••
Eastmark kitchen magic / P. 18
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE THE EAST VALLEY) | TheMesaTribune.com
Sunday, December 13, 2020
With 3,500 fewer students, MPS sees tough road ahead
INSIDE
This Week
NEWS .........................
Rough fall season / P. 21
BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor
3
Mesa lawmaker defies some party colleagues.
C
onfronting a pandemic-fueled loss of at least 3,500 students and new expenses related to COVID-19, Mesa Public Schools of�icials are increasingly concerned about the district’s �inancial condition in the coming school year. That concern came across loud and clear at the Governing Board’s �inal meeting of the calendar year last week as it addressed a
$27.8-million hole in the $491.7-million budget it approved only six months ago for the current school year. For now, it’s not as bad as those numbers suggest. The shortfall was covered by a $22.8 million enrollment stabilization grant from the state and the remaining $6.4 million of $17 million in federal pandemic-relief funds the district received earlier in the year. But Assistant Superintendent Scott Thompson warned that come spring, the new govern-
ing board may face tough choices unless the state and federal of�icials come to the rescue. Pointing to the enrollment decline – and suggesting more students may be leaving the district in the coming months – Thompson said: “I think it’s critical to understand that if this had happened in a typical year, we would have to do mid-year layoffs of staff – teachers, classi�ied personnel, administrators. That would be happening right now.”
��� SCHOOLS ���� 8
Brady rides out 15 years of Mesa storms City manager
NEWS ........................10 First COVID-19 vaccine doses due this week.
COMMUNITY ....... 16 Mesa teacher maps mandated Holocaust class. COMMUNITY ............................... 16 BUSINESS ..................................... 18 OPINION ....................................... 20 SPORTS ........................................ 21 GET OUT ....................................... 22 PUZZLES ...................................... 24 CLASSIFIED ................................. 24 Zone 2
BY GARY NELSON Tribune Contributor
I
t would be the rare little boy who dreams of growing up to be a city manager. Chris Brady was not one of them. As a student at Brigham Young University in the 1980s, Brady aimed instead at a business career. That, after all, is where the money is. But an unexpected detour by means of a political science class got him interested in city government – the upshot for Mesa being that for 15 years, he has steered the city through some of the hairiest moments in its history. The �ield of municipal government is littered with the �igurative corpses of city managers who got crosswise with their mayors or their city councils. But Brady, 58, has avoided stepping on land mines to such an extent that he hopes Mesa will be the last stop of his career. “Every city has challenges, Mesa included,”
��� BRADY ���� 4
Chris Brady has navigated Mesa through some turbulent times in his 15 years as city manager. (Pablo
Robles/Tribune Staff Photographer)
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
2
Half the joy of the Holidays is hearing! The season is full of the sounds of joyous celebration and traditions, old and new. Whether it is the laughter of children, voices of loved ones, a familiar carol or a worship service, we want to ensure you are fully included and active in the festivities. Give yourself the gift of better hearing this holiday!
Rechargeable and custom options available! Find out what’s best for you!
We’d like to invite you to come in for a Complimentary Preview of the newest in rechargeable hearing aids. These tiny hearing aids feature advanced technology designed to: • Help you hear and understand conversations better • Make loud sounds more comfortable while boosting soft sounds
Hear for the Holidays
• Hear your TV and phone calls better
You’re invited to join us NOW for the following Complimentary Services:
Experience You Can Trust At ABC Hearing we put your hearing and well-being first. ABC Hearing has over 25 years experience in the hearing industry. We are a family owned and operated business and will treat each person like family. Appointment times are limited, so call today! (480) 835-7892
• COMPLIMENTARY Hearing Screening • COMPLIMENTARY Hearing Aid Consultation.
Baywood Professional Square • 7165 E. University Dr., Building 17, Suite 167 (3/10 of a mile east of Power and University. Look for the white flags!)
Dawn Sanchez BC-HIS Financing available to those who qualify. See office for details.
*
(480) 835-7892 • www.CanUHearWell.com Financing Options Available* ©2020 NuEar. All Rights Reserved.11/20 594909118
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
NEWS
3
GOP election rift engulfs Mesa lawmakers TRIBUNE NEW STAFF
The Mesa Tribune is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the East Valley.
