 years exp. Call Now (480) 720-3840
• Remodeling Debris • Old Tires
Home Improvement
General Contracting, Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC118198
One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766 Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.
Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service!
Irrigation
• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service
NTY
5-YEAR WARRA
480.654.5600 azirrigation.com Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671
Landscape/Maintenance
Irrigation
Irrigation Repair Services Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured
Handyman LLC
Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems
Sprinkler & Drip Systems
CALL US TODAY!
Repairs • Modifications • Installs
• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations
480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com
• Electrical Repair • Plumbing Repair • Dry rot and termite damage repair
ROC# 256752 Insured/Bonded Free Estimates
GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY
520.508.1420
ALL Pro
Painting • Flooring • Electrical www.husbands2go.com
Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Licensed, Bonded & Insured Decks • Tile••ROC#317949 More!
Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Ask me about FREE Needs! water testing! Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Painting Painting Flooring • Electrical ACTION “No Job Too ✔Small Flooring Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Man!” CONTRACTING INC. Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry ✔ Electrical Decks • Tile • More! SPECIALIZING IN Quality Work Since 1999 Decks •Affo Tile • More! rdable, ✔ Plumbing 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, WATER - FIRE DAMAGE AND RESTORATION 2014 ✔ Drywall Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 We get your home or office to back pre-loss condition. Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor “No Job ✔ Carpentry We also specialize in home remodels and commercial projects. Car-port to Garage conversion, drywall & stucco repairs, painting, electrical, plumbing and tenant Improvements Too Small Marks the Spot for“No Job Too ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Painting • Flooring • Electrical Fast 24 hour response! ★ WE DO IT ALL! Small Man!” “No Job Too Man!” ✔ Tile Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Call Today
Juan Hernandez
SPRINKLER
Marks Spot• for ALL Your Handyman Needs! All Estimates arethe Free Call:
Fire/Water Damage/Restoration
Landscape/Maintenance
Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More!
7 ✔ Kitchens 19 Since 1999 480-430-7737 - cell C E Affordable, Quality Work ✔ Bathrooms BSMALLMAN@Q.COM 2010, 2011 9 IN 199 ce Sin S rk 2012, 2013, 480-833-7353 - office Aff ordable, Quality Wo Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2010, 2011 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2012, 2013, 2014And More! LIC/BONDED/INSURED 2014 References/ Insured/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor ROC#218802 • A+ Rating with theCall BBB Ahwatukee Ahwatukee / References BruceResident/ at 602.670.7038 “No Job Too Small Man!”
Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Work
Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor aaaActionContractingInc.com Insured / Not aCall Licensed Contractor Bruce at 602.670.7038
Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor
2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014
T R E E
S E R V I C E
L L C
Prepare for Monsoon Season! LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE
• 20 Years Experience • 6 Year Warranty
480.345.1800 ROC 304267 • Licensed & Bonded
Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com
480-354-5802
THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
Painting
33
Plumbing
HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs
We Are State Licensed and Reliable!
Free Estimates • Senior Discounts
480-338-4011
Beat Any Price By 10% • Lifetime Warranty Water Heaters Installed - $799 Unclog Drains - $49 FREE RO UNIT w/Any WATER SOFTENER INSTALL NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 Months!! ‘A’ RATED PLUMBING REPAIR Free Estimates • Same Day Service
10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% NO Leak Guarantee Re-Roof & Roofing Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof
keith@windowsrc.biz
Professional Window Cleaner
Hot water pressure washing, 3000 PSI
480-306-8543
MonsoonRoofingInc.com
azvalleywindowcleaning.com
Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561
IT’S SALE SEASON!
480-405-7099 ItsJustPlumbSmart.com
Voted #1 Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting
10% OFF
We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality Free Estimates! Home of the 10-Year Warranty!
480-688-4770
www.eastvalleypainters.com Now Accepting all major credit cards
Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131
Keith Schram
480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com
Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709
Pool Service/Repair
Family Owned & Operated
Window Cleaning
PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH!
ROC#309706
East Valley PAINTERS
Roofing
Plumbing
Juan Hernandez
Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair
PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!
FALL SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable
Call Juan at
480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.
“Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising” - Mark Twain
HYDROJETTING
Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience
You will find Garage Sales easy with their yellow background.
Only $27.50 includes up to 1 week online
480-706-1453
Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099
MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.EastValleyTribune.com
480-898-6465 class@timespublications.com
Roofing
aOver 30 Years of Experience
aFamily Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers! Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!
Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING 480-446-7663
SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY
BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM 20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED ROC 3297740
480.898.6465
class@timespublications.com
Garage Sale Fri & Sat 7a-11am Household, clothes, kitchen items, furniture, electronics, mason jars, kid items, DVDs, MORE 555 W. Lane Dr Mesa
To place an ad please call:
Valley Wide Service
480-477-8842
Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!! Classifieds 480-898-6465
Watch for Garage Sales & Holiday Bazaars in Classifieds!
FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded
THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
34
Public Notices
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 Construction Manager at Risk for the following: NORTHWEST WATER RECLAMATION PLANT (NWWRP) PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS 960 W. RIVERVIEW PROJECT NO. CP0951 The City of Mesa is seeking a qualified Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to provide Pre-Construction Services assistance and complete Construction Services as the CMAR for the NWWRP Process Improvements 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). Several plant process improvements at The Northwest Water Reclamation Plant (NWWRP) have been identified in the Design Concept Report (DCR) as needing to be upgraded. They are listed and detailed below. • Aeration basin upgrades • Headworks with grit removal system • Upgrade or replace effluent disinfection system • Critical building Uninterruptible Power Source (UPS) and Electrical Instrument and Control (EI&C) upgrades • Methanol system replacement
• Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) upgrades
trical system upgrades to accommodate the PCLs.
