The Mesa Tribune - Zone 2 - 8.29.2021 by Times Media Group

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Mask rage at MPS / P. 6

Cooper's Mesa gig / P. 3

Sunday, August 29. 2021

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

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Mesa tops a half million, but not Tucson BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor

here did everyone go? Even though the U.S. Census shows Mesa’s population grew to over a half million, solidifying its rank as the secondlargest city in Maricopa County...it was still a far cry from earlier projections. According to Census information released by the Maricopa Association of Governments,

Mesa’s of�icial new population is 504,258. That population is greater than the number of people who live in Pinal County (425,264), and second only in Maricopa County to powerhouse Phoenix (1,608,139). After Mesa comes Chandler (275,987), Gilbert (267,918), Glendale (248,325) and Scottsdale (241,631). Mesa’s population grew in the last decade by 65,217, a 15 percent increase from the 439,041 who were counted here in 2010.

Even so …. The of�icial number for 2020 is far below the U.S. Census 2019 estimate for Mesa of 518,012 – not to mention MAG’s previous estimate of around 550,000. Though some thought Mesa might challenge Tucson as the second-biggest city in the state, it’s not even close: The census counted 542,629 in Tucson.

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Mesa booster clubs hope for ‘normal’ season

NEWS ............................ 4 Sports betting is coming to Arizona in 10 days in a big way.

COMMUNITY ............. 18 At 88, Mesa nurse is still going strong.. COMMUNITY ............................... 18 BUSINESS ..................................... 21 OPINION .. ..................................... 23 SPORTS ........................................ 26 PUZZLES ...................................... 29 CLASSIFIED ................................. 30 Zone

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor

From left, Sara Peavler, Krystal Schmier, Kim Rowley and Leslie Heidrick, all members of the Red Mountain Football Touchdown Club, are hopeful for a more “normal” season after they estimated a 50 percent loss in revenue last year due to the pandemic. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff Photographer)

he COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on businesses last fall, forcing many to limit their donations and sponsorships for Mesa high school athletic programs. That led to a loss of funds for team booster clubs, which support the athletes and the program through sponsorships and other fundraisers. Many programs saw losses of nearly 50 percent from 2019 – an astronomical hit for some of the bigger teams. But as high school football season begins this week in Arizona, fall sports teams are preparing for what they hope will be a normal season due to the widespread availability of the vaccine. And boosters are hoping for better year in terms of revenue and the athletes’ overall well-being. “I’m excited for the kids because they get

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

The Mesa Tribune is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the East Valley.

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NEWS

Alice Cooper is ready to rock again in Mesa BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor

lice Cooper is almost literally “the grandfather of shock rock.” The grandfather part is legit, as he had Desiree, his 1-year-old granddaughter, on his lap during an interview. Now 73, Vincent Furnier started shocking audiences with a mixture of hard rock and wild stage antics (like a mock guillotine) more than a half-century ago. Alice Cooper (now his legal name) rocked out at live shows multiple nights a week since launching the band in Glendale in 1964, pausing only to get sober in the mid-1980s, after soaking himself in alcohol for decades. After his system was shocked by the liveconcert lockdown of the pandemic, Alice Cooper is ready to rock out once again. “We’re at the starting gate,” he said last week, from his Phoenix home. “We go back on tour Sept. 17, for 25 shows. Then, after Christmas break, we’ll be back out for our next run of six-to-seven months.” The west side native will sharpen his chops at an East Valley show. On Sept. 3, two weeks before playing the 5,000-seat Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, Alice Cooper will play a free show in Mesa. The 5:30 p.m. show is a grand opening for the Alice Cooper Solid Rock Teen Center at 122 N. Country Club Drive, where kids have been taking music, art and dance lessons since the center opened two months ago. The event will feature performances by the Joeys, Japhar Pullen, Moon Racer with Djimon, Solid Rock Dancers and several teen musicians from the Alice Cooper Rock Teen Center, in Phoenix. The show also kicks off the annual Proof is in the Pudding contest. Alice Cooper’s Proof is in the Pudding is a contest, with the winner landing a slot to open for Alice at his annual Christmas Pudding concert/fundraiser Dec. 4 at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix. Though the competition also paused for the pandemic last year, typically scores of bands and soloists join the competition. After the kickoff at the new Mesa teen center, the competition will continue over the next few months at venues around the Valley, including the Mesa Arts Center.

Alice Cooper admits he could have gone the way of ill-fated rock legends who died at an early age from excesses of one kind or another, but he decided, "I had to quit everything." (Special to the Tribune)

Since the professional musicians he tours with are spread out from Nashville to Switzerland, Cooper will be backed at the Mesa show by some of the more polished musicians from his teen centers. They’ll play hits like “School’s Out” and “I’m 18,” plus some covers of his rock-and-

Alice Cooper will present a live show in Mesa this Friday. (Special to the Tribune)

roll friends. “We stay within the Beatles-Stones classic rock stuff,” Cooper said. If he was 18 again, ready to start a band in 2021, what would Alice Cooper do? “Knowing what I know now, I would make the band sit and listen to Beatles songs. And then I would make them listen to the Yardbirds and the Who,” he said without hesitating. “And I would say, ‘OK, now let’s �ind something in between’... That’s what the Alice Cooper band did. And we threw in some ‘West Side Story,’ a little John Barry James Bond theme. We let a lot of things in�luence us.” It worked out pretty well. Alice Cooper has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Unlike Keith Moon, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and others from his party crowd, Cooper lived to enjoy his acclaim. Those others called their informal drinking club “The Hollywood Vampires,” a name Cooper uses for an all-star band featuring actor-rocker Johnny Depp and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry. Cooper said he was headed down the same path to an early cof�in. “I had to quit everything,” he said, re�lecting on nearly four decades of sobriety. “Never tried to slow down. If I got

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NEWS

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

Teams, tribes lining up sports betting here

BY JILL R. DORSON Sports Handle

s companies like Caesars, FanDuel, and Penn National Gaming build out sportsbooks at professional sports venues across the Valley, it’s no secret that sports betting is coming. And when it does, Arizona will be the biggest state in the West to launch live sports betting since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in May 2018. The Arizona Department of Gaming is targeting the �irst day of the NFL season, Sept. 9, to launch the �irst operators. And according to industry sources, many of the biggest, most well-known sports betting operators will be offering odds and taking bets. The Cardinals’ �irst game is set for Sept. 12 at the Tennessee Titans. The Arizona launch is poised to be the fourth in the U.S. this year – unless either Wyoming or South Dakota, both which are also moving toward offering live sports betting, get there �irst. In January, operators went live online in both Michigan and Virginia, and two North Carolina tribal casinos began taking bets in March. As legal sports betting has spread from Nevada to more than 30 other U.S. jurisdictions in the last three years, the western states have been a little behind the curve. And where sports betting is available, it’s not widely available. Lawmakers in Washington State legalized sports betting in March 2020 at brick-and-mortar locations only. The state regulator expects the �irst bets to be taken before the end of 2021. Live wagering west of the Mississippi is up and running in six states. In-person wagering is currently available at a handful of tribal sportsbooks in Oregon and New Mexico as well as at lottery-run kiosks throughout Montana, and in-person at handful of Arkansas venues. Consumers can wager on professional sports online/mobile in Oregon via the state’s lottery platform. Statewide mobile wagering is available in Colorado, Iowa, and Nevada, but the Arizona launch represents only the third new open, competitive market-

Stretching over 7,400 square feet, including an outdoor terrace, the FanDuel Sportsbook at Footprint Center will be fans’ one-stop-shop to enjoy Suns games and other sporting events around the world while placing wagers on the action. The sportsbook will feature five betting windows, and one VIP window, 40 HD televisions, a 35-foot video wall, an MVP Room and 26 self-service betting kiosks. The FanDuel Sportsbook will be open daily for patrons to place wagers on a wide variety of events throughout the year. (Courtesy of FanDuel) place west of the Mississippi since PAPSA was overturned.

Big population excites operators

With a population of just over seven million, Arizona will be the biggest western state to open for sports betting by a longshot. It doesn’t hurt that the state is home to a professional sports team from each of the four major leagues, hosts NASCAR events, is a PGA Tour stop and has a passionate college football fanbase. “We are very excited about the future in Arizona. During the NBA playoffs, the world learned that the state has one of the most passionate fan bases in the country,” Matt Prevost, chief revenue of�icer at BetMGM said. BetMGM has formed a partnership with the Arizona Cardinals and the Gila River Indian Community to offer sports betting at the team’s stadium and Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte and Vee Quiva casinos. “With that comes a lot of expectations and we look forward to delivering an above-and-beyond sports betting experience with unique mobile and retail activations throughout the state,” Prevost said. Arizona’s new law allows for a maximum 20 “event wagering operator” licenses, divided evenly among tribal casinos and professional sports teams/franchises.

Those with a license will be able to operate at least one retail sportsbook and up to two digital platforms. There are an additional 10 retail-only licenses available for the state’s horse racetracks and OTBs. Consumers will be able to wager on professional, college, and Olympic sports. The new law is broad enough that operators may ultimately be able to offer betting on things like the Academy Awards, Heisman Trophy, and other events that are not speci�ically tied to sports.

Major operators have partners

While Arizona will ultimately offer consumers myriad choices in who to bet with, the design of the law means that some tribal casinos won’t be able to offer sports betting. According to the ADG, 16 tribes applied for licenses, but under the law, there are only 10 available. On the pro sports side, there are seven teams/franchises that clearly �it the bill, but the ADG said it got 10 applications. The agency said it will let those who are approved for licenses know by Aug. 27. At a meeting on Aug. 24, the ADG con�irmed that approved daily fantasy operators can go live as early at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 28. Those that are licensed must also have received approval for internal controls and house rules from the ADG by 4 p.m. Aug. 27.