Times Media Group: 1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway, Suite 219 Tempe, Arizona, 85282
CONTACT INFORMATION Main number: 480-898-6500 | Advertising: 480-898-5624 Circulation service: 480-898-5641
Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Senior Account Sales: Ryan Brown | 480-898-6482 | rbrown@timespublications.com Local Advertising Sales: Chris Ross | 480-898-5649 | cross@timespublications.com Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@evtrib.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@evtrib.com Advertising Office Manager: Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@evtrib.com Director of National Advertising: Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@evtrib.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor: Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 pmaryniak@timespublications.com Reporters: Jim Walsh | 480-898-5639 | jwalsh@timespublications.com Kevin Reagan | 480-898-5638 | kreagan@timespublications.com Sports Editor: Zach Alvira | 480-898-5630 | zalvira@timespublications.com Get Out Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski | 480-641-4518 christina@timespublications.com Photographer: Pablo Robles | Probles@timespublications.com Designer: Ruth Carlton | rcarlton@timespublications.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@timespublications.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@evtrib.com The Mesa Tribune is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegatedmedia.com.
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.
T
wo Mesa lawmakers and a congressman are at the epicenter of a widening schism in Arizona’s Republican Party over President Donald Trump’s defeat in the state. House Speaker Rusty Bowers has been subjected to threats from some Trump supporters while state Senator-elect Kelly Townsend has stirred calls for a legislative panel to investigate unproven election irregularities that handed Arizona to President-elect Joe Biden. Gov. Doug Ducey also has been dragged into the rift after certifying the election and declaring Biden the winner in Arizona’s Presidential election. Last week, Mesa Congressman Andy Biggs, whom Townsend succeeded in the Legislature when he went to Congress, assailed Ducey in a blog by accusing the governor of a “petty move” in certifying the election. Biggs, who complained his calls to Ducey were shunted to the governor’s chief of staff, said, “Governor Ducey has harmed the common cause of the Republican Party” and that he “has left the Reagan Republican Ranch.” Reagan also was invoked by Bowers in a statement Dec. 4 when he categorically refused the demands of Townsend and other legislators to overturn the certi�ied results of the election and investigate socalled irregularities. “Forty years ago next month,” Bowers said, “President Ronald Reagan reminded us that while the ‘orderly transfer of authority’ is a ‘commonplace occurrence’ for Americans," it is a "miracle" to most in the world...“Now, Americans are being reminded once again never to take for granted what President Reagan correctly described as ‘the continuity which is the bulwark of our Republic.’ Stating “the rule of law forbids us” from upending the election results, Bowers noted that Trump lawyers, some legislators and state Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward failed to make a case for that. In two separate meetings with lawmakers, Bowers went on, “the Trump team made claims that the election was tainted by fraud but presented only theories, not proof. U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr said on Tuesday that he,
KELLY TOWNSEND
RUSTY BOWERS
too, has ‘not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome of the election. “Even if such evidence existed, the Arizona Legislature simply couldn’t do what is being asked,” Bowers said. “Under our state’s constitution, the Legislature can act only when it is in session, and the Legislature could call itself into a special session only with the support of a bipartisan supermajority of its members.” Bowers also noted that three years ago, a law passed by the Republican-led Legislature requires electors to cast their votes for the majority winner in the Presidential election. “The law was aimed at ensuring that Arizona’s electors would remain faithful to the vote of the people,” he said. “No election is perfect, and if there were evidence of illegal votes or an improper count, then Arizona law provides a process to contest the election: a lawsuit under state law,” Bowers also said. “As a conservative Republican, I don’t like the results of the presidential election. I voted for President Trump and worked hard to reelect him,” he added. “But I cannot and will not entertain a suggestion that we violate current law to change the outcome of a certi�ied election.” “Under the laws that we wrote and voted upon, Arizona voters choose who wins, and our system requires that their choice be respected,” Bowers said. The lawsuits haven’t worked. Less than a week after Bower issued his statement, the Arizona Supreme Court rejected Ward’s challenge. A federal judge in Phoenix did the same with another lawsuit the following day. In tossing the suit, U.S. District Judge