Aeration basin upgrades include improvements to meet the required oxygen demand at 12 mgd flow. Improvements also include life-cycle equipment replacement including blower actuators, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) probes, air control valves, flowmeters, control loops, waste activated sludge (WAS) sampling equipment, electrical duct bank and wiring, and return activated sludge (RAS) and WAS piping.
The City may include other miscellaneous improvements at the Site, as needed.
Headworks upgrades include a site evaluation with the possibility of a new Headworks Building, grit removal system, odor control, bar screens, process flow channels, screening and grit separator mechanical equipment, associated electrical instrumentation and controls, and replacement of the main flume, if necessary. The Headworks electrical room and gears will also be brought up to conform to the latest code requirements. The effluent disinfection system will be evaluated to determine required upgrades. The existing ultraviolet (UV) system may be upgraded or replaced with a chlorine contact basin depending on recommendations from the DCR. Critical building UPS and EI&C upgrades include a plant wide power study evaluating the need for a centralized UPS vs. separate building UPS. Recommended alternatives from the study will then be designed, along with upgrades to the electrical system to accommodate the new UPS system. The methanol system will be evaluated to determine the need of a carbon source at the plant. If it is determined that a system is required, a new methanol tank will be designed and installed. PLC upgrades include design of replacement Input/Output (I/O) switches for PLC-C and PLC-D, and replacement I/ Os and PLC processors for filter polymer, thickening centrifuges and dewatering centrifuges. Design will also include elec-
The estimated construction cost is $26,000,000. The City anticipates completing construction in 2023/24. A Pre-Submittal Conference will be held on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 7 am through Microsoft Teams. If you would like to participate, please send an email to Donna Horn at donna.horn@mesaaz.gov to receive the 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-and-job-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 in an unencrypted PDF format to Engineering-RFQ@mesaaz.gov by May 27, 2021 by 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 (http://mesaaz.gov/business/purchasing/vendor-self-service). Questions. Questions pertaining to the Construction Manager at Risk 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: East Valley Tribune, Apr 25, May 2, 2021 / 37845
THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021
35
Public Notices
Public Notices CITY OF MESA MESA, ARIZONA
CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
NOTICE OF VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Mesa is seeking a qualified firm or team to act as the Construction Manager at Risk for the following: BROWN ROAD WTP FIBER LOOP, PLC, AND MCC REPLACEMENTS PROJECT NO. CP0634BR19 The City of Mesa is seeking a qualified Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to provide Pre-Construction Services assistance and complete Construction Services as the CMAR for the Brown Road WTP Fiber Loop, PLC, and MCC Replacements 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). This project includes the of the existing multimode fiber optic cable system and installation of a single mode fiber system. It is anticipated that the existing conduits will be utilized, however, the project may require new conduit duct banks to separate the "City" fiber system from the plant SCADA system. The project will also include the replacement of obsolete PLC and RIO controllers with newer, up-to-date units. The project will also include the replacement of two Motor Control Centers (MCC) in the Operations Building and two in the Substation Building. The estimated construction cost range is $ $2,500,000-$3,500,000. The City anticipates completing construction by November 2023. A Pre-Submittal Conference will be held on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 8 am through Microsoft Teams. If you would like to participate, please send an email to Stephanie Gishey at stephanie.gishey@mesaaz.gov to receive the 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 a ttend 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-and-job-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 in an unencrypted PDF format to Engineering-RFQ@mesaaz.gov by May 20, 2021 by 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 (http://mesaaz.gov/business/purchasing/vendor-self-service).
MONTEREY PARK Project No. CP0914 Please join us for this online live Virtual Public Meeting to learn about the City of Mesa, Monterey Park Sports Fields project. There will be a presentation showing the site layout, four (4) LED lighted sports fields, LED lighted parking lot, landscape, hardscape, irrigation improvements and a shipping container pop-up library with support facilities. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session where you can provide your input or have your questions answered. This meeting will be specific to this project which is located at 7045 E Monterey Ave at the NE corner of Power Rd. & Guadalupe Rd., in Mesa, AZ. This project was made possible by Mesa voters in the 2018 General Obligation Bond Election. We hope you register and attend this online Meeting! You are invited to attend a Virtual Public Meeting where City staff will be available to answer your questions. Date: Thursday, May 13, 2021 Time: 6:00pm to 7:00pm Location: Virtual Public Meeting: online at mesaaz.gov/engineering If you have any questions or concerns regarding this project, please contact Curt Albright, Michele Arrollado, Lucy Lopez, or Juanita Gonzales with the City of Mesa Engineering Public Relations Department at (480) 644-3800. Si usted tiene preguntas de este proyecto, favor de llamar a Lucy Lopez, con la Ciudad de Mesa al (480) 644-4431. Published: East Valley Tribune, May 2, 9, 2021 / 37
Watch for Garage Sales & Holiday Bazaars in Classifieds!
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.
You will find Garage Sales easy with their yellow background.
BETH HUNING City Engineer
Only $27.50 includes up to 1 week online
ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen City Clerk Published: East Valley Tribune, Apr 25, May 2, 2021 / 37893
Garage Sale Fri & Sat 7a-11am Household, clothes, kitchen items, furniture, electronics, mason jars, kid items, DVDs, MORE 555 W. Lane Dr Mesa
To place an ad please call:
480-898-6465 class@timespublications.com
It Only Takes Seconds to Drown. Always watch your child around water.
36
THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | MAY 2, 2021