In addition, approved event wagering operators can begin offering consumers the chance to create and fund accounts beginning at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 28. Approved operators can also begin marketing to consumers at that time. So far, BetMGM, FanDuel, and Penn National Gaming, which operates digitally as Barstool Sportsbook, say they received license approval and Gila River Casinos on the tribal side. FanDuel, which was also approved as a daily fantasy sports operator, is partnered with the Phoenix Suns. Penn National Gaming is partnered with Phoenix Raceway. Operators have plans for brick-andmortar sportsbooks at professional venues – and some are also entitled to open a second location within a set distance of the stadium. FanDuel has already released renderings of a modern, state-of-the-art facility in the works at the Footprint Center while Caesars has plans to begin offering in-person wagering via kiosks at Chase Field as soon as possible. For the most part, operators plan to launch their mobile platforms on Sept. 9 with brick-and-mortar locations to follow. Sports betting companies partnered with tribes have been mostly mum about their license status, and the ADG is not releasing a list of applicants. The ADG said it would alert tribes by Aug. 16 if they made the �irst cut to be considered for a license. Industry sources say PointsBets’ partner the Yavapi-Apache Nation, which owns and operates the Cliff Castle Casino, made the �irst cut. It’s not clear how many of the other 15 also made the cut, but a total of nine tribes, including the Gila River Indian Community, have already announced sports betting partners. Arizona is among the �irst U.S. jurisdictions in which sportsbooks will exist at professional sports venues. Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena became the �irst pro venue in the country to accept wagers when it began doing so in the summer of 2020. And as of now, only Washington, D.C., Illinois, Maryland, and Arizona allow for sportsbooks in arenas. There are cur-

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

NEWS

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

New MPS mask policy infuriates some parents

BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor

o mask or not to mask remains a personal choice at Mesa Public Schools – with some notable new exceptions laid out at a heated meeting last week. Even after they were opened to the general public to attend in person, over the past few months only a handful of people typically attended Governing Board meetings. Not so last week. Dozens crammed the meeting room, with others waiting in the lobby. What almost everyone wanted to talk about: masks. The issue of mandated face coverings accelerated to hot button status. Just before the 2021-22 school year began, Gov. Doug Ducey signed a law forbidding districts from requiring students and staff to wear masks. A recent court ruling said that law does not begin until Sept. 29, prompting districts in Tempe, Phoenix and elsewhere to require masks. MPS started the school year by recommending masks. The largest district in the state did not change its general guidelines at Tuesday night’s board meeting, though several minor adjustments enraged the anti-maskers who attended. According to a presentation by Associate Superintendent Holly Williams, students will continue to have the option of wearing masks but “we will require masks on buses.” This, she noted, is a federal requirement “that just became known to us.” And, instead of a class being quarantined (nine classes or programs are currently studying at home), when several students in a class report being COVID-19 positive, those classes will be required to wear masks for 10 days “as a mitigation measure.” Board member Lara Ellingson asked if that can be implemented after Sept. 29, when a state law banning mask mandates in schools is scheduled to begin. “We made a commitment that we are following the law … we don’t know exactly what will happen after Sept. 29,” Superintendent Andi Fourlis said. MPS began the school year without an

MPS, the only large district not providing a “COVID dashboard” for statistics to begin the school year, will restart its dashboard. COVID data was shared at this week’s board meeting. (MPS) active “COVID dashboard” tracking statistics. But MPS will restart the dashboard as soon as this week. According to Williams, 568 students and 94 teachers/staff tested positive for COVID-19 in the �irst three weeks of school. Friday’s data shows 264 active student cases with 59 reported COVID cases among teachers/staff. Six classes or programs are “quarantined,” meaning they are learning from home for around 10 days. To view the dashboard: datastudio.google. com/.../ec542.../page/p_485jms4tmc Thirty people signed up to speak during the “public comments” section, which is at the end of meetings. The board doubled the total speaking time, from 15 to 30 minutes, but reduced the individual time from 3 minutes to 1

minute. This infuriated one speaker. “After sitting out there for three hours and watching you grandstand and then we get 60 seconds of scrap, I �ind this whole board appalling,” Chris Hamlet complained. Of the 35 speakers, slightly more than half were passionately against masks, with the others pleading to return to a mask mandate. Several students spoke against masks, saying they make learning and socializing more dif�icult. One called requiring masks “child abuse.” “It’s my job to decide if my children wear masks,” said one father. Others said masks have not been proven effective.

Thirty people waited for more than two hours to share their thoughts on masks with the MPS school board. A little more than half were staunchly against a mask requirement, with others begging the board to start making all students and staff wear masks. (MPS)

Several stressed this would best protect students and teachers. Judy Robbins, an MPS special education teacher, used “The Three Little Pigs” as a metaphor: “It taught us a strong defense is the best defense. Since the outset of the school year, our defense has not been strong enough … COVID is the big bad wolf.” Board President Jenny Richardson said she and the other board members received “hundreds and hundreds” of emails. “Many of them are requesting masks become mandatory, others want masks to remain optional,” Fourlis added. “Not all staff students and families will be satis�ied by our mitigation strategies,” the superintendent said. Williams said requiring masks in classrooms that have had multiple COVID cases is a change from the current quarantining policy that require students in those classes to learn from home for up to 10 days. Williams said she hopes this will slow the fast-spreading Delta variant. She gave an example of a sixth grade class that was quarantined after “four positives, including the teacher. “After four days, we got (up) to 10 positives. This is a much more contagious… virus,” Williams said. “We have cases in clusters.” Noting some schools have not had any COVID-19 cases, Williams said the new mask policy is a step before quarantining, which hopefully would be avoided. “As Dr. Fourlis said, the No. 1 goal is to keep kids in school,” Williams said. “We don’t want to do quarantines.” Williams said that masks would be required for all students in schools that approach a 3 percent positivity rate. “Today, we wouldn’t have any campuses that �it into that 3 percent,” she noted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided guidelines for operation of schools around the country, stating, “Consistent and correct mask use is especially important indoors and in crowded settings, when physical distancing cannot be maintained.” The CDC also states, “Passengers and drivers must wear a mask on school buses, including on buses operated by public and private school systems.” Williams said “there are some federal

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NEWS

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Both Cyndi Bowers, the president of the Mountain View High School booster club, and her son Jackson, a junior tight end, hope to see a normal football season this year. (Courtesy Troy Giles/Mountain View team photographer)

“We weren’t able to do any of that because of COVID,” Peavler said. “But we had families who would provide meals for the different position groups. There was some value in that because they would all go to a house as a group. Some of the parents re-

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to have a somewhat regular season,” said Sara Peavler, the president of the Red Mountain Football Touchdown Club. “I expect it to be much better than last year.” Peavler is in her �irst year as president of the Red Mountain Football Touchdown Club but spent time as a member in years past when her oldest son was part of the team. She has another son currently in eighth grade that will eventually join the Red Mountain football program, which she has come to love. Like most programs, Red Mountain’s boosters rely on sponsorships from businesses, sales at concession stands and selling stadium seats on Friday nights. But with limited attendance allowed at games last season – Mesa allowed four tickets to be sold per athlete –and concessions and other merchandise tables closed to avoid close contact, the program took a hit. Peavler reviewed the revenue loss last season and estimated it to be nearly 50 percent. Additionally, restaurants that usually host the Red Mountain football team for meals the day before every game couldn’t accommodate the varsity’s large roster.

ally enjoyed that so we will still do some of that this year.” Cyndi Bowers, a mother to 10 boys who have been in one extracurricular activity or another at Mountain View, said the Mountain View Toro Booster Club faced

C A S H some of the same challenges. “We didn’t get as many sponsors to buy banners on the �ield mainly because we weren’t sure if we would even have a season,” Bowers said. “We also sell a sports program we have at games but we couldn’t get sponsors for that, either. Even when we did have a season, we couldn’t sell merchandise and I know because ticket sales were down the athletic department at Mountain View took a hit also.” Bowers, who has served with the booster club in numerous roles for nearly 15 years, was treasurer last season before becoming president of the school’s entire booster club organization. The larger boosters organization serves more than just the football program. Across the board, the football, cheer and band and orchestra had a dif�icult time raising the type of money they had in year’s past due to the pandemic. Typically, Bowers said the club sells merchandise at home football games every week. But to limit interaction, that wasn’t allowed in 2020.

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NEWS

POPULATION �� 1

Jeffrey Robbins, Mesa Census administrator, took the news in cup-half-full stride. “The city of Mesa grew substantially over the last ten years and is now of�icially home to over half a million people,” Robbins said. “We remain the second-largest city in the Phoenix-Mesa metropolitan area and one of the largest 50 cities in the United States. Considering the explosive growth of Eastmark and Cadence, where some 20,000 people put down roots in the last �ive years, some might wonder if Mesa got “low-balled” by the counters. “Although the city of Mesa cannot speak to the accuracy of the 2020 U.S. Census or the estimates and projections used by the U.S. Census Bureau or other agencies, deviations are not unusual historically,”

MASKS �� 6

guidelines around that that are required and we’ve just come to learn those,” regarding masks on buses. She added those federal guidelines “include wearing masks on planes. School

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Like Peavler and Red Mountain, Bowers said “at least half” of the total revenue from 2019 wasn’t made in 2020. Both presidents are hopeful for a complete turnaround this year in terms of revenue. They both set lower revenue goals to counteract the losses from last season. In some instances, sponsorships have been easier to come by. They hope for

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

Robbins said. “We experienced similar estimate deviations in 2000 and 2010.” If the count was low, this might be �iled under “blame it on COVID.” “We recognize that the 2020 Census was conducted during unprecedented circumstances but we cannot speculate to what extent the pandemic may have affected Mesa’s population count,” Robbins said. Mesa’s self-response rate was 66.3 percent. Maricopa County’s response rate was 68.3 percent, the state response rate was 64.1 percent. The census triggers “redistricting,” the process of redrawing Mesa’s six City Council districts based on where people live. Mesa’s Redistricting Commission held multiple holding public meetings this month, including a Zoom meeting Aug. 25. Comments on redistricting can be emailed to redistricting@mesaaz.gov. ■ buses are called out speci�ically...That has just become known to us in recent weeks.” The Tribune asked the district for clari�ication on which guidelines Williams was quoting. Heidi Hurst, a district spokeswoman, responded the guidance is from “the Jan. 29 CDC order.” The order “re-

more revenue to come from other avenues with less restrictions. But it may not return to pre-pandemic levels just yet. Mesa Public Schools Athletic Director Tommy Eubanks said the district is limiting fan capacity to 75 percent for outdoor events such as football, cross country, golf and swim & dive. Indoor events, which include volleyball and badminton in the fall, will be limited to 50 percent capacity. “We started to see the trend of other dis-

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quired face masks to be worn by all people while on public transportation.” Meanwhile, “rapid COVID tests,” which provide almost instantaneous results, are coming to MPS. This week, Williams said each school will have a few dozen rapid tests, with

tricts sort of going in the same direction and we are just trying to be smart,” Eubanks said. “The most important thing is giving these kids a chance to play this year. It seems logical.” As of now, Mesa has not imposed a mask mandate for spectators at sporting events. The district did, however, issue a mandate for students on buses, which will also apply to athletic programs traveling to and from away contests. Eubanks, in his �irst year as district ath-

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Previous year estimates of Mesa’s population by the U.S. Census and Maricopa Association of Governments proved to be a bit high: The final count after the 2020 Census was 504,258, far lower than anticipated but still solidifying Mesa’s spot as the second-largest city in the county. (MAG)