Diane Humetewa ripped the plaintiffs, stating: “The allegations they put forth to support their claims of fraud fail in their particularity and plausibility. “Plaintiffs append over 300 pages of attachments, which are only impressive for their volume,’’ Humetewa said. “The various af�idavits and expert reports are largely based on anonymous witnesses, hearsay, and irrelevant analysis of unrelated elections.’’ But the state GOP’s consistent inability to justify their allegations and Bowers’ statement failed to mollify pro-Trump forces within Arizona’s Republican party to the point where Republican House Speaker Pro Tem T.J. Shope said, “It’s time to dial it down a little bit here or a lot a bit.” According to Channel 3 news, Townsend’s tweet of screen grabs of emails from Bowers was followed by a tweet listing Bowers’ home address for a protest and a separate one with his personal cellphone number. Both tweets were taken down. There also were tweets from the AZGOP Twitter account suggesting people be ready to die for Trump, news accounts said. Shope described the language as hostile and dangerous. “There are people in this world, in this society, unfortunately, who need a trigger of some sort,” Shope said to the TV station. “That’s exactly why you don’t usually cross the line.” Townsend earlier this month also reacted angrily to state Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s announcement that he won’t pursue an investigation into the complaints of election irregularities. Assistant Attorney General Jennifer
��� BOWERS ���� 6
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
BRADY ���� ���� 1
in the 1980s. With that money, Mesa had the wherewithal to build the Cubs an $84 million training complex on the Riverview site that Waveyard had lost. Voters in 2010 overwhelmingly approved the idea. “It worked out pretty well for us that we had that property available for the Cubs,” Brady said. The battle for the Cubs was a huge deal for the city, Giles said, and one that perfectly encapsulates Brady’s value to Mesa. “The skills that he demonstrated in building that project, he’s used them over and over again,” Giles said. As Mesa recovered from the Great Recession, the city experienced relatively smooth sailing for the next 10 years. And then COVID-19 hit. Amid the �irst economic shocks of the pandemic, Brady and the City Council tightened Mesa’s belt severely last spring, paring jobs and closing some city facilities. “Three or four years ago we expected a recession, so we started preparing for that,” Brady said. “We didn’t realize it was going to be quite what we are experiencing now. But the interesting phenomenon is that our numbers show that more people are staying home and spending money locally, so we’re capturing a lot more sale tax revenue than we have in the past.”
4
Mayor John Giles said. “But we are, relative to a lot of other places, doing extremely well. And Chris Brady deserves much of the credit for that.” As city manager, Brady serves as the chief executive of�icer for an organization of some 4,000 employees and oversees about $1.8 billion in annual operating and capital spending to serve a population of more than 500,000. His annual salary is $271,000. Giles said Brady has proven adept at juggling the needs of the city’s aging west side with those of the still-growing east, managing huge infrastructure projects, negotiating sophisticated deals to bring high-pro�ile corporations to Mesa and motivating a strong, lean staff to keep the city running. Brady’s career in public service sprang from his assignment to interview a local government of�icial for a political science class. He wound up speaking with the city manager of Provo, Utah. “He was very impressive,” Brady told The Tribune. “And it got me to thinking more about the opportunity that I could be involved on the business management side but also could be doing something signi�icant and contributing to the community in which I lived.” His �irst stop, after earning a master’s degree in public administration from BYU, was Houston, Texas, a two-year stint that immersed him in city �inances. Then six years in Bellaire, Texas, where he served for a time as acting city manager. And from there to San Antonio. In San Antonio, Brady served 10 years as assistant city manager, helping to land a Toyota plant and a large convention center hotel.
Early challenges
Mesa began looking for a city manager in 2005 after Mike Hutchinson announced his retirement. Brady heard about the job through friends who had moved from San Antonio to Mesa, and he was somewhat familiar with the area because his wife, Shawna, grew up in Scottsdale. But, Brady said, “I really didn’t know much about Mesa. I didn’t know how big it was. I really didn’t know much about the area other than visiting my wife’s family in Scottsdale a few times.” As one of two �inalists for the job, Brady
City Manager Chris Brady two years ago welcomed the Chicago Cubs back to spring training at Sloan Park, which was built and saved the team's spring training venue in Mesa under his leadership. (Twitter) made the rounds of Mesa’s community leaders to immerse himself in the city’s civic culture. With strong backing from the City Council, he settled into his of�ice on the seventh �loor of Mesa’s city hall in January 2006. By then, Mesa and the term “cashstrapped” had all but become synonymous. Looking for a way to stabilize the city’s �inances, community leaders were pushing hard for a local primary property tax. But voters rejected that idea by a 6040 percent margin in May 2006, opting to stick with a 1945 �inancing model that forces Mesa to rely on sales taxes and utility revenue to fund city services. As Brady juggled Mesa’s iffy �inances, he also found a need to recon�igure the city’s organizational structure. “I recognized the organization had a lot of really good people,” Brady said. “But I also recognized that … how it was structured needed to be adjusted to be more modern and more responsive.”
