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Ambulance expansion / P. 4

Golf on TV / P. 26

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

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TheMesaTribune.com Sunday, August 30, 2020

INSIDE This Week

Challenges loom as MPS maps partial reopening Sept. 14

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor

Assuming COVID-19 metrics for the district continue a downward trend, Mesa Public Schools is prepared to reopen campuses Sept. 14 for partial classroom learning. Parents and their children should prepare for a myriad of changes in the school day routine, ranging from a “non-negotiable” mandatory mask rule to a complex schedule that determines what students will be on campuses on what days. ���SCHOOLS ���� 2

BUSINESS .............. 14

Movie houses get green light to reopen.

GETOUT ................ 28

Wild Horse Pass plans ambitious expansion.

COMMUNITY ............................... 10 BUSINESS ..................................... 14 OPINION ....................................... 16 HEALTH & WELLNESS ............... 17 SPORTS ...................................... 26 GETOUT...................................... 28 PUZZLES ...................................... 29 CLASSIFIED ................................. 30

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A Mesa mom last week organized kids and parents to "heart attack" some schools to show support for teachers and the district. Read her story on page 10. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Sta Photographer)

Macie Schnepf, an 11-year-old Mesa girl, beat cancer at 8 years old and is now in need of a heart transplant as a result of her chemotherapy treatments. (Photo courtesy Schnepf family)

Mesa girl, 11, needs heart transplant after beating cancer at age 8

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Staff Writer

There isn’t much that can break 11-yearold Macie Schnepf’s spirit. Not Ewing’s Sarcoma, which she was diagnosed with in January 2017 and beat in November of the same year when she was only 8. And not her failing heart from sustaining nearly 20 rounds of rigorous chemotherapy treatments and many more blood transfusions as a result of the cancer treatments. Macie takes things one day at a time, �ighting against the odds stacked against her while �inding ways to comfort her worried parents and three younger siblings. Sarah and Jono Schnepf call their daughter “little warrior girl.” “She wants to �ight,” Sarah said. “She knows it’s scary and she knows what the surgery will be like and the medications she will have to be on. But she’s determined to keep �ighting. “We always tell her we wish we could trade places with her, but she always says, ‘no, I’ve done it before, and I can do it again.’” Macie was 8 when her right leg swelled up ���TRANSPLANT ���� 6

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2 NEWS THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 30, 2020 SCHOOLS ���� ���� 1 nor the state’s interpretation of virus Those changes were but a few that the data are mandatory. Governing Board and administration “What we heard plumbed in head-spinning fashion for four from our stakeholdhours. And even that amount of time left er conversations numerous questions by the board unanover the summer swered. from school leadThe length of the discussion re�lected ers is they wanted the complex task that has consumed Suto have �lexibility perintendent Dr. Andi Fourlis and her to work with their team as they continue trying to balance communities,’’ said the need for in-class learning with the Education Departneed to protect the lives and health of ment spokesman more than 50,000 children and thousands Ritchie Taylor, citof teachers and other employees. ing a belief that That task has been made no easier by the state should the most recent data on COVID-19 in the defer to the extent district released last Thursday by the possible to the loMaricopa County Public Health Departcally elected school ment and the seemingly contradictory inboard members terpretation of coronavirus data between the county and the state. “Mandates can work both ways,’’ The map showing the level of COVID-19 spread in Mesa Public Schools' district boundaires, released last Thursday by the county Public Health Department, shows coniditions are moderate and safe enough for partial in-classroom learning. (Maricopa County) While the data released last Thursday Taylor said. “We – two days after the Governing Board’s wanted schools to be able to decide, even All three districts are considered to be Wednesday is reserved for online learnmeeting – indicated the overall level of COif they met the benchmarks, that if they in the “moderate” category for the virus ing for all students as teachers work with VID-19 in the district was “moderate,” ZIP wanted to continue to do distance learn– which the county deems safe for partial small groups of pupils, hold of�ice hours, code data for Mesa showed four ZIP codes ing that they could make that decision for in-class instruction. plan course work and engage in profeswith a “substantial” virus level. themselves.’’ Under MPS’ plan, students can be in sional learning. Meanwhile, the state Health Services MPS’ partial reopening of campuses will classrooms two days a week and learn at The district also is surveying parents to Department said its interpretation of data be no less complicated than the interprehome the other three days. get a clear idea of how many want their statewide indicated that partial in-classtations of COVID-19 spread as the district The complicated part comes into play children in classrooms twice a week. An room learning was warranted in only four begins implementing a plan that Gilbert as the result of the need to reduce the earlier survey this summer indicated that counties in Arizona. Maricopa County is Public Schools will put in motion on Sept. number of students on campus on any three quarters of parents want in-class not among them. 8 as neighboring Higley opens for �ive-day given day. learning. Neither Maricopa County’s benchmarks classroom instruction the same day. To accomplish that, students will be diBoard President Elaine Miner called the vided into an “A” and overall plan “mind boggling,” telling Assis“B” schedule de�ined tant Superintendent Arlinda Mann, “The by the two halves of logistics, as you’re describing, that we’re the alphabet. The going to keep families together through all "A" group will be in levels – meaning elementary, junior high classrooms Monday and high school – sound impossible to me. and Thursday while Do you have software that’s going to �igure the "B" group will be that out?” on campus Tuesday Miner noted the many variables inand Friday. Parents volved in those logistics make it dif�icult are to be noti�ied to ensure that all children in the same which group their household will be going to school on the kids are in. same day. Since an undeShe also noted some parents may �ind termined number the district’s in-class schedule doesn’t of students are exagree with theirs. pected to remain in The bottom line, Miner said: “I also want all-online learning, to be realistic and let parents know that district of�icials exthere is not a guarantee that this is going pect less than half of to work out for everyone and that they a school’s total popneed to be understanding that we’re doulation would be on ing the best we can.” When COVID-19 data is broken down by Mesa's ZIP codes, the county health department's metrics show "substantial" virus spread in four campus on any of areas of the city. (Maricopa County) those four days. ���SCHOOLS ���� 3