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more being ordered. “We’re not forcing this test on anyone, it’s just an offer,” Williams noted. “This is the biggest bummer: that we’re having to allocate so many district resources toward COVID, again,” said Ellingson, a board member since January 2021. ■

letic director after he spent three years in the same position at Desert Vista High School in Ahwatukee, hopes for a “normal” year for high school sports. That includes more revenue for boosters like Red Mountain, Mountain View and others in the district. “We’ve been counting down the days to the season,” Bowers said. “You can feel the excitement throughout the team and throughout parents for a regular season.”■

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NEWS

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

Wild Horse Pass puts luxury sports betting at EV doorstep

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor

s Arizona prepares to launch sports betting Sept. 9, the Gila River Indian Community is poised to become one of the big players after teaming up with the gambling world’s biggest operators. The East Valley will be right on the doorstep of the tribe’s brick-and-mortar venues. While the Arizona Department of Gaming still must decide by the end of the month which of the 16 tribes competing for 10 licenses will be allowed to accept online and in-person bets on professional and college sports, a knowledgeable source said the GRIC is a sure bet to be one of the winning applicants. BetMGM announced earlier this month partnerships with Gila River Hotels & Casinos and the Arizona Cardinals, stating that besides digital betting, it will set up sportsbooks at the Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium and at Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte and Vee Quiva casinos. While online sports betting does a far greater business nationwide, retail sportsbooks’ revenue is nothing to sneeze at. And that’s why the brick-and-mortar sites will be offering more than, well, bricks, mortar and cashiers as they court both seasoned and amateur bettors on everything from professional and fantasy sports to less popular competitions like cricket, rugby and Swedish soccer. “You are correct in that betting alone does not do it,” said Dominic Orozco, the chief strategic marketing of�icer for Gila River Hotels & Casinos. “It’s an amenity thing that we wanted

SPORTS BETTING �� 4

rently two open in Washington, since the BetMGM began accepting bets at Nationals Field earlier this year. Jill R. Dorson is the managing editor at sportshandle.com, a national sports betting website that focuses on sports betting legislation and regulation. Dorson is a longtime newspaper sportswriter who covered everything from high school sports to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, but her specialty now is how sports betting is getting legalized and how it operates in different states across the U.S. ■

Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino will be moving Shula’s Steakhouse to make room for one of two sportsbooks on the sprawling casino’s second floor. (Special to the Tribune) to make sure we capture wholeheartedly,” Orozco continued, adding a sportsbook is “an additional amenity that we brought on to support …all the gaming things that we have.” And he said Wild Horse Pass Hotels & Casinos believes “we had to take this to a different level and not just offer betting.” The three GRIC casinos combined are

devoting 15,000 square feet of space to sportsbooks – two thirds of that at Wild Horse Pass Casino – though each will be offering a unique physical environment to attract bettors who want more than the thrill of a wager. And while the tribe and BetMGM will be ready to offer online wagering on Sept. 9, Orozco said it likely won’t be until Novem-

ber the betting parlors themselves will be fully operational, although something will be in place for on-site wagers. All this is occurring as commercial gaming revenue nationwide reached a record $13.6 billion in the second quarter of this year, according to the American Gaming Association. With nearly $24.8 billion generated to date for 2021, the association said this year is on track to overtake 2019 as “the highest-grossing year ever for commercial gaming revenue with revenue totaling $43.6 billion. The association also reported that while sports betting in the second quarter of this year declined by 8 percent to a mere $888 million because of “a quieter sports calendar,” it also reported: “The �irst half of 2021 has already generated more sports betting revenue ($1.8 billion) than all of 2020 ($1.5 billion).” Within the next �ive years, total annual revenue from sports betting is projected to quintuple. Gila River Hotels & Casinos has latched on to one of the big gorillas in the world of sports betting. During a quarterly earnings call Aug. 4, MGM President/CEO Bill Hornbuckle boasted, BetMGM remains a clear leader in iGaming, having reached a 30 percent market share in the second quarter.” Kenneth Manuel, Gila River Hotels & Casino CEO, called BetMGM “the king of sportsbooks” while Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Lewis said, “Building on the successful launch of our new table games at Wild Horse Pass, this

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Operators and partners Sports teams

Bally’s and WNBA Mercury *BetMGM and NFL Cardinals Caesars and MLB Diamondbacks DraftKings and TPC Scottsdale (PGA) *FanDuel and NBA Suns *Penn National Gaming/Barstool Sportsbook and Phoenix Raceway (NHL) * Have been approved for license and live sports betting The NHL Coyotes also had plans to apply for a license, but have not announced a partner.

Tribal Casinos

BetFred and Fort McDowell Yavapi BetMGM and Gila River Casinos BlueBet and Colorado River Tribes Caesars/Harrah’s and Ak-Chin Indian Community Kindred/Unibet and Fort Yuma Quechan PointsBet and Yavapi-Apache Nation Scienti�ic Games and Pascua-Yaqui Tribe TwinSpires and Tonto Apache WynnBET and San Carlos Apache

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

GAMBLE �� 10

new sports betting operation will now continue our successful implementation of our historic new Compact arrangement.” He was referring to the new agreement the state and Arizona tribes signed earlier this year that helped pave the way for sports betting. Orozco said Gila River Hotels & Casinos is spending more than $12 million to retro�it portions of its three venues so betters can have a worthwhile experience beyond placing bets and watching games. “We have taken areas of our casinos that haven’t been necessarily used or utilized for revenue-generating activities and are re-�itting them to be sports-betting. “You will �ind in these sports-betting parlors, these books, not only that the bar and food and beverage complement is there. You will �ind a different, more modernized, state-of-the-art type of sports book. So, what’s you’re typically seeing in Vegas is the old traditional type of sports

books…. This is a little bit different.” He said the books at all three casinos will be “a very open-air sports book” that will be “very welcoming to the �loor.” “We want to make sure our players can get their bets in as quick as possible, as things are happening,” Orozco said. At Wild Horse Pass Casino, two separate areas of the second �loor will have sports betting operations. To pave way for one of them, Shula’s Steak House is being relocated while the other space will be housed by what used to be the old disco called Chrome. In one, a 250-inch LED screen that can be subdivided into as many as nine quadrants for nine separate games will be the center of attention. “The viewing and the sound experience will be elevated,” Orozco said. “It’s more than just a couple speakers on the ceiling.” He said the screen will emit different colors at dramatic points in a game “so that if the Cardinals score a touchdown, you’ll see team colors.” One venue will have an “all-the-time-

GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

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available sports book” while side with the as from their comfortable seating areas. Orozco said the books at Lone Butte and giant screen “will be more spiritual,” OroVee Quiva will be able to accommodate zco said. “You have not only the viewing; you will about 250 people comfortably while its now have increased bars, you will have a �lagship Wild Horse Pass Casino book will dynamic food offering and we will incor- be able to handle 400 to 500 patrons. porate two blackjack table games inside And none of the TVs at any of the sports books will be smaller than 175 inches. the venue.” He said that casino also may have a And patrons will not only have their own “player interactive game” where staff menu but Wild Horse Pass also is working from, say, the Cardinals, will narrate from on kiosks from which sports book patrons a DJ booth the action on the screen; a real also will be able to order from any other DJ will provide music when games break restaurant within each casino for pickup to commercials. or delivery. Vee Quiva’s sports book will have an While it may take until early November outdoor patio “so folks can enjoy �ire pits to complete construction of the three caor their meals or whatever in an outdoor sinos’ books, Orozco said that by the time setting,” Orozco said. the whole NFL hits the �ield on Sept. 9, And at Lone Butte – the casino that typi- “we’re going live” with online betting and cally draws some of the heaviest gamblers some temporary physical area where peobecause of its location – the sports book ple can bet on games. Newbies to sports betting also will be will have a special VIP section with “special TVs and special views,” dedicated able to �ind some instructions on the �iner points of wagering not only online on Wild server and even special menu items. At all three sports books, patrons will be Horse Pass’ websites but also from live atable to place bets at cashier cagesNothingBundtCakes.com as well tendants. ■

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into a hospital, I was not going to slow down — I was going to quit. That was 39 years ago. “I was throwing up blood in the morning. A doctor said, ‘I would give you another month before you join your buddies.’” Cooper had been in the audience of enough rock-star funerals — and didn’t want to headline one. “I came out of the hospital and never had another thought about drinking. Or drugs. God performed a miracle. He said, ‘I’m going to move this out of your life.’” After drying out and getting used to being sober, Cooper started touring again. Where some rockers love to hit the road to get away from their spouses, Alice Cooper takes his wife with him: Sheryl Goddard, a dancer-choreographer, has been part of his act for years. The two have three adult children, daughters Sonora and Calico and son Dashiell, who followed his father’s footsteps as a rocker and fronts the band CO-OP. What advice did Alice Cooper give his son? “I told him, ‘The most important thing I

A Friday concert marks the grand opening of the Alice Cooper Solid Rock Teen Center in Mesa, where kids have been taking music, dance and art lessons since the center opened two months ago. (Special to the Tribune) can teach you is have an incredibly good Plan B.’ Not everyone's going to make it in music,” Cooper re�lect. “In fact, very few people make it in music.” Asked what his own backup plan was, back in the Sixties, Cooper laughed. “We had no Plan B!” he shouted. “We quit college and went to LA. We were not going to stop till we made it.” ■

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Mesa City Council returns to ‘live’ meetings

But it takes money to make money: Council also approved spending $60,000 to stock the DNA Crime Lab. “Supplies include reagents and consumables (plastics) to determine the quantity of DNA present, to make copies of the DNA, and to detect the DNA on genetic instruments.” Another $140,000 was approved for biochip kits for drug testing for Mesa’s forensic laboratory. Other contracts approved: • $500,000 for outdoor wireless access point replacements for the city’s free WiFi system. • $1 million for of�ice supplies, includ-

ing $130,000 for personal protective equipment. • Up to $6.8 million for fuel. • A plumbing contract “increase of $300,000 (to) allow for the Mesa City Plaza project to be completed.” • $65,000 to replace personal radiation detectors and accessories for the Mesa Fire and Medical Department that “will detect and localize radiation sources generated by man-made devices such as nuclear weapons, improvised nuclear devices, or radiological dispersal devices.” While Mesa continues with its City Council redistricting process, the city wel-

comes another district: Council voted for “the creation of the Don Jo Acres Irrigation Water Delivery District that is generally bound by West 7th Street on the north, West University Drive on the south, North Alma School Road on the west, and North Westwood on the east.” The formation of an irrigation water delivery district allows for improvements and performs maintenance and operations of an irrigation system. The district still must be approved by the county Board of Supervisors. On Nov. 4, 2019, 30 people attended a Don Jo Acres neighborhood meeting. According to the agenda, “During the meeting there was consensus among attendees to proceed with the formation of the IWDD for the bene�it of the neighborhood. There are approximately 65 lots affected by the proposed Don Jo Acres IWDD.” If approved by the county, this will be a special taxing district. A half-dozen similar small water districts are sprinkled throughout the city. Zoning requests granted by City Council ranged from .18 acres at Orange Tree Marketplace (to allow a small strip for parking) to 101 acres for an industrial business park across Loop 202 from the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. ■

bert, Fowler Elementary School District, Tempe Union High School District and the city of Glendale.” For those not versed in governmentspeak, Kevin Christopher, a city spokesman, helped translate: “The $6.8 million amount is Mesa’s annual spend only, which is expended and paid as the fuel is ordered and delivered. The other agencies’ quantities were built into the reverse auction, but each of the other agencies takes their annual spend to their governing bodies for approval separately.” A reverse … what?