Financial cliff
That restructuring went into hyperdrive in the summer of 2008 as Mesa plunged into its worst budget crisis since at least the Great Depression. Brady recalls walking to Mayor Scott Smith’s of�ice with word that city sales taxes had tanked amid a collapse of the housing market. “I had to go down to his of�ice and say, ‘This is a lot worse than we ever imagined,’” Brady recalled. “It was scary.” Hundreds of city employees lost their jobs as Brady struggled to plug a $60 mil-
lion budget hole. But the crisis led to innovations that streamlined operations and saved money. Among them: The use of small, two-person vehicles for non-critical medical calls and civilian crime-scene investigators for non-violent offenses. The recession also cost Mesa an opportunity to land what had been touted as a world-class resort and water park that developers wanted to build on the site of what was then Riverview Golf Course at the intersection of Loops 101 and 202. Brady said the Waveyard proposal looked promising, but “it needed to be �inanced and we weren’t willing to give up all control of the land until they demonstrated that they had the �inancing in place. … They were literally in the of�ices of Lehman Brothers when the market crashed on them.” As disappointing as that was, Brady’s caution gave Mesa an ace in the hole when the next crisis emerged.
Battle for the Cubs
The Chicago Cubs, under new ownership, �lirted seriously with moving their spring-training operations to Florida in 2009. Mesa, which had hosted the team on and off since the early 1950s, was morti�ied. “The Cubs and Mesa was a big deal,” Brady said. “It was more than just games. It was an identity for us.” Mesa got no help from the Legislature or other agencies in its �ight to keep the Cubs. But Brady and Smith hit on the idea of selling the city’s large land holdings in Pinal County, purchased for water rights
A different city now
Brady believes his stewardship has broad community backing, as evinced by the city’s successes in tax, bond and special elections since his arrival. The 2008 general obligation bond election was especially signi�icant, Brady said. It was the �irst time Mesa voters were told they would pay a secondary property tax to pay for the borrowing, and they said yes. That winning streak continued with the 2020 election, when voters OK’d $100 million in bonds for transportation projects amid the worsening pandemic. “Getting huge support for that to me is another validation that many people in our community trust us and they endorse what we are doing,” Brady said. Crises, and the headlines they create, come and go. But Brady said he is most concerned with just keeping the city running day to day and making sure its employees are safe. “If you woke up and your water didn’t
��� BRADY ���� 6
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
5
y a d i l o H r u Yo ! s r e t r a u q d a He MEAT DEPARTMENT
STANDING RIB ROAST
Prime Grade - French Cut - Bone IN/Boneless • Corn Fed • Aged minimum of 21 days • Seasoned FREE of charge
Order today! Call 480-924-5855
MEAT SPECIALTIES
BAKERY DEPARTMENT
Ham Central
Pie Central
Pecan, Pumpkin, Apple, Cherry, Strawberry Rhubarb, Peach, Coconut, Chocolate, Banana, Lemon Meringue
Spiral Sliced, Pit Ham, Honey Cured Ham, Mini Hams, Whole Hams
Call 480-924-5855 today to order your holiday meat!
• Tenderloin Roast, Filet Mignon Steaks • Pork Crown Roast, Pork Roast, Iowa Chops • Lefse, Lutifisk, Potato Sausage • East Coast Oysters, Herring • Fresh Turkey, Fresh Turkey Breast
Stay Out of the Kitchen!
Prime Rib Turkey & Dinner Ham Dinner $
.99
159 (feeds 6)
$
.99 139 (feeds 8-10)
Presliced meat cooked to perfection. Easy reheat!! Sides include your choice of 2:
• Mash Potatoes with Gravy • Sweet Potatoes with Raisins • Green Bean Almondine • Glazed Carrots
• Also included: Pumpkin Pie, 1 dz Dinner Rolls, Au Jus for reheat.
• Dinner Rolls, Parkerhouse Rolls • Fruit Stollen • Christmas Braided Bread • Butter Cookies
Call 480-924-2105 today to order your holiday goodies!