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The content of any advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Tribune assumes no responsibility for the claims of any advertisement. © 2020 Strickbine Publishing, Inc. Mann said principals in high schools and junior highs would work with elementary schools to try to keep children from the same households on campuses on the same days. But she also conceded that may not work out for everyone. The district’s shift to partial in-class learning is being made possible by a continuing downward trend in the three benchmarks for COVID-19. The 12-day-old data are broken into three benchmarks that measure the number of positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, the percentage of positive results from new COVID-19 tests and the percentage of hospital visits with COVID-like symptoms. As of Aug. 27, MPS’ metrics for cases per 100,000 and for positive test results were in a “moderate,” or yellow, category – which the county says is acceptable for partial in-classroom learning. Hospital visits were in the “minimal” category. When all three categories are at that minimal, or green, level, the county advises that �ive-day in-class learning can be considered. The county also advises districts to monitor the weekly benchmarks to ensure there is no upward trend in any of the three categories. Fourlis told the Governing Board that unless some upward trend occurs in the next two weeks, the hybrid model can kick into gear Sept. 14. She said it’s uncertain when the district might begin full �ive-day in-class learning, but noted the district would give parents a two-week notice ahead of time. The Governing Board also discussed in great length how the school day on campus will be different. Masks will be mandated from the moment that yellow bus pulls up to the curb. “When the bus pulls up, the �irst thing the driver’s going to do is check for a mask,” said Assistant Superintendent Scott Thompson. “If a student’s not wearing a mask, we’re going to have masks available. Then Johnny’s going to basically proceed to the back of the bus. We’re going to load to the back so that kids aren’t walking past each other as they load onto the bus.” Students will sit apart from each other to ensure some social distancing. Asked by board member Marcie Hutchinson if monitors will ride the buses to ensure compliance with the mask and social distancing requirements, Thompson replied: “I’m going to say at this point hiring those folks, getting them trained and getting them on board will be a challenge. We’ll have to wait and see. Is it a possibility? Yes, when we have them. I can’t guarantee that at this moment. So, in essence what we’re seeing is that … the monitoring of the students and making sure that they’re following the protocols is going to be left up to the bus driver.” Thompson also said he hopes that parents and older students on the bus can be helpful. Unless they have received a medical waiver from the district, Associate Superintendent Holly Williams said, masks “are not negotiable” and required. Parents who refuse to wear a mask when they drop by a school will be told to wait outside. Williams added that the limited number of students on campus now in specialized learning programs have not balked at masks and that they understand their importance. She added there likely would be breaks during the day when students As they went over the protocols that will govern students’ movements on campus, the intensive cleaning and sanitizing routines and how the district will handle a COVID outbreak in a school, Hutchinson raised another issue that also was cited by several parents in emails – ventilation. “As we learn more about this virus,” Hutchinson said, “we know that it’s airborne and that being airborne, it can provide many pathways of contagion even between classrooms. And so, I too am concerned about poor ventilation and extremely long exposure times particularly because it’s hot and we’re going to be using air conditioning for a very long time.” She noted many of MPS’s schools have no windows – a concern expressed at board meetings recently in other districts. Thompson said, “We’ve put a heavy investment into upgrading our systems. Millions of dollars have been spent replacing air conditioning systems this summer throughout the district in multiple locations.” Unlike other districts and businesses such as movie houses that have switched to highly effective MERV 13 air �ilters, Thompson said MPS can’t use them. “We are unable to use those �ilters because they restrict the air�low so signi�icantly that they would cause damage and