“A reverse auction is a type of auction in which the traditional roles of buyer and seller are reversed,” Christopher explained. “Thus, there is one buyer and many potential sellers. “In an ordinary auction also known as a forward auction, buyers compete to obtain goods or services by offering increasingly higher prices. In contrast, in a reverse auction, the sellers compete to obtain business from the buyer and prices will typically decrease as the sellers underbid each other.” Christopher noted the $6.8 million �igure approved by Council is a high-

water mark. “We will probably spend about $3.6 million on the current (expiring) contract for Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. We asked for the higher amount because there are variables on how much fuel we use,” he said. He added the price Mesa pays is based on the weekly index price per gallon. “The index re�lects the oil market and fuel prices. We have had years where the price of fuel is very high and we’ve met the $6.8 million,” Christopher said. “This year, the price has been moderate in comparison.” ■

BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor

he �irst fully “live” Mesa City Council meeting in more than a year was uneventful. Mayor John Giles led the Aug. 23 meeting, the �irst since a six-week summer break. It was the �irst meeting the public was able to attend since May 2020, when the city closed public meetings due to the pandemic. Meetings continue to be shown on Channel 11 and the city’s Facebook page. Though one resident participated via phone (Cheryl Ross, who complained of airplane noise “all day and all night” in her neighborhood), no citizens attended the in person. The brief meeting blew through 48 agenda items in 15 minutes. The Mesa Police Department is making a little money for the city. Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with that will pay the Mesa PD $700,334 for one year of forensic laboratory services. Services include DNA pro�ile determination and blood spatter analysis. According to Police Chief Ken Cost, “Mesa is recognized locally and nationally as a model in the application of forensic services in law enforcement.”

The Mesa City Council held its first open-to-the-public meeting in more than a year... but no citizens attended the meeting in person. (City of Mesa)

City OKs $6.2 million gas-diesel fuel contract TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

Mesa city fuel contract sounded a little “high octane,” so to speak. “The Fleet Services Department and Purchasing recommend awarding the contract to the overall lowest, responsive and responsible bidder Western States Petroleum, Inc. at $6.8 million annually based on estimated usage,” according to a City Council memo. “The city bid this contract cooperatively as the lead agency. This contract will provide gasoline and diesel fuel for the city, Mesa Uni�ied School District, town of Gil-

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Eastmark lands really big �ish: Facebook BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor

hat was once a quarter billion dollar shot-in-the-desert (if not quite a shot-in-the-dark) is looking pretty good. Eastmark General Manager Dea McDonald has been part of the 3,200-acre master planned community since 2006. That’s when partner developers DMB and Brook�ield Residential shoveled $265 million into the pot to buy the former GM Desert Proving Grounds. “We bought the property at the height of the market,” McDonald recalled, with a knowing chuckle. The deal threatened to be a desert blowout when a real estate-tanking Great Recession landed in late 2007. But the veteran East Valley developers held their cards, slowly developing a prestigious community. As of Aug. 8th, 5,469 single-family homes have been sold in Eastmark. Another 1,300 houses are being built. On top of homes-for-sale, Eastmark has 463 units being rented, with another 824 rentals being built. The behind-the-curtain developers already were well on their way to making money. And then Eastmark drew a card that probably made DMB and Brook�ield call out “blackjack!” In the northwest corner of Eastmark, Facebook forked over $123.1 million for 396 acres.

The southeast Mesa community of Eastmark will be seeing a Facebook data center springing up within its boundaries and may eventually see a small hotel landing on 32 acres near its border with the Cadence community. (Special to the Tribune) Even with in�lation being factored in, Eastmark getting nearly half of what it paid for 3,200 acres after selling 12 percent of its land mass solidi�ies this as not just a master planned community, but a masterfully played one. “Cash on cash, it’s looking really good,” McDonald said. Eastmark’s northern border along Elliot Road is now bookmarked by two of the world’s biggest companies: Apple to the east, Facebook to the west. Both will be operating massive data centers. Apple’s has been operational for years. Facebook will be doing “cloud technology” here once its $800-millon data center is constructed. After City Council approved a deal for a

giant data center by an unnamed company two months ago, Facebook last week announced it was the company behind the deal. “More than a place to live,” Eastmark’s website promises, “Eastmark is a community built on rich connections and creativity. “It’s also a place to evolve.” The real estate equivalent of “evolve” is “spin” – which is what Eastmark did here. McDonald said the area Facebook bought was originally imagined as a large hotel. Then, when the economy tanked, Eastmark started looking at one of the sectors that seemed bullet-proof: high tech. The city was all in on the idea, helping create the Elliot Road Technology Cor-

who died in the desert in August 2013 after getting lost during a bike ride. He was 31, in great shape and had extensive experience in rugged terrain. Ferguson realized “not everyone has the resources to protect themselves from the dangers we face every day,” and vowed to help vulnerable people have access to water in the deadly summer months. Her drive has grown every year since she started it. “I’m so grateful to our caring community members who came together to honor my brother with so many donations of

water. This campaign truly saves lives and raises awareness about the dangers of the summer heat,” said Ferguson. For more information, visit bottlesforbill.org. Ferguson’s effort is part of the Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign, which has collected more than 200,000 bottles of water. The drive continues through Oct. 1. For a list of donation locations, visit mesaaz. gov/H2OMesa. “We have seen incredible generosity this summer by so many in our commu-

ridor. While the tech area includes nonEastmark land on the north side of Elliot Road, Eastmark landing Apple was the anchor and name-brand for the city to lure other major players. Meanwhile, Eastmark is circling back on the idea of a hotel, which McDonald said likely will land on 32 acres at Ellsworth and Ray roads near the EastmarkCadence border. Speaking of Cadence, the smaller community seems to have a big jump on the retail/restaurant front. While Eastmark residents have complained for years about a lack of sit-down restaurants, Cadence has plans for a brew pub, wine bar and restaurants. McDonald said Eastmark will rival Cadence with “something special in terms of restaurants and entertainment.” Asked for details, he said, “It’s too early to talk about what we have planned. “This is going to be a destination,” he promised. “Not only for our residents but for others. Hopefully a variety of food and beverage and entertainment and hospitality.” While those resident-friendly places are planned for the south end of Eastmark, the north end “still has lots of opportunities” for bigger, commercial operations. Indeed, there is plenty of undeveloped land between Facebook and Apple. But, with those two global superstars setting up shop along Eastmark’s border, McDonald saying “The Elliot Tech Corridor is shaping up nicely” is a bit of an understatement. ■

Mesa woman’s water drive a huge success TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

manda Ferguson’s annual “Bottles for Bill” drive to collect water for those in need hit the mark – and then some. “Our goal was to raise 75,000 bottles of water, and our �inal count donated to United Food Bank was 81,725 bottles,” she said. That was 40 pallets or two semitruckloads full of water bottles. The Mesa resident created the drive to pay tribute to her brother, Bill Grimmer,

nity to help people who are struggling. The need for donated water is even greater this year, which is why we are still encouraging you to pick up an extra case of water for the campaign the next time you are at the store,” said Mesa Mayor John Giles. He noted contributions of 84,965 bottles from the Eastmark community, 43,520 from Niagara Bottling, 38,330 from Walmart, 32,310 from Friendly Auto Centers, 27,872 from the Mesa Ro-

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

Amanda Ferguson collected 75,000 bottles of water in her annual drive to honor her brother, who died of dehydration after getting lost on a desert bike ride. (Special to the Tribune)

WATER �� 15

tary Club, 18,252 from Cigna and a donation of three pallets or 8,640 bottles of water from Fry’s Food Stores. To donate a pallet, contact Melissa Forrester at mforrester@unitedfoodbank.org. “United Food Bank is grateful for the donations of water and money for the campaign and we encourage residents to continue helping us during the remaining weeks of summer heat,” said Dave Richins,

United Food Bank CEO. “A �ive dollar donation or a case of water will save lives.” The Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign, which started in 2007, is a partnership involving the City of Mesa, nonpro�it agencies and businesses to provide supplies of water to those in need. The water is distributed through the United Food Bank to numerous nonprofit organizations in Mesa and throughout the valley including Paz de Cristo, Mesa United Way and A New Leaf-East Valley Men’s Center. ■

? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

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East Valley Children’s Theatre marks 25 years BY SRIANTHI PERERA Tribune Contributor

25-year-long love letter to creating, performing, growing and making friends that have become family. That’s how C. Lynn Johnson describes East Valley Children’s Theatre. The Gilbert woman’s talents run the gamut from theater hair stylist to playwright, all of which have won her awards. As a teen, she starred in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the theater’s �irst production. “EVCT has been family to me for 25 years,” she said. “It’s a safe space where I can play and create freely. It’s the place that I can say that outside of my family’s in�luence, shaped me into the person I am today. “From being one of the performers to myself then being one of those adults shaping the performers who came after me, it’s been an honor to be part of

The East Valley Children's Theatre is marking its 25th anniversary this year and has a full season of colorful, entertaining productions lined up at the Mesa Arts Center. (Special to the Tribune) EVCT’s impact on our community,” she added. For nearly 25 years, the Mesa-based

children’s theater has shepherded nearly 14,000 youth ages 5 to 18 who have donned costumes, assumed roles,

‘golden hour,’ which is the �irst hour after birth. Once the baby nurses in that �irst hour, I tell moms to put the baby down and rest.” Ucci gives advice and encouragement, but it’s up to families to decide what works best for them. “You have to adapt to your baby,” she said. She encourages both moms and dads to practice skin-to-skin contact with their new baby for the best bonding experience. “I do a lot of educating and supporting,” she added. Shannon Heronema Garcia, director of Women and Infant Services at Banner

Nurse Ellie Ucci helps Sarah and David Richards of Apache Junction with new son Holden at Banner Gateway Medical Center. (Courtesy of Banner Gateway)