Call your order in 480-924-5855 MESA • 4308 E. Main St www.midwesternmeats.com Meat Dept 480-924-5855
• Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-5pm
Restaurant 480-924-4884
• Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-3pm Breakfast/Lunch Fri 8am-7pm
Bakery
• Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-5pm
480-924-2105
NEWS
6
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
Bear-ing good cheer
For the fifth consecutive year, Greg "Troll" Hughes, left, doled out stuffed bears to Mesa and Apache Junction police that were collected from motorcycle enthusiasts for officers to give children in traumatizing situations. Below, Mesa Officer M. Marriott stuffs a bag full of bears for the Mesa Family Advocacy Center. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff Photographer)
Virus knocks off fest, delays popular car auction TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
A
signature Valley event has been delayed by the pandemic and another canceled outright. Barrett-Jackson announced last week it is rescheduling the January 2021 Scottsdale Auction to the week of March 22 at WestWorld of Scottsdale, with exact dates to be announced later. “The dif�icult decision to postpone the auction was made out of an abundance of caution to safeguard auction customers, sponsors, guests and employees from the current spike of coronavirus cases – the worst since the pandemic began – as well as the spike in the number of cases follow-
BOWERS ���� ���� 3
Wright told Townsend that her unit, which was set up by the Legislature to investigate election irregularities did not have the power to issue civil subpoenas in elec-
BRADY ���� ���� 4
come on or your toilet didn’t �lush, or the streetlights didn’t work – all those little things you just assume are always going to be there – that’s what we do every day,” Brady said.” He sees Mesa as a different place now than when he �irst arrived. Back then, the city was being slammed
ing the upcoming holidays that health authorities are predicting,” the company said in its announcement. “While every indication showed that our bidders, consignors and sponsors were behind our efforts to hold our auction next month, we decided it would be prudent at this time to safeguard everyone’s health,” said Craig Jackson chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. Earlier last week, another annual Valley event was canceled outright for the year when the Renaissance Festival organizers said they would return in 2022. That six-week festival draws thousands from across Arizona to a 30-acre site in Gold Canyon.
tion matters. Townsend, who helped push last year to establish the AG's Elections Integrity Unit, said, “What I plan to do this next session is to defund the unit because it’s not performing how we expected it to.’’
in the media for not aggressively pursuing a potential opportunity to land a Google facility. Now, he said, Mesa goes after those things and is �inding it can compete. “I like to think that people see us as a very competitive, dynamic community,” Brady said. “We can do that with the best cities in the country.” Giles said Brady’s greatest accomplishment probably lies in the diversi�ied na-
“We are saddened this decision may result in further hardship for our valued renaissance community of artists and disappoint our patrons,” Renaissance Fest organizers said in a statement. Three counties – Yavapai, Apache and Navajo – last week were declared by the state Department of Health Services to have entered the category of substantial COVID-19 spread and experts say it is likely more counties in Arizona will fall into that category this week. Gov. Doug Ducey's press aide, C.J. Karamargin, does not dispute the sharp hike in COVID infections. Dr. Cara Christ, the state’s health chief, said Thursday that the rate of infection in the entire state for the
Townsend said she would put the unit into the Auditor General’s Of�ice, which is a branch of the Legislature, and give that agency subpoena power. Brnovich declined comment. Townsend said she has a donor – she
ture of what he’s done for Mesa. “Maybe that’s the ultimate compliment you can pay him, is that there are so many that it’s impossible to identify a single thing,” Giles said. “Many city managers, if they had one of these things on their resume, they would retire a happy person and brag about it for the rest of their lives. But Chris has multiple major achievements.” There are more challenges ahead.
past week has reached 500 per 100,000. That exceeds the benchmark for substantial transmission, which is far above the 100 per 100,000 people, she said. But Karamagin said that the evidence shows the spike is coming not from businesses that the state can control but instead from things the state cannot, like family gatherings. A separate state-by-state analysis looks at what researchers call the “R-naught” number, essentially an indicator of how fast the virus is growing. Anything above 1.0 shows spread. On Thursday, Arizona hit 1.22, the highest in the nation and highest for Arizona since May.
did not name names – who has pledged $500,000 to hire legal help to pursue any legal remedies. Capitol Media Services contributed to this report.
Brady said the biggest one is trying to determine what the economy will look like in the post-COVID world. But he said as long as he can maintain good relationships with the City Council members, mayors and others with whom he works, he won’t be going anywhere. “Hopefully they’ll let me stay long enough to �inish off my career here,” Brady said. “That’s my hope.”