NEWS 3

can result in our systems failing,” he said. He said that while researchers have found COVID-19 in ventilation systems, “it is not transmitted that way.” “It doesn’t mean we just ignore it but there has not been a de�initive scienti�ic proof it is being passed through the ventilation system,” Thompson continued, noting the CDC recommends fresh air. He likened schools’ air-conditioning systems to those in vehicles, where the air is recycled until it reaches a speci�ied temperature and then begins drawing in fresh air. But he conceded “that’s going to be tricky” with Arizona’s hot temperatures. “It takes a lot of mechanical systems working at their highest ef�iciency to do that and you can only bring in so much fresh air at that point,” he continued, adding: “As of things cool down, we will be able to bring more fresh air in but I can’t say today, in August, that we’ll be bringing in more fresh air because it will ultimately lead to the room heating up.” And that, he said, would impact body temperatures and compromise people’s immune system. “It goes back to our mask policy because it’s about COVID-19 becoming airborne and if the masks are helping with that, then we are less likely to have those droplets being sucked up into our air conditioning systems and then dispersed into other areas," Thompson said. "But at the end of the day, I can’t guarantee anybody that something like that can’t happen. These are just the facts on the ground and people will have to make decisions about what they feel comfortable with regards to our buildings.” As for ventilation on buses, he later said, “We’re going to have the AC running… We’re going to try to keep as much fresh air coming in and will crack a few windows just slightly.” Thompson's explanation prompted Hutchinson to note that there are no solid guarantees against virus spread and that when it comes to having children breathing that air in a classroom, “it’s going to have to be a parental decision.” 

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

4 NEWS THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 30, 2020 Mesa wading deeper into ambulance service

BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer

For at least 15 years, Mesa �ire of�icials have contemplated launching their own ambulance service but have always held back, deferring to the private sector. That was when Southwest Ambulance was based in Mesa and the service provided met Mesa’s standards. But the company is long gone, swallowed up by corporate mergers. Now, things have changed. With a long-term contract with industry giant American Medical Response, or AMR, about to expire at the end of November, Mesa is exploring its options. While no �inal decision has been made, the Mesa City Council is expected to authorize the purchase of six new ambulances on Monday, Aug. 31, at a cost of $1.6 million, doubling the city’s �leet to 12. The move comes almost a week after Gilbert Town Council did the same thing, voting to purchase six ambulances and replace AMR – a move that company of�icials called unwarranted. Candace Cannistraro, Mesa’s management and budget director, said the funding comes from the Ambulance Transport Fund that cromprises revenue generated from patients using the service. She said the city has three ambulances in use, working 12-hour shifts staffed by one civilian paramedic and one civilian emergency medical technician. Three more units are expected to go into service in December. Purchasing the additional ambulances puts Mesa in a strong negotiating position with AMR, at minimum, and appears to lay even more of a foundation for the Mesa Fire and Medical Department to launch a potential service of its own. “Our philosophy was, if the contractor provided the service, there was no need to get into the ambulance business,’’ said Gary Bradbury, a long-time Mesa �ire�ighter who supervised the ambulance contract for years. “Mesa has been very conservative about getting into that process and moving a service from the private sector to the public sector,’’ Bradbury said. But he said dealing with a large company like AMR can be different from dealing