Mesa nurse at Banner going strong at age 88 TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

t age 88 and with more than 60 years of nursing under her belt, nurse Ellie Ucci isn’t letting age or another COVID-19 surge slow her down. Last year she celebrated 40 years with Banner Health – and still works two to three days per week in the post-partum unit at Banner Gateway Medical Center. The Mesa resident says her “Italian heart and a strong faith in God” keep her going, but she also simply loves helping people, especially new parents. “I empower them – with tough love and a warm approach,” she said. “My top goal is to get babies nursing during that

walked, danced, sung and spoken their practiced words on stage. The nonpro�it has produced 86 shows and has grown from a single production and workshop in the �irst year to a full-service theater offering numerous additional programs, classes, camps and performance troupes among them. It’s also known for its playwriting contest, presenting original works for children annually. EVCT was an all-volunteer organization until two years ago, when it hired an of�ice manager and a bookkeeper. Its current annual budget is about $250,000 and its main donors have included The Boeing Co. of Mesa and Arizona Commission on the Arts. “I just enjoy working with the theater; I enjoy the kids,” said Karen Rolston, the producing artistic director who played a vital role in the theater’s development. Rolston, a teacher from Mesa Public Schools, Chandler-Gilbert Community

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

THEATER �� 18

College and Arizona State University, took on the theater in her retirement. Now that the 25th season is about to begin, she plans to retire in earnest. Also departing is Kathie McMahon, who served in many roles within the organization, the last as past president, head of the advisory board and marketing director. McMahon, who leads the 25th year anniversary celebration committee, observed, “From performing in a junior high auditorium to becoming a Founding Resident Company of the Mesa Arts Center; from rehearsal in a pre-school building to offering classes, troupes, camps, and performances in a four-suite studio; from an unknown theatre to a highly regarded, award-winning nonpro�it organization; it’s been a miraculous 20-plus years.” A professional musician, McMahon composed original music for seven of EVCT’s productions. She received six ariZoni nominations and four garnered awards. Parents enroll children in the theater for many reasons, but interest is perhaps key. Five years ago, Tre Moore of Mesa was enrolled in a musical theater summer camp. That was the beginning of a new passion for the now 17-year-old. “Theatre appeals to me because the possibilities are endless. Nothing is impossible in theatre. With the right amount of imagination, you can go just about anywhere,” said the self-confessed “completely unapologetic Broadway and musical theatre nerd.” Parent volunteer Marco Velasquez Sr. of Gilbert said that he enrolled his son, Marco Velasquez Jr. four years ago because he expressed a sincere interest in it. His daughter followed suit. Now 13, Marco is a seasoned thespian. He began at 9 with a performance with EVCT’s Performance Troupes and moved to stage productions for eight shows and participated in three virtual productions.

The East Valley Children's Theatre has garnered numerous awards for its talented casting and colorful stagecraft. (Special to the Tribune) Some non-theatre related skills last His 6-year-old sister Victoria, also a participant, performed in a cabaret much longer than the applause. Tre lists show and a production of Tales with learning the importance of teamwork, time management, adaptability and soBaba Yaga & A Bowl of Soup. Their father says it has been one of the ciability as part of his theater education. East Valley Children’s Theater was crebest decisions he’s made for his children ated when there was nothing similar in and his family. “EVCT provides a place where our chil- the area. Its precursor is the Chandler Children can perform, grow in con�idence and respect of theatre and their fellow dren’s Theatre, begun by Robert and performers, and experience true joy. It’s Patricia Goyer in 1994. They have since just such an incredible experience we’ve both passed. The organization dissolved after a been fortunate to have,” he said. “EVCT is so unique in that they’ve cre- few years, but the community-minded ated a community and home whereby group, which also included Angie Majed, our children are challenged, can grow in Christi Moffat, Hazel Morgan and Steve con�idence, and can experience such fun Furedy, decided to build it. In 1997, they reorganized it with a and beautiful experiences that we, as a family can also enjoy,” said Velasquez, grant from The Boeing Co. “There wasn’t anything like this at that who considers himself an unof�icial amtime. Now there are lots of children’s bassador for the organization. The theater has drawn some kids out theaters. In the late 1990s and the early 2000s, there wasn’t anything. It was imof their shell. “EVCT has shown me how to show up portant for them for something to be con�idently in a space, be myself, and not here,” Rolston recalled. In 2005, shows were moved to the worry about looking funny,” Tre said. “I have always been extroverted and out- prestigious stage at Mesa Arts Center. Rolston organized a playwriting congoing, but EVCT has de�initely kept that test around the same time due to a spark alive.

dearth of plays written for children with a focus on stories and fairy tales. “It has been so successful,” she said. The last competition received about 60 entries from around the world. Johnson is perhaps a poster child of how children’s theater can shape someone’s life. She has written about 10 of the plays that EVCT has performed over the years and has won original script AriZoni’s four times. “One of my favorite parts of writing for children is the out-of-the-box way they interpret my work,” Johnson said. “Kids are so creative and unencumbered by expectations and preconceived notions. They’re spongey-clay, soaking everything up and ready to be molded.” Everybody is equal on stage. “Everybody welcomes them and they can be themselves and not worry about being judged about who they were or where they come from,” Rolston said. “Theater is like that.” Even during the pandemic’s peak, EVCT managed to produce plays virtually, making good use of technology. “In a �ield where theatres open and close all the time, and especially during the last year-and-half when theaters went dark across the world, this feels like an almost miraculous milestone,” Johnson said. ■

Anniversary year

East Valley Children’s Theatre is celebrating its 25th anniversary season from Sept. 23 to June 26 at Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. Sept. 23-Oct. 3: The Clumsy Princess Dec. 2-12: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the musical Feb. 10-20: The Prince and the Pauper, the musical June 16-26: Marion and the Merry Men, A New Legend of Robin Hood. Season tickets cost $50 per person. Details: 480-756-3828 or evct.org

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NURSE �� 18

Gateway, called Ucci “an absolute ray of sunshine in our department. “She is so positive and happy to come to work. During the last peak of COVID, many of our RNs were asked to be ‘Helping Hands’ in other departments. She came by my of�ice after her shift as Helping Hands, and thanked me for allowing her to go to the oncology �loor and work with such delightful patients. “Ellie has a way of making your day with her sweet spirit and loving heart. I am so grateful to have Ellie in our department,” Heronema Garcia said. Ucci is a caregiver at heart. When she learned her husband’s health would do better in a drier climate, they relocated to Arizona from Illinois in 1978 with their three daughters. Ucci cared for her husband, who she calls

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her hero, until he passed away in 1990. “He was my one great love,” she said. In addition to working at Banner, Ucci spent 30 years as a school nurse with the Mesa Public Schools. She retired from there when she learned her then 17-yearold grandson had leukemia, so she could use her nursing experience to help care for him at home. She provided care and support to him throughout his four-year cancer journey, and he is now cancer free and thriving. Ucci is among four generations of her family who work at Banner Health. Her daughter, a grandson, granddaughter and great grandson also work in various positions. She said family and faith give her purpose in life. “I love my family, God and medicine,” she said. “I love what I do and do what I love.” ■

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Neurology Associates Neuroscience’s one-stop shop BY ALISON STANTON Tribune Contributor

s chief executive of�icer of Neurology Associates Neuroscience Center, Ali Hajaig has one key goal: to offer a comprehensive, all-in-one approach to outpatient neurological care. “I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for neurology patients to have access to a full-service clinic so they get all their outpatient care in the same place, from doctors and providers they know and trust,” Hajaig said. He is proud of NANC’s strong lineup of doctors and complementary providers. Hajaig understands that because neurology patients are often dealing with serious problems, from mental health struggles and chronic headaches to degenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, they usually do not want to spend a great

C. Andrew Sales MD, is on staff at Neurology Associates Neuroscience Center in Mesa.

(Special to the Tribune)

deal of time driving around the Valley to get care from separate providers.

“That’s stressful and time-consuming, especially if they’re relying on family members or other caregivers to transport them,” he said. “They want to go to one location for their neurological care. So, we provide that at either Chandler or Mesa.” NANC offers a number of neurological care services, including general and specialized neurology via board-certi�ied doctors who can handle a wide range of conditions, diseases and disorders. NANC also offers MRI exams at both of its locations. As Hajaig noted, the technicians who run the MRI machines are exceptionally good at helping claustrophobic and nervous patients to stay calm during the procedure. Because neurology patients can require mental health support in addition to care for their physical conditions, Hajaig said NANC also offers mental health care.

“As part of my goal to provide comprehensive neurological care, we have psychiatry and counseling in both locations,” he said. Because many neurology patients need physical therapy, NANC offers this service through methods including exercise, massage and heat. Naturopathic medicine approaches, cognitive rehabilitation and neuropsychological evaluations are also available at NANC. The latter involves an interview and standardized tests that allow clinical psychologists to identify a person’s strengths and weaknesses when it comes to ability and memory. Neurology Associates Neuroscience Center is located at 3308 N. Higley Road, Suite 103, Mesa, and 2201 W. Fairview Street, Suite 1, Chandler. For more information, call 480-800-4890 or visit neurologyassociates.com. ■

Former Grandy’s/Denny’s to become Fruitlandia BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor

“long-forgotten” spot on West Baseline and Alma School roads in Mesa may be reincarnated as a Fruitlandia Latin Treats restaurant. On Oct. 12, 1986, an ad in The Arizona Republic read: “Baseline Mesa Grandy’s, HARD WORKERS WANTED...Italian restaurant has immediate positions openings.” The restaurant later became a Denny’s, which in turn closed, leaving the building vacant and in disrepair. According to a letter by the developer to the city, the stand-alone building was constructed “in the mid-1980s as part of the Mesa Executive Park located on the southwest corner of Alma School and Baseline Roads.” Initially, plans called for “very large restaurant (10,000 square feet) slated with a considerable amount of parking to support that use. Later in 1984 due to a re-evalua-

The vacant building at Baseline and Alma School roads that was first a Grandy’s and later a Denny’s is on its way to becoming a Fruitlandia. (Special to the Tribune) tion of the market and the surrounding development this concept was deemed to not be viable and therefore a minor site plan was submitted to allow the development of Grandy’s restaurant and retail shops.” The Grandy plan approved by the city included a drive-thru. According to a request “to allow deviations from certain development standards for a limited service restaurant with drivethru facility” that the Board of Adjustment

approved Aug. 4, the Grandy’s later became a Denny’s and “the drive-through area was enclosed and made into more restaurant seating.” Daniel Cifuentes, of Cifuentes Studio, outlined his plan in a letter to the city on May 24, telling the Planning & Zoning staff: “Our proposal for this property seeks to do a few things for this long-forgotten parcel. 1. We would request to reactivate the original drive-through as part of renovat-

ing the building. “This would provide my client’s Fruitlandia Latin Treats business with the opportunity to provide both a stable business model (due to the ongoing concerns many food establishments have undergone during COVID-19) and also provide residents in the area with much needed fast casual/to-go food options.” Fruitlandia currently has two locations in Mesa, at 1011 South Gilbert Road and 351 North Country Club Drive. There are also Fruitlandias in Queen Creek, Phoenix and Tolleson. The Fruitlandia Latin Treats menu features shakes, piña coladas and other fancy drinks, as well as ceviche tostadas and nachos. Cifuentes said the new eatery would create 15-20 new jobs and “a clean, wellestablished restaurant environment that is safe, family-friendly and provides a wel-