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
MPS salutes two retiring long-time board members TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
M
esa Public School of�icials last week bid a fond farewell to two Governing Board members who each have devoted 12 years to the nonpaying position. Board President Elaine Miner and Steven Peterson are retiring and will be replaced in January by Lara Salmon Ellingson and Joe O’Reilly, winners in last month’s election along with incumbent Kiana Maria Sears. A video featuring several community leaders thanking Miner and Peterson accompanied individual tributes by Superintendent Dr. Andi Fourlis, several other administrators, Sears and board members Jenny Richardson and Marcie Hutchinson. Miner served on the board 1999-2007 and then returned in 2017 while Richardson has served three consecutive terms. Fourlis said Miner “will be remembered for making decisions that are in the very best interest of students while supporting school leaders attentively listening to parents and community members about issues and visiting campuses, attending extracurricular activities and participating in countless special events.” She noted that Minor was instrumental in bringing the Pawsitive Peers Foundation School program to the district, which allows trained staff and their dogs to counsel students. Peterson “provided a calm demeanor, a positive attitude and ability to solve problems that served our community well and shared his business and �inancial acumen to inform decisions and make a signi�icant impact to the current and future �inancial stability of Mesa Public Schools,” Fourlis said. Richardson noted that Peterson elevated board members’ participation in high school graduations to an “art form.” “He meets with those student councils through the year leading up to graduation,” she said, explaining that he advised them on how to achieve their �inancial goals “and then he helps �igure out a way to help them get some funds to accom-
ELAINE MINER
plish those goals.” B o t h Sears and Hutchinson said they appreciated their two colleagues’ guidance when they joined the board in 2017 and
2019, respectively. “You showed no distinction to me as a rookie,” Hutchinson said. “You were very patient. You showed me the ropes you explained protocols, district precedent, what policy was and how important it is and you turned me in the right direction for connections that could make long term on the school board more productive....No one studied harder. No one read everything. No one kept up as much as you folks.” Hutchinson continued: “As Bette D a v i s would say, ‘it’s been a bumpy ride the past year’ with the override and the STEVEN PETERSON changes in the superintendency and COVID on top of it, but your wisdom, your steadfastness and your grace under �ire has preserved the Mesa way.” Sears praised Miner and Peterson for treating people “with dignity and respect” and singled out Peterson for a special thanks. “I have appreciated when Steven has seen me through struggles with making decisions or wrestle with things. I appreciated his encouragement,” Sears said.
7 PAID ADVERTISEMENT
PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN WARNING! Our clinic is taking every precaution and we follow strict CDC guidelines to ensure that our patients, clinic and staff are SAFE! Mesa, AZ — The most common method your doctor will recommend to treat your chronic pain and/or neuropathy is with prescription drugs that may temporarily reduce your symptoms. These drugs have names such as Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin, and are primarily antidepressant or anti-seizure drugs. These drugs may cause you to feel uncomfortable and have a variety of harmful side effects. Chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves often causing weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and the most debilitating balance problems. This damage is commonly caused by a lack of blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet which causes the nerves to begin to degenerate due to lack of nutrient flow.
determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation. As long as you have not sustained at least 95% nerve damage there is hope!
Fig. 2
NOTE: Once you have sustained 95% nerve loss, there is likely nothing that we can do for you. 3) How much treatment will your condition require?
Aspen Medical will do a chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination to determine the extent of the nerve damage as a public service to you and/or your family and friends. This neuropathy/ pain severity examination will consist of a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and a detailed analysis of the findings of your neuropathy.
The treatment that is provided at Aspen Medical has three main goals. 1) Increase blood flow 2) Stimulate and increase small fiber nerves 3) Decrease brain-based pain The treatment to increase blood flow, stimulate small nerve fibers and get you back to health is our new $50,000.00 SANEXAS UNIT!
As you can see in Figure 2, as the blood vessels that surround the nerves become diseased they shrivel up which causes the nerves to not get the nutrients to continue to survive. When these nerves begin to “die” they cause you to have balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and many additional symptoms. The main problem is that your doctor has told you to just live with the problem or try the drugs which you don’t like taking because they make you feel uncomfortable. There is now a facility right here in Mesa that offers you hope without taking those endless drugs with serious side effects. (See the special neuropathy severity examination at the end of this article) In order to effectively treat your neuropathy three factors must be determined. 1) What is the underlying cause? 2) How much nerve damage has been sustained.
In addition, we use a state-of-the-art diagnostics like the TM Flow diagnostic unit to accurately determine the increase in blood flow and a small skin biopsy to accurately determine the increase in small nerve fibers! The Sanexas electric cell signaling system delivers energy to the affected area of your body at varying wavelengths, including both low-frequency and middle-frequency signals. It also uses amplitude modulated (AM) and frequency modulated (FM) signaling. During a treatment session, the Sanexas system automatically changes to simultaneously deliver AM and FM electric cell signal energy. THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT SANEXAS IS COVERED BY MEDICARE AND MOST INSURANCE! Depending on your coverage, your treatment could be little to no cost to you! The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be
Aspen Medical will be offering this chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination from now until December 31, 2020. Call 480274-3157 to make an appointment to determine if your chronic pain and peripheral neuropathy can be successfully treated. Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this FREE consultation offer to the first 15 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL Call 480-274-3157 … NOW! We are extremely busy and if your call goes to our voicemail, please leave a message and we will get back to you asap.