to respond to 911 calls and not to t r a n s p o r t p a t i e n t s from one facility to another as AMR also does. “Anytime you add ambulances to the system, it will Mesa Fire Chief Mary Camelia said the additional ambulances Mesa will likely buy will provide better service to residents. (Special to the Tribune) allow us to get to calls with a locally-based company like Southquicker,’’ Cameli said. west Ambulance. Mesa Fire has always considered itself a Bradbury launched his own ambulance leader in innovation. service when he was Rio Verde’s �ire chief, Of�icials have placed behavioral health after private contractors weren’t willing to counselors on some units to handle mencooperate. tal health issues and hope to add nurse “I think it’s a choice issue,’’ Bradbury said. practitioners if a partner can be secured “They are at least halfway to having the amand a federal grant can be obtained. bulances they need’’ after the ambulance Deputy Fire Chief Forrest Smith said purchase. “They could get the ambulance that AMR typically handles about 34,000 service going in short order. In 90 days, they ambulance calls a year in Mesa while city could be up and running,’’ he said. units respond to about 4,000. Mesa would need to double that �leet While Vice Mayor Mark Freeman said again, with at least 22 ambulances, to his understanding is that the Mesa ambulaunch such a service, Fire Chief Mary lance service is self-sustaining, Smith said Cameli said. the �inancial cost is still being analyzed. But that only would happen after a Cameli said that operating the new thorough �inancial study by the city’s ambulances will generate more data for management and a decision by the counreview before the city determines its cil, she said. next step. “It’s a work in progress. No decisions have “At this time, we are focusing on the been made,’’ Cameli said. “We can be �lexoperations of the program, the service ible and look at our options in the future.’’ delivery, and in providing quality patient She said the ambulance service being care. We are still in the process of evaluatprovided by Mesa directly is part of a piing the �inancial aspects of the program,’’ lot program started with six ambulances Smith wrote. in 2018. Freeman, a retired Mesa paramedic, said The city-operated ambulances primarily he is excited about the prospect of Mesa serve west Mesa on mostly low acuity, or operating its own ambulance service. non-life-threatening calls. He said all new Mesa �ire stations, inBut if a Mesa unit is closer than an AMR cluding station 211 in east Mesa, are deunit, the Mesa unit is dispatched to handle signed to accommodate an ambulance and the more serious calls, Cameli said. an ambulance crew. “We’ve been talking to them’’ about exThe wording on the council’s agenda tending the contract, Cameli said, but it for Monday night says, “this purchase is may be on a year-to-year basis rather than in support of the transition of providing a long-term basis. Basic Life Support and Advanced Life SupCameli stressed that all Mesa ambuport to the city.’’ lances, including the new ones when they Freeman said a contract extension with go into service, will be used exclusively AMR would help provide a seamless transition, if Mesa decided to run its own service. He said AMR might also be used to back�ill Mesa’s system when units are tied up on calls or down for maintenance. “I’m excited to say the least,’’ Freeman said. “They will respond directly out of the �ire stations. It will be a fast service.’’ Freeman looks at a city-run ambulance service as an improvement in addressing the needs of Mesa residents, saying Mesa would gain control over the ambulance service by supervising crews as city employees. But he also said he doesn’t want to create a burden on taxpayers. “As long as it’s self-sustaining, I’m on board,’’ Freeman said. Matt Zavadsky, chief strategic integration of�icer at MedStar in Fort Worth, TX., urged Mesa to use extreme caution before launching its own service. He said �ire-department based ambulance services are typically far more expensive and less ef�icient than private companies. Medstar is unique as a public utility that serves 14 North Texas cities. “The decision about whether you provide your ambulance service needs to be considered very carefully. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly,’’ Zavadsky said. “The �inancial obligations are signi�icant.’’ He said MedStar is the lowest cost ambulance provider in Texas, averaging $403 per transport, compared with a statewide average of $1,900, with �ire-based services costing as much as $2,700. “The 911 calls are big losers for �ire companies,’’ he said, noting only about 10 percent falling into the advanced life support category that is reimbursed by Medicare. Texas statistics provided by Zavadsky show the average charge per trip was $1,169 for �ire department- based emergency medical service, compared with $1,390 for non-�ire-based services. The average cost per trip was $2,208 for the �ire department services compared with $935 for the non-�ire department service. He said MedStar’s ef�iciencies are achieved by staf�ing based on peak and off-peak times, and by combining 911-related trips to the hospital with facility to facility patient transfers. “A community should take into account the cost -bene�it analysis,’’ Zavadsky said. 