�� GRANDY’S �� 22

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

GRANDY’S �� 21

come space to dine for people of all ages.” The developer added that the location is in a sorry state of disrepair. “The building has graf�iti damage, excessive buildup of trash from transient users … various broken clay shingles throughout and excessive damage to the existing stucco �inish,” Cifuentes wrote. He asked the Board of Adjustments “to allow us to change the existing building materials, colors, introduce a small outdoor patio and rehabilitate a drive through that was once operational on

the property.” At the same meeting, the Board of Adjustments approved a Starbucks drive-thru at North Stapley and East University drives. Legacy Sports is requesting a liquor license for its mammoth, under-construction sports complex in southeast Mesa at 6321 South Ellsworth Road. The request is for a Series 6 Bar License, which “provides on and off-sale retail privileges of all alcohol types.” Sloan Park, spring home of the Chicago Cubs, is requesting a transfer of the current license owned by Ovations Food to Levy Premium Food Services. ■

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Arizona’s most thankless job: school board member BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

ost of us like to believe we’re decent people. We give a few bucks to charity, we volunteer, maybe even help a friend move. But be real: There’s being a decent human and then there’s going above and beyond. Like by serving on your local school board. If there’s a volunteer role existent in Arizona today that I cannot wrap my head around, it’s that one. And the past year of headlines – full of protests, threats and extreme surliness – have only deepened my confusion. Our state has about 240 school boards and 1,200 board members. Each of them deserves a medal. Or our prayers. Because anyone who does that job for $0 a year deserves something in return. School board members begin their ca-

reers by running for election. You speak at public forums, knock on doors, stand in front of Safeway, anywhere you can meet a few voters, most of whom pay attention for 14 seconds before pushing past you like you’re a human turnstile. Then, say you win. That earns you the privilege of going to 25 or 30 weeknight meetings annually, many of which last for hours and involve a “call to the public.” If you’ve never been to a school board or municipal council meeting, lucky you. I’ve attended many, and trust me: Most members of the public who answer this call do so because no sane human being has ever listened to them for three minutes straight without dialing 911. It’s like open mike at an insane asylum, minus the lithium. And that was before COVID, before anti-mask protests, and before machinations over Critical Race Theory. Nowadays, your average school board meeting frequently resembles Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol. Minus the gun�ire – so far.

Down south near Tucson, the April 27 meeting of the Vail governing board required sheriff’s deputies before the meeting even started. About 150 antimaskers – some armed – stormed the meeting, pushing past school district employees, screaming and berating board members and refusing to wear masks, per Pima County’s mandate. “There was a handful of people – I don’t know exactly how many – who either don’t have kids in the school district, don’t live in the school district, don’t live in the county, who came with the express purpose of whipping up that group,” Supt. John Carruth told the Arizona Education News Service. Talk about needing more hobbies. The Litch�ield Elementary School District has degenerated into chaos over the passage of an “equity statement” last December. Since then, the Arizona Attorney General’s Of�ice has been involved and protests have become a regular feature of board meetings. Last week, Dr. Tara Armstead, the

school board’s only Black member, resigned and scorched the 12,000-student district on her way out the door. “I will not say thank you for the time that I served here,” said Armstead, “or express any gratitude or appreciation because, for the �ive months I have been here, I have been treated like I’m not an expert in the �ield and have no idea what I’m talking about.” The Scottsdale Uni�ied School District Governing Board has been equally protest-laden and chaotic. Last week, Board President Jann-Michael Greenburg lost his temper over the distribution of a neo Nazi comic book on some campuses. Greenburg stage whispered an expletive into a hot microphone. He later publicly apologized. “I’m very sorry about that,” Greenburg explained. “I have to admit it was done out of frustration in the moment.” The wonder is, more school board members don’t drop f-bombs. Or outright quit. Because there’s surely no more thankless job in this state. ■

a simpler and more sinister goal: the end of the USA as a democratic republic. While his immediate successor, Donald Trump, was widely viewed as “Disruptor-in-Chief,” it’s worth recalling that the Barack Obama of 2008 routinely pledged on the campaign trail to “fundamentally change America as we know it.” In many ways, he succeeded. From the enactment of Obamacare to the politicization of our military and intelligence apparatus, and on through the exploitation of racial disharmony, our 44th President lit long, slow fuses…now set to detonate. How does Mr. Obama avoid responsibility? Simple. He employs euphemisms and administers “verbal tranquilizers.” Though his mask may slip occasionally, such an occurrence is usually explained

away by an infatuated press corps. A recent example of Obama speaking softly and sticking it to Republicans can be found in his remarks to the American Library Association in late June. There, he was asked about his biggest concern for the future, and responded this way: “The degree to which misinformation is now disseminated at warp speed, in coordinated ways that we haven’t seen before.” The former president then expounded on his “concern” by quickly adding a political dimension: “And that the guardrails I thought were in place around many of our democratic institutions really depend upon the two parties agreeing to those ground rules, those guardrails. And that one of them right now doesn’t seem as connected to them.” Call it “accusation by insinuation and omission,” preceded by “indictment

through rede�inition.” All of it delivered in a calm, “thoughtful” manner. Translated into conservative context, Mr. Obama is basically saying this: “Let’s call investigative reports and assertions from the Right ‘misinformation’ so that they can be immediately discredited.” “Moreover, Republicans need to know their place! They need to return to the passive, polite people they used to be, accepting election irregularities for the ‘greater good,’ which of course keeps our side in power.” The Left has made it a priority to politicize the pandemic; that continues with the use of government funds following the “Obama Directive.” Check out this headline from the broadcasting trade journal Radio Ink in its Aug. 19 edition: “CPB Tar-

Biden is ‘�inishing the job’ for his former boss BY JD HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

arack Obama did not go gently into that good presidential retirement. While most of his predecessors departed once their “lease” at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue expired, Mr. Obama decided to remain. Now with his “Number Two” elevated to “Number One,” the former president sticks around with an up-close view and an important role in Joe Biden “�inishing the job,” as Mr. Obama put it in an interview with The New York Times. Sympathetic journalists take that to mean that the 46th President will work to complete the progressive policy goals envisioned by the 44th. Americans with a different political point of view fear the expression conveys

�� HAYWORTH �� 24

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OPINION

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

HAYWORTH �� 23

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU from Page 29

gets COVID Misinformation.” “The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is awarding $275,000 in emergency grants to public media stations to address COVID-19 misinformation in their communities,” reads the article’s lead sentence. While $275,000 is a pittance compared to the trillions the Left intends to spend, it does speak volumes about the way Government �inanced radio and television stations take their cues from the Democrat playbook. Of course, 10 days before those government grants were announced, Barack Obama celebrated his 60th Birthday with a lavish party on his $12 million, 29-acre Martha’s Vineyard Estate. Joe Biden was not invited; presumably, he was focused on ”�inishing the job.” ■

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Football Preview: Motivated roster at Red Mountain This is part two of a two-part series previewing the upcoming football season for Mesa high school teams.

BY DREW SCHOTT Tribune Staff Writer

n an August night in Mesa, the football program at Red Mountain High School practiced steps away from its renovated home. The Lions’ grass �ield, implanted in the 1980s, was removed in the summer and replaced with turf. With fans expected to return to the stands this summer, the inauguration of a new, upgraded playing venue is in order. Yet it is not the only celebration Red Mountain is looking forward to: the Lions want a title. Talent can be found across the roster, from junior wideouts Ja’Kobi Lane and Lenox Lawson to longtime starting linebacker Skylar Edmonds. Junior Carter Crispin is taking the reins under center, with senior Josiah Villanueva is back to lead the ground attack. A 3-4 season in 2020 was not the goal for the Lions. The pandemic removed spring and summer practice and allowed the coaching staff to meet with their players just a month before kickoff. Red Mountain is looking to change things this season. “You can talk and you can be talented, but now you gotta produce,” coach Mike Peterson said. “That’s what we’ve gotta get out of the boys, what we expect, and set a high standard. And then they need to meet it. Production is what we’re expecting out of them.” ‘ The Lions’ chase for a 6A title will be marked by Peterson’s tenets of high school football: playing together and playing fearless. Calling the game “the last bastion of team sports,” Peterson looks forward to seeing the skill of his roster on game day, as well as their ability to unify and overcome adversity. Additionally, Red Mountain’s players have another quality: familiarity.

Red Mountain coach Mike Peterson hangs his hat on the youth surrounding his football program, which includes several playmakers such as wideout Ja’Kobi Lane and athlete Lenox Lawson. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff) When he was younger, Crispin played football with Lane and Lawson, experiences that have contributed to the camaraderie of the offense thus far in the offseason. The connection between the three started when they were seven years old, and will be a key factor for the Lions’ aerial attack. Lawson, who reeled in 12 catches for 111 yards and one touchdown, will play in the slot this season as Lane and freshman Taveon Sueing take the outside receiver spots. “Ja’Kobi’s better at going up, mossing people,” Lawson said. “He got huge hands, tall. They know I’m faster and then Taveon… he’s kind of both.” The Lions’ receiving corps was boosted with the arrival of Sueing. Lane, who called him a “freak of nature,” said his raw talent is one of the most exciting parts of his game, but he is just one of a group of impressive underclassmen. According to Lane, what makes the younger players promising is that they watch their teammates perform, but do not try to imitate their moves in practice. Instead, players use agility and skills to build con�idence and develop their identities as athletes.

The underclassmen have also been working closely with the upperclassmen towards improving Red Mountain’s on�ield performance. This summer, practices focused largely on chemistry and working together on the �ield. On both offense and defense, players staying in sync has been a priority. “One thing we have to make sure of is make sure we go out of a game (not) regretting anything,” Edmonds, a captain, said. “We should go, every game, balls to the wall, going hard, regardless (of) who it is: Dobson to Liberty to Mountain View. We should come out the game either bloody, beat up or not even fazed because it’s something that easy to us.” Both during and out of practices, players have used the summer months to hone their individual craft. Looking to improve the mental aspect of his game, Lane spent time understanding coverages, improving his route running tree and learning to improvise once the ball is snapped. On weekends, Lane joins his longtime friends Crispin and Lawson to run routes and test drive an offense that Crispin said will prominently feature the junior wide receiver. The signal-caller, who said he

can “make all the throws,” will coordinate an offense that his head coach believes can create “big things.” Containing receivers who can run vertical routes and create space, as well as a running back who can grab checkdowns and screen passes, Red Mountain’s passing offense may be one of the top units in the East Valley. Crispin is aware of the responsibility, but says he has been waiting for the opportunity that awaits him throughout his entire football career. In the near future, there is another opportunity for him and the rest of his teammates to chase: bringing a championship home to East Brown Road. “It’s gonna be so much fun to get that youth feeling again when you’re playing with your guys,” Lane said. “It’s just a really good time winning football games.”