480-274-3157 1425 S. Greenfield Rd., Ste. 101 Mesa, AZ 85206
8
NEWS
SCHOOLS ���� ���� 1
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
ed a �iscal lifeline, Thompson said, adding that while no one is talking about layoffs now, “those are going to be the conversations in the spring. We’ve got to try to narrow the gap between how many staff we have and how many students we have.” Thompson said he has never seen the district’s operating budget in such �lux. “This is the most dynamic year in budgeting I’ve ever seen in over 23 years working in schools,” he said, “and ‘dynamic’ is not a good word for budgets.” On the spending side, the district has expenses it never had pre-COVID, such as protective equipment and sanitizing supplies. But there are other expenses it has incurred to reduce virus spread in classrooms. “I think a great example is instead of having a set of crayons in a classroom, you have 30 sets of crayons so that not everybody is sharing the crayons,” Thompson noted. Another expense has involved substi-
tute teachers – who are more in demand than ever across Arizona because regular staff must stay home if they’re feeling sick. The board last week voted unanimously to maintain a higher daily pay rate for substitutes – to as much as $197, depending on the length of a sub’s assignment and whether they have a substitute teaching certi�icate or a regular teaching certi�icate. But the biggest driver in this year’s budget shortfall has been enrollment, particularly in grades K-8 and especially in kindergarten. As is the case with most districts in Arizona, parents of kindergartners are believed to be keeping their children home out of concerns over COVID-19. While districts are keeping their �ingers crossed that those parents will send their kids either to kindergarten or �irst grade in the coming school year, no one has any certainty that will happen. Gov. Doug Ducey had promised in June
to make up for that shortfall through enrollment stabilization grants. Even without students going elsewhere, Mesa and most other Arizona districts felt �inancial pain just by having students learn virtually because the rate of per-pupil state aid to districts is 5 percent lower for online students. When the grants were made known two weeks ago, some districts saw only half of what they expected. Mesa’s award was far closer to what it had expected. Daniel Scarpinato, the governor’s chief of staff, conceded that schools are getting less than what they thought they would be receiving. But he said, in effect, that the schools should be pleased they’re getting anything at all, as governors in other states have not agreed to any supplemental funding and in some cases have cut K-12 dollars in the
esa Public Schools’ reopening for in-person learning Jan. 19 will be made on a classroom-by-classroom and school-by-school basis governed by data showing COVID-19 spread. During the governing board’s �inal meeting of the calendar year last week, of�icials vowed that the majority of students will be able to return to campuses that date following two weeks of at-home learning that
begins after winter break on Jan. 3. Board member Jenny Richardson said virtual learning for the �irst two weeks of January made sense so that the district could rebuild its data base of infected students and staff since those cases will not be tracked during the two-week holiday period. Rebuilding that data base will be helped by teachers actually taking attendance during online classes rather than relying on checking what students have been using the district’s online learning platform,
called Canvas. “This two-week pause – while not ideal and not perfect in any way – is what we need to do as a district,” said Richardson. “And then on the 19th, we will open school �ive days a week based on the data that we’ve collected. It’s not another replay of the August situation – we’ve stated that clearly here tonight. “And I will reiterate that on Jan. 19, we will open based on the metrics that we have…We will make decisions classroom by classroom, school by school.”
The clari�ication of the district’s approach to reopening classrooms – which remain open until winter break begins this Friday – came amid indications of surging virus spread across Mesa and the state. The board met two days before the county released its latest data for virus spread – which showed a continuing upward trend for COVID-19 cases. At the time the board met, the latest data showed two of the three benchmarks
JARED AUSTIN
MILES AUSTIN
JODI SMITH
MYA WARD
More alarming is the fact that no one knows what happened to those students – or any of the 40,000 across Arizona who have virtually disappeared. “We’ve got kids all over the grade levels and all the grade spans who just aren’t in school and they’re not in charters and they’re not online because those numbers would still show up at the state level and the state would not be down,” Thompson said. “This is not the simple case of they’ve just gone somewhere else.” Thompson also said that MPS is grappling with the fact that “we didn’t know in the spring what the fall was going to look like and we didn’t even know until we opened our doors what things were going to look like.” He said MPS faces a “completely unprecedented loss of students in a completely under-projected manner.” The state and federal funds have provid-
��� SCHOOLS ���� 10
MPS vows reopened classrooms Jan. 19 for ‘most’ students BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor
M
��� REOPEN ���� 10
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
9
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU from Page 24
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church 612 S. Ellsworth Rd. Mesa, AZ 85208
480.984.5555 oslcaz.org
Live, On-Site Worship (Seating Limited to 50/Service) Saturdays @ 4 pm Sundays @ 7:30, 9:00, & 10:30 am Reserve your spot online or call
Children, Youth & Family Ministry Vacation Bible School
Enroll Now for Spring 2021 Now is not the time to put your future on pause. At MCC there’s a path for everyone. Transform your life by taking the next step toward earning a degree or certificate. • Four class formats: live online, online, hybrid, in person • Vibrant educational experiences in a safe and healthy environment
Earn a degree with little or no debt.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!