and she was unable to walk. The family was on a quick trip to Idaho when she started experiencing the abnormal symptoms. She had to be carried off the plane and transported quickly to a hospital, where doctors ran tests and discovered the growing tumor on her �ibula. Sarah said the tumor grew at an alarming rate, nearly a quarter to half of an inch per day. In a short period of time, it had grown to the size of a softball. Doctors removed the tumor – which also resulted in the removal of most of her �ibula and surrounding muscle tissues. Ewing’s Sarcoma attacks both the bone and tissue around it. At times, it can spread further. However, the Schnepfs had caught it beforehand and kept it limited to just her right leg. Several inpatient stays, chemotherapy treatments, blood transfusions, biopsies and surgeries followed. One chemo treatment, nicknamed “the red devil,” turned Macie’s sweat and tears red because of its toxicity. But it did its job and helped her become cancer free in April 2017. She was fully cleared from all cancer treatments seven months later in November. Treatment damaged her heart. “The chemo that damaged her heart did its job, it killed the cancer,” Sarah said. “But it unfortunately took a toll on her heart. Her echocardiogram never returned to normal.” It took Macie nearly two years to learn to walk again. Her love for swimming and desire to compete for Mesa Aquatic Club again fueled her and her ability to power through physical therapy. She was eventually able to return to the pool, which Sarah believes kept her healthy. In July she went in for a routine checkup at Cardon’s Children Medical Center, now known as Banner Children’s at Desert, in Mesa. Her doctors came in after tests were run and told the family to immediately admit her into the Intensive Care Unit. Her heart rate had spiked to over 150 beats per minute while her

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the Schnepf family with medical costs and to set up a savings account for Macie to use for future medical expenses.(Photo courtesy Schnepf family)

blood pressure dropped. day. Sarah said that is keeping her heart in It was quickly determined she was enstable condition for now. tering heart failure and would need a “My husband and I have gone through transplant. She was transferred last week extensive training to monitor her,” Sarah to Phoenix Chilsaid. “We are able dren’s Hospital. to take her to doc“She went to a doctor appointI can’t imagine being tor appointments, but if she declines, ment and never 11 years old and going we will have to go got to come home until this past through what she is and back to PCH and wait inpatient for a weekend,” Sarah making sure everyone else new heart. said. “It was hard. Everything was around me is alright. Sarah describes Macie as someone taken away from who is well beyond her overnight.” her years. Even After yet another while she battled long stay at a hospital, Macie was able to cancer, she understood the situation return home to await a new heart. Doctors could have resulted in death. told her family it could be a month to two She grew to accept what she was going months – or longer – before one became through. Sarah said Macie was unhappy at available. She is currently connected to a �irst to shave her head. IV that injects medicine throughout the But just a short time later sent a video

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 30, 2020 to her family of her pulling off her beanie, accepting her new look. She continued to embrace her bald head while going through chemotherapy, often accessorizing with a bow instead of a wig. The family often used a butter�ly as a symbol of their battle, cocooning into a new life that they will overcome. Now, however, Macie prefers sea turtles. While slow, they always reach their destination, she told her parents. She is con�ident that she, too, will reach her destination and overcome more adversity, even if it takes some time. “Macie told me, ‘they take it slow, but they always glide through,’” Sarah recalled. “She’s really done that. Her doctors said she has taken things slow. It took a couple of weeks to get her stable. We are hoping slow and steady wins the race.” Macie spends most of her day in bed, drained of energy from treatments. When she is able, though, she spends as much time with her siblings as possible. They often play with dolls in her room. Sarah, who is 17 weeks pregnant, said it’s been tough on Macie’s siblings to see her go through a dif�icult time. But the siblings feed off her strength – as do her parents. Even when they feel like breaking down as parents, she motivates them to push through. “I can’t imagine being 11 years old and going through what she is and making sure everyone else around me is alright,” Sarah said. “Sometimes we worry because God always calls the good ones home. She is too perfect. “We walked through �ire once. We can do it again.” 