Mesa football programs

Mountain View A successful 6-2 season in 2020 has Mountain View on the road to success. With key pieces returning, the Toros will attempt to be in contention for a 6A title. Quarterback Willy Roberts returns after throwing for 877 yards and six touchdowns, as leading rusher Reese Marziale. Top target Jackson Bowers, a four-star tight end with offers from programs including Arizona State, Utah and Washington, looks to build on his sophomore season after hauling in 25 catches for 330 yards and four touchdowns. Leading tackler, defensive end Malaki Ta’ase, is back after registering 61 takedowns, seven tackles-for-loss and 13 sacks.

Desert Ridge After a dif�icult 2020 season, in which it went 1-5, Desert Ridge looks to �lip the script on last year’s campaign to improve its fortunes in Division 6A. Quarterback Hunter Maxwell is back after throwing for 250 yards and one touchdown and will likely succeed Aus-

�� PREVIEW �� 27

SPORTS

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

Carter Crispin is the next quarterback to take over the Red Mountain offense equipped with several weapons on the outside. But as coach Mike Peterson said, “now you gotta produce.” (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff)

PREVIEW �� 26

tin Kolb. Three of his top targets return in Lance Holtzclaw (186 yards), Jacob Condie (146 yards) and KJ Minie�ield (134 yards and one touchdown). On the ground, Kiyante James will likely receive the bulk of the carries after rushing for 156 yards. On defense, Holtzclaw, who also plays defensive end, is the only member of the team returning that has intercepted a pass. Cornerback Roman Mangini, who racked up 42 tackles, and Holtzclaw — who also had 27 takedowns, nine tackles-for-loss and two sacks, will help guide the Jaguars’ defense. Skyline The Coyotes are looking to rebuild after notching only two wins in 2020, including just one in their section — 6A East Valley. Under center will be Kade Steen, the only returning quarterback on the roster. Two rushers return from last season, who have combined for just 28 yards. Luke Delprete will likely be seen as the leader of the running backs, while Joey Sites returns after reeling in nine catches for 115 yards and one touchdown. On the other side of the ball, Jared Anderson was one of Skyline’s best defensive players in 2020 at linebacker. The

Coyotes’ defensive backs also have a great opportunity to prove themselves, since no player on the 2021 roster has an interception. ■

Have an interesting sports story?

Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@ timespublications.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

contemporary furniture & accessories

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In the very near future, Copenhagen will be announcing the opening of our brand new showroom, to be located in the heart of Gilbert’s thriving shopping district, and directly across from San Tan Village Mall. This newly constructed, 32,000 square foot showroom will offer inspiring furniture vignettes, with a specific focus on the contemporary and modern designs you’ve come to know at Copenhagen. Of course, our classic Scandinavian, our fine collection of teak furniture, as well as our fabulous collection of contemporary accessories, including art, rugs and lighting, will also be represented. This will undoubtedly be the area’s most unique furniture shopping experience. We can’t wait to show it off. On behalf of the entire Copenhagen team, we looking forward to seeing you very soon!

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

King Crossword ACROSS 1 4 7 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 22 23 27 29 31 34 35 37 38 39 41 45 47 48 52 53 54 55 56 57 58

Josh Reggae relative Paper packs NYC airport Stetson, e.g. DeGeneres of talk TV Einstein’s birthplace Everybody As well Orange variety Region I love (Lat.) Mimicked Billboards Chipmunk’s kin “That’s it!” The Ram Chaperones, usually Ring decision Vanished Pot brew Tree home Belly button type Conk out Fluctuating Mil. bigwig Craze Rebel Turner Swelled head Fake -- -cone Aachen article

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Contributor

C 42 43 44 45 46

Moved sideways Prolonged attack Choir member Singer Anita Within (Pref.)

48 49 50 51

Sudoku

hicken breast: You’ve baked it, fried it, grilled it, teriyaki-and-stirfried it. But eventually, we all seem to get to the same place. “Help! I need a new way to make chicken!” I’m coming to your rescue with a fantastic marinade for grilled chicken that also doubles as a spectacular salad dressing. You’ve never had chicken like this! The marinade/dressing was created by my chef mom for my two Italian restaurants. The grilled chicken panini sandwich and my Garbage Salad were

Ingredients: ½ cup good Marsala ½ cup balsamic vinegar 1 small clove garlic 1 tablespoon sweet yellow onion 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1 ¼ cups extra virgin olive oil

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 17 21 23 24 25 26 28 30 31 32 33 36 37 40

Ref Oom- -Year in Acapulco French diarist Anais

Make chicken breasts interesting again

Clumsy one Nome dome home Matt of Hollywood “Scram!” Sunflower State Top players Actress Russo Days of yore Carte lead-in Actor Gibson NBC show since 1975 Awestruck National symbol Chef’s garb Greek consonant Shoe width Hosp. workers Speck Sturdy tree Satchel Altar promise Sister Poker variety Formosa, today Short jackets

Directions: Place ingredients in blender except olive oil. While blender is on low, slowly pour olive oil into blender. Turn to medium, then high and blend for about 2 minutes. Dressing will thicken as it is blended and then chilled. Refrigerate. If separates, just whisk to combine. Makes about 2 cups of dressing. Will last in fridge for weeks.

PUZZLES ANSWERS on page 24

Jan’s Cooking Tips and Techniques: • The recipe says you can marinate for several hours or overnight. If possible, I would suggest letting the chicken marinate overnight, but it’s going to be delicious either way! • The marinade/dressing is also fantastic over grilled veggies. Simply brush the dressing over the veggies when you’re cooking them on the grill, in a pan or in the oven! • The recipe calls for “good” Marsala. By that I mean

two of the most popular items on my menu, both using this recipe.

For grilled chicken Make the marinade. Set some aside for salad dressing. Place chicken breasts in a glass or plastic container and pour marinade/dressing over chicken. Turn chicken to fully incorporate dressing. Cover and let sit for several hours or even better, overnight. When ready to grill, lift chicken from dressing and cook according to your desired method. (Grilled, pan seared or oven baked. I prefer grilled in a grill pan on the cooktop). Discard dressing that the chicken was marinating in. Salt and pepper or season chicken with your desired seasonings. Cook chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Serve chicken hot or cold. Delicious! real Marsala wine, not the bottle of “Cooking Marsala” in the baking section of the grocery store. A bottle of Marsala wine will cost about $6 and worth every drop! • With this marinade, the chicken will remain moist on the inside and so flavorful on the outside! Just remember to cook your chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. I can’t live without my meat thermometer--especially for chicken. It’s well worth the investment of just a couple of dollars! ■

THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

Employ ment

Obituaries H E A D STO N E S

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Employment General Production Work Chandler $14 per hour + Benefits. 800-879-7625 IntraEdge has multiple openings for Software Engineer (SE) positions in Chandler, AZ. SE candidates req US Masters degree/foreign equiv or bachelors degree + 5 yrs exp, w/ skills in Java,J2EE,JSP,SQL,Jav aScript,Oracle to analyze/dsgn/dev/implement/test systems & applics. Email resume to jobs@intraedge.com w/ ref no 2021-1919 directly on resume/cover & ref ad in EVT IntraEdge has multiple openings for Sr. Programmer Analyst in Chandler, AZ. Reqs US Bachelor degree/foreign (3 or 4 yr degree) equiv in Commerce/BusAdm/STEM field. Will accept combination of IT training/education/experience for equiv to ed req. Analyze/resolve/test/mo nitor/report on IT related projects using skills in HTML,CSS,C#,.Net, Unix,API. Email resume to jobs@intraedge.com w/ ref no 2021-2121 directly on resume & ref ad in EVT

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Employment General MetaSoftTech Solutions has openings for Software Engineers in Chandler, AZ area. Reqs US Masters degree/foreign equiv or Bach degree + 5 yrs experience w/ skills in Java/Salesforce/HTML/ Oracle/SQL to analyze/design/develop/ implement/test systems & applications. Email resume to applymst@gmail.com with ref # 2021-19 & ref EVT ad Logistics Coordinator in Scottsdale, AZ w/ Bach's in Business, Logistics, Supply Mgmt or related, to: provide daily reports; lead order status & order updates communication; coord call tags, cancellations, warranties & pick-ups; work w/ vendors & suppliers to improve shipping times; coord w/ diff facilities on warehousing & storage; dvlp detailed reports & analysis of supply chain; provide support in fulfilling orders; & manage inventory & supplies to ensure optimal JIT inventory mgmt system. To apply mail resumes to: Amerisleep, LLC. 7167 E Rancho Vista Dr, Ste 137, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. WE’RE ALWAYS HERE TO SERVE YOUR CLASSIFIED NEEDS

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Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Senior Solution Specialist, Enterprise Performance, EP-Oracle in Gilbert, AZ and various unanticipated Deloitte office locations & client sites nationally to drive Oracle software implementation services to help companies unlock the value of big technology investments as discrete services or comprehensive solutions. 15% travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. To apply visit https://jobs2.deloitte.com/us/en. Enter XBAL22FC0721GIL3715 in “Search jobs” field. EOE, including disability/veterans.

Apply in Person Peter Piper Pizza

Location: McDowell and Miller Road We are now hiring Full Time / Part Time, Team Members for Day, Evenings and Night positions. Apply at: 7607 E. McDowell Road Scottsdale, Az. 85257 (480) 947-9901 Located between Hayden Road and Scottsdale Road on the southwest corner of Miller Road.

THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

The East Valley Tribune

1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway #219 • Tempe, AZ 85282 480.898.6465 class@timespublications.com

Deadlines

Classifieds: Thursday 11am for Sunday Life Events: Thursday 10am for Sunday

The Place “To Find” Everything You Need | EastValleyTribune.com Employment General

Employment General

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. seeks Operations Manager in Tempe, AZ to supervise & develop commercial Field Technicians providing expert technical assistance to resolve roadblocks during electronic security installs & assist w/ complicated service requests. Ensure systems local, county, state, or federal codes & legal requirements are met. Requires: HS diploma, Valid state driver’s license w/out restrictions meeting FLEET requirements. 5 yrs exp. in electronic security industry installing, programming, &/or servicing on-site security systems in a commercial/construction setting & hold a valid state Security License. Demonstrated ability w/: Construction/engineering drawings & specifications, Legal requirements for security system installations in geographic area, Selection & training/development of technicians, Customer service, Troubleshooting systems similar to Lenel, ProWatch, Genetec, Milestone or Software House, Team management. Resume to: P. Bennison, 4666 S. Ash Ave., Ste. 101, Tempe, AZ 85282.

Sr. Test Engineer-Hybrid for Medtronic, Inc. in Tempe, AZ. Multiple positions available. Req. Master’s in Electrical Engr., Comp. Sys. Engr. or Biomedical Engr. & 2 yrs. exp. in Hybrid testing for medical device products. Must possess a min. 2 yrs. exp. w/each of the following: Software Apps. Development using Automated Test Equipment; PCB design using EDA tools to incl. OrCad, Altium & Pads; develop & debug software to test digital & mixed signal ICs using LabVIEW, C &amp; C++; utilizing Oscilloscopes, DMMs, SMUs, Power Supplies &amp; Differential Amps; Statistical Analysis incl. Gage R&amp;R, Equivalency Studies &amp; Accuracy Analysis; Bench characterization, root cause analysis, risk assessments & Failure mode effect analysis; Verification & Validation for test blocks, test procedures & reports; DFT techniques &amp; test protocols to incl. JTAG, SCAN, UART & SPI & working in a cleanroom environment. To apply, visit https://jobs.medtronic.com/ select Req. #21000LXJ. 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.

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS MAAX Spas is hiring Full Time v

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Technical Analyst – Reporting (Phoenix, AZ) Develop Cognos reporting environment, business data, data warehouse components, and data warehouse technologies. Support the software development lifecycle by designing and implementing data warehouse components, including data extracts, data marts and data stores to ensure high levels of data accuracy and availability for reporting and analysis. Implement high quality data components and Cognos reporting functionality in accordance with established company standards and best practices for development and maintenance. Participate in the development and review of business requirements related to data analysis and data reporting, while working with various business owners and other global IT resources to facilitate seamless consolidation of data globally across disparate source systems and databases. Design, develop and test reporting solutions, and develop technical documentation to ensure it accurately depicts software design and implementation. Perform adequate unit testing to ensure requirements have been met. Conduct quantitative analysis for competitive advantage, product profitability and insight event driven marketing initiatives. Provide technical feasibility analysis and delivery strategies. Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering or a closely related technical field and five years of software engineering experience with IBM Cognos business intelligence solutions, reports and modules required. Please apply to Williams Scotsman, Inc. at https://careers.willscot-mobilemini.com/.

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Announce

ments Prayer Announcements Thank You St. Jude For Prayers Answered - JRH

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THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

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THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

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Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems

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!

CALL US TODAY!

480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com

ROC# 256752

— Call Jason —

(602) 502-1655 Plumbing

HYDROJETTING

Painting

480-477-8842

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

480-338-4011

ROC#309706

East Valley PAINTERS

20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49

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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 Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM

All Water Purification Systems Voted #1 Plumber 3 Years In A Row OVER 1,000 5-STAR REVIEWS

Voted #1

Family Owned & Operated

SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY

ROC 3297740

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

• Old Paint & Chems.

Interior & Exterior Residential/Commercial Free Estimates Drywall Repairs Senior Discounts References Available

480-354-5802

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

• Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris

PAINTING

PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service

Painting

Now Accepting all major credit cards

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

480-405-7099 LEGAL NOTICES

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

THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

Pool Service / Repair

Juan Hernandez

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR

Public Notices

PHILLIPS

ROOFING LLC

showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL

FALL SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable

Family Owned and Operated 43 Years Experience in Arizona

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

Roofing

Licensed 2006 ROC 223367 Bonded Insured

Serving All Types Clean, Prompt, Friendly and Professional Service of Roofing: FREE ESTIMATES

Tiles & Shingles sunlandroofingllc@gmail.com Installation Repair Re-Roofing

602-471-2346

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

623-873-1626 Free Estimates Monday through Saturday

• • • •

Roofing

480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% NO Leak Guarantee Re-Roof & Roofing Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof

MonsoonRooﬁngInc.com

PhillipsRoofing.org PhillipsRoofing@cox.net

Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561

MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.EastValleyTribune.com

STATE OF WISCONSIN, CIRCUIT COURT, EAU CLAIRE COUNTY, Publication Summons and Notice (Small Claims) Case No. 21SC1020 Plaintiff: Heightts Finance Corp, 2605 W College Ave, Appleton, WI 54914 vs Defendant: Eloy Anthony Diaz and Theresa Marie Diaz 2733 N. Power Rd Ste. 102, Mesa, AZ 85215. Publication Summons and Notice of Filing TO THE PERSON(S) NAMED ABOVE AS DEFENDANT(S): You are being sued by the person(s) named above as Plaintiff(s). A copy of the claim has been sent to you at your address as stated in the caption above. The lawsuit will be heard in the following small claims court: County Courthouse Telephone Number of clerk of court: 715-839-4816 Courtroom/Room Number: Appear Via Zoom Address: 3 l 2-626-6799 Address: Meeting ID 968 7496 2866 Date: 9/21/21 Time: 9:30 am If you do not attend the hearing, the court may enter a judgment against you in favor of the person(s) suing you. A copy of the claim has been sent to you at your address as stated in the caption above. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate (property) you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property. You may have the option to Answer without appearing in court on the court date by filing a written Answer with the clerk of court before the court date. You must send a copy of your Answer to the Plaintiff(s) named above at their address. You may contact the clerk of court at the telephone number above to determine if there are other methods to answer a Small Claims complaint in that county. Plaintiff/Attorney: Wendy Ganzen Date: 8/25/21 920-733-1264 Published: East Valley Tribune, Aug. 29, 2021 / 40954

SpliSh SplaSh SongS ong

Roofing

Name these songs that have “Rain” in the title.

aOver 30 Years of Experience

BAND OR SINGER

aFamily Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers!

SONG TITLE

Eurythmics

____________________________

Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

Gene Kelly

____________________________

Prince

____________________________

Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING

The Weather Girls

____________________________

The Carpenters

____________________________

Blind Melon

____________________________

Barbra Streisand

____________________________

Adele

____________________________

Neil Sedaka

____________________________

Bob Dylan

____________________________

Guns N’ Roses

____________________________

480-446-7663 FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded

Answers Top to Bottom: Here Comes the Rain Again; Singin’ in the Rain; Purple Rain; It’s Raining Men; Rainy Days and Mondays; No Rain; Summer Rain; Don’t Rain on My Parade; Set Fire to the Rain; Laughter in the Rain; A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall; November Rain

Valley Wide Service

THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

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: SIGNAL BUTTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION 10950 E. ELLIOT ROAD PROJECT NO. CP0372 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 Signal Butte Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project. All qualified firms that are interested in providing these services are invited to submit their Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) in accordance with the requirements detailed in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The City of Mesa seeks to expand the existing Signal Butte Water Treatment Plant at the northeast corner of Signal Butte and Elliot Roads. The plant receives Colorado River water, supplied by the Central Arizona Project (CAP) Canal, and treats the water to drinking water standards. The plant’s current treatment capacity is 24 Million Gallons per Day (MGD), with this project expanding the plant to its ultimate capacity of treating 48 MGD. The project consists of the following scope: • Expansion of the raw water pressure and flow control facility; • Expansion of the raw water ozone contactor and pH adjustment; • Expansion of the ballasted flocculation facilities; • Expansion of the deep-bed biological filtration, including backwash and air-scour facilities; • Expansion of the residuals facilities, including recovered water basin and pumps, recovered water treatment, and mechanical dewatering; • Expansion of the chemical bulk storage, chemical feed systems, ozone generation, and sodium hypochlorite generation systems; • Expansion of the electrical distribution system, including improvements to the existing improvements to the electrical building and standby power generation; • Addition of a second 8-million-gallon reservoir. The estimated project cost is $70 million. The City anticipates the completion of construction in February 2025. The existing facility was brought online June 2018 and was designed with consideration of the upcoming expansion. A Pre-Submittal Conference will be held on September 16, 2021 at 10 am through Microsoft Teams. If you would like to participate, please send an email to Donna Horn (donna.horn@mesaaz.gov) and request an invitation. At this meeting, City staff will discuss the scope of work and general contract issues and respond to questions from the attendees. Attendance at the pre-submittal conference is not mandatory and all interested firms may submit a Statement of Qualifications whether or not they attend the conference. All interested firms are encouraged to attend the PreSubmittal 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-managerat-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 of the Statement of Qualifications in an unencrypted PDF format to Engineering-RFQ@mesaaz.gov by September 30, 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-servic e). 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 August 30, Sept 5, 2021 / 40825

THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | AUGUST 29, 2021

Arizona’s Resort-Style Home Builder

MASTER PLANNED CELEBRATED COMMUNITIES BY BLANDFORD HOMES

Award-winning Arizona builder for over 40 years. Blandford Homes specializes in building master planned environments with a variety of amenities, parks, and charm. You’ll find the perfect community to fit your lifestyle. A Stratford in Gilbert NOW SELLING

A Dramatic New Gated Community

Vintage Collection • From the mid $500’s • 480-895-2800 Craftsman Collection • From the mid $600’s • 480-988-2400

B Palma Brisa – In Ahwatukee Foothills NOW SELLING A Dramatic New Gated Community

Vintage Collection • From the low $600’s • 480-641-1800 Craftsman Collection • From the mid $700’s • 480-641-1800

C Belmont at Somerset – Prime Gilbert Location NOW SELLING Luxury estate homes and timeless architecture From the low $1,000,000’s • 480-895-6300

D Monteluna – Brand New Gated Community

in the Foothills of Northeast Mesa COMING LATE 2021

McKellips Rd just east of the Red Mountain 202 Fwy • From the $600’s

E Reserve at Red Rock – New Upscale Resort Community

C GERMANN

in the Foothills of Northeast Mesa COMING IN 2022 Stunning views of Red Mountain • From the $600’s

F Estates at Mandarin Grove – In the Citrus Groves of NE Mesa CLOSEOUT

11 luxury single-level estate homes with 3- to 6-car garages plus optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the mid $1,000,000’s • 480-750-3000

G Estates at Hermosa Ranch – In the Citrus Groves of NE Mesa CLOSEOUT

12 single-level homes on extra large homesites with 5- to 6-car garages plus optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the mid $1,000,000’s • 480-750-3000

BlandfordHomes.com Not all photos shown are representative of all communities. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice.

The Mesa Tribune - Zone 2 - 8.29.2021

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