A GoFundMe has been set up to help with medical expenses and to set up a bank account for Macie. Doctors say medical expenses will continue to increase throughout her life due to medications. To donate, visit gf.me/u/yrxvn3.

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

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 30, 2020 NEWS

Shortened Spring Training season cost region millions

BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer

The 2020 Cactus League season was on its way to slamming another home run for Arizona’s economy before the ball seemingly struck a tall new wall named COVID-19 and nosedived, according to a study released last week. COVID-19 was an insurmountable obstacle but even the abbreviated season produced an estimated economic impact of $363.6 million, according to a study by the L. William Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. A similar study in 2018 found an estimated economic impact of $644.2 million. “Even with a severely curtailed season, the Cactus League delivered signi�icant economic bene�it for Arizona,” Cactus League President Chris Calcaterra said. “The pandemic’s impact on the state’s tourism industry has made it abundantly clear that we can’t take Spring Training for granted.” League Executive Director Bridget Binsbacher said the study shows the substantial return on the investment in Cactus League facilities, which have been criticized from time to time for their cost. But the shutdown gave Arizona a reminder of what it would be like economically without the Cactus League, one of the state’s greatest economic assets, she said. “There’s no new threat under our noses but we can’t take it for granted,’’ Binsbacher said. “We’re up there with the Super Bowl and the Final Four, and we do it year after year,’’ she added. “I think our communities sometimes think it’s automatic and it’s not.’’ Because Mesa hosts two teams at two different city-owned stadiums, the Cubs at Sloan Park and the Oakland Athletics at Hohokam Stadium, the impact may have been even more severe in the East Valley’s largest city. The Cubs traditionally are the league’s attendance champions, luring coveted out-of-state fans from the frozen Midwest annually to pack Cactus League stadiums and to spend plenty of money on vacation. The league’s attendance dropped to 912,956 fans, with 139 of 237 scheduled games played. Last year, the Cubs once again were the league’s meal ticket, drawing 250,893, while the league overall drew 1,737,9975, a slight decline from 2018. About six out of 10 fans come from outof-state, the study concluded. The median Cactus League party (excluding Maricopa and Pinal residents) attended three games and spent $335.71 per day. Out-ofstate and international visitors stayed in the Valley a median of �ive days. A Mesa budget of�icial has described the Cactus League as a “second Christmas’’ for the city in high season sales and bed tax revenue. The shutdown shocked the Mesa HoHoKams, who annually sponsor the Cubs and Athletics in spring training. “We didn’t know what to do. They basically just shut down. It was pretty drastic from our standpoint,’’ said Steve Adams, the HoHoKams new president. The timing was especially bad as the shutdown came just as the weather warmed up and sellout crowds started being recorded with fans from the Midwest arriving for the month on March 1, he said. “Over the years, the �irst part of the season is really slow, especially when we start in February,’’ Adams said. Now, the HoHoKams are like everyone else in the Cactus League – hoping a proven vaccine will arrive in time so that fans can return next year. He said teams are using computer models to set up contingency plans to accommodate social distancing if necessary. The worst-case scenario would be something similar to this MLB regular season, with Cactus League games played for the purpose of getting players into condition, but without fans. “Our hope is that there’s a good vaccine and we can start �illing up the ballparks

Fire mountain

again,’’ Adams said. “I’m hoping to get close to unrestricted,’’ with maybe only party decks shut down. Michelle Streeter, a spokesperson for Visit Mesa, the city’s tourism arm, is also hoping for a rebound in 2021. “No one in the visitor industry could have anticipated the drastic and immediate impacts the threat of novel coronavirus would have on all we do and all we measure,” she said. “Visit Mesa was amid yet another record-breaking year of booked hotel room nights. Like so many of our dedicated Mesa businesses and visitor industry colleagues, Arizona’s tourism community was in full throttle last March. “We are proud of the efforts we did enact to continue to support Mesa during the shutdown and know the measures taken were to protect our valued guests, many of which were spring training baseball fans, and our citizens.” 

The lightning-caused fi re that erupted Aug. 20 has produced an eerie spectacle at night for many East Mesa and other residents. Don Lawrence caught this scene several days ago. By the Tribune's deadline Friday, the blaze had zero containment but fi refi ghters kept the fi re away from Apache Junction and other communities while they worked in excessive temperatures and that made the battle "a continuing challenge for crews on the ground," Commander John Pierson of the Mesa Ranger District said. (Don Lawrence/Special to the Tribune)

City details some of its pandemic aid spending

BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer

The $90 million in federal pandemic relief aid that Mesa received earlier this year has gone to a variety of services and purchases – from lunches and a forklift for the Feeding Mesa program to motel rooms for the homeless and a new air puri�ication system for city buildings.

In largely a housekeeping move, Mesa City Council is now ratifying a series of emergency purchases stemming from the city’s response to the virus that added up to nearly $4.5 million.

These purchases were initially approved on an informal basis during the earliest stages of the pandemic to avoid red-tape delays in responding to the

TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

Mesa could use some more Mexican restaurants. So, this week they’re opening the Valley’s eighth Mr. Mesquite Taqueria at 1222 S. Crismon Road – and offering some prizes and giving teachers and church members a taste in advance. Students and staff from local schools and members of nearby churches can sign up by 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31, for a complimentary meal later tomorrow by going to mrmesquite.splashthat.com and picking a time when they want to come in. And when Mr. Mesquite opens for business at 10 a.m. Sept. 5, the �irst 50 guests will score a free taco a week for six months while the �irst 200 can snag free swag bags packed with branded stadium cups, hats, masks and other surprises. Brothers Naser and Ahman Alatrash, together with Will Abdallah founded Mr. Mesquite four years ago in Scottsdale and later opened their second eatery in Tempe. “Mr. Mesquite’s goal is to bring our authentic meets modern Mexican concept to every city in Arizona,” Naser said. “After revamping our design,” he conpandemic’s impact. The largest item, all of which are lumped under the Mesa Cares Program, was more than $2.5 million spent on Dell laptops, docking stations and computer monitors for city employees who were required to work from home. Employees still working in city buildings were treated, whether they realized it or not, to cleaner air in city buildings. Mesa spent more than $539,000 to buy Plasma Air Ionizers from Trane U.S. to reduce the spread of the virus through the air. The new system received glowing reviews when it was tested at a hotel in Madrid, Spain, that was converted for use by medical workers, according to a Plasma Air press release. The Feeding Mesa program, considtinued, “we wanted Mesa to be one of the �irst communities to showcase our new design concept. While Mesa already has some great local spots to eat, it could de�initely use some more quality Mexican restaurants in the area.” He said as they surveyed the city, “we were approached by so many incredible locals that were not only helpful but also voiced so much excitement for our concept to break into the Mesa market. We hope to make Mesa proud and become a household name soon.” Mr. Mesquite’s newest location will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and latenight eats and will join seven others already in operation across the Phoenix metro area. It boasts of “inventive, authentic takes on street food and modern Mexican” tacos, burritos, protein bowls and quesadillas. They’ve also become the go-to spot for Taco Tuesdays with $1.99 mesquitegrilled tacos. Information: EatMrMesquite.com.  ered the highest priority by residents surveyed by the city, also bene�ited greatly. It received $420,758 in hotel meals prepared by Personal Touch Catering, mostly served to medical workers. The federal money included a $38,000 purchase for an additional forklift to move boxes and supplies at the Mesa Convention Center, which was temporarily converted into a food storage and distribution center. Boxes are still distributed there on Friday mornings. Mesa’s Off the Streets program, aimed at getting the homeless into more sanitary conditions to reduce the spread of COVID-19, generated a $169,300 bill with a hotel chain. In a separate purchase, the city used $85,102 in supplementary U.S. Justice Department funds for COVID-19 relief to buy 30,240 N95 masks, primarily to protect Mesa �ire�ighters. City Manager Chris Brady said the city is continuously buying the N95 masks and the somewhat less effective surgical masks mainly for use by police and �ire employees. Recently, Mesa was able to order a million surgical masks and is distributing to the public in a limited fashion, such as including four with every food box distributed by Feeding Mesa, in partnership with the United and Midwest Food Banks. The surgical masks cost $126,720. The vital N95 masks are continually restocked, with the �ire department having a supply of 1 ½ months- worth on hand and �ire�ighters going through about 100

Mexican restaurant opening in East Mesa

Atrio of restaurateurs thinks east a day, Fire Chief Mary Cameli said. 

Mr. Mesquite is owned by, from left, Will Abdallah and brothers Naser and co-founder Ahmad Alatrash. (Special to the Tribune)