The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. The Maricopa County Community College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit http://www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.
• Faculty and staff who care and provide remote student support services • Virtual career services, advising and counseling
mesacc.edu
••
10
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
First COVID vaccine doses expected here this week BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
A
rizonans in the highest priority categories of risk or need could get their �irst doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week. But they won’t be risk-free for weeks after that. And it won’t be until summer or early fall before everyone who wants to get inoculated will be able to do so.
SCHOOLS ���� ���� 8
wake of the pandemic. Scarpinato said schools are getting less state aid because they just don’t have the same number of children they did before the virus. He said there are multiple reasons, suggesting some of these are the fault of districts themselves and the choices they make. “One of them is students transferring to schools that are offering in-person learning,’’ Scarpinato said. He also said there are “massive amounts of digital truancy’’ where students are not logging in and therefore not being counted for attendance. But Kathy Hoffman, the state superin-
REOPEN ���� ���� 8
for virus spread were in the substantial category for the week of Dec. 3. District-wide, there were 432 cases per 100,000 people – more than three times the level recorded just a month ago – while positive new tests were at 13.85 percent. Hospital visits with COVID-like symptoms, which had been in the minimal spread category for months, were into the moderate spread category at 7.7 percent. Two days after the board’s meeting, the county released data for the week of Dec. 11 and that showed higher numbers. Cases per 100,000 had risen to 443 and positive test results were at 15.9 percent. Hospital visits also rose to just under the substantial spread level. Board member Kiana Maria Sears stressed that while schools are not the cause of that increased spread, they are impacted by what people do outside them. “As I watched the numbers rise, it’s no paranoia,” Sears said. “It’s about what should we do when we’re not in school."
Pima and Maricopa counties will divide up Arizona’s �irst allocation of COVID-19 vaccines while rural areas will have to wait a little while longer. Steve Elliott, spokesman for the state Department of Health Services, said it’s not a question of deciding that urban residents are entitled to a higher priority. He said it’s a matter of practicality. The �irst vaccine set to arrive will be from P�izer, which has to be kept at -70
tendent of public instruction, said she believes schools are being shortchanged. Hoffman said schools made plans based on the promised dollars to fund everything from COVID-19 mitigation strategies to setting up distance learning programs. “Based on the allocations provided to schools last week, the state has broken that promise,’’ Hoffman said. Scarpinato said the $370 million in stabilization funding is more than what the districts would have received through the basic state aid formula. The governor’s of�ice also imposed a cap of $500 per student in stabilization funding – which Scarpinato said was based on guidance from the U.S. Treasury.
The district’s latest dashboard data showed little change in the number of students and staff who have been infected, with 123 student and 106 adult COVID-19 cases. Despite the assurances made by of�icials, children and adults continued to beg the board at last week’s meeting to keep classrooms open. Parents and children – including two families – described the impact of online learning on grades and their social-emotional well-being. Jodi Smith talked about her secondgrade daughter’s effort to learn to read. “Virtual learning is a complete horror,” she said, adding that after four or �ive weeks of being in a classroom, her daughter’s reading “went up four or �ive levels.” Citing the plan to keep campuses closed the �irst two weeks of January, Smith added, “I know the �irst two weeks are going to be absolute hell.” Kindergartner Ivy Ward told the board, “I’m happy at school and I feel safe at school. I’m happy at school and I feel safe. I feel safe at school.” Another student, Kaitlyn Ward, said, “I
degrees Celsius – or about 94 degrees below zero on the Fahrenheit scale. That requires access to special equipment. And then there’s the requirement that shipments come in minimum doses of 975. “The big lots and handling requirements of the P�izer vaccine make it better suited to places where many people can be vaccinated in one place in a �inite period,’’ Elliot said. Maricopa County will get 46,800 doses
“It isn’t enough,” Thompson told the board, noting “$370 million just doesn’t cover it when you spread it out over all the districts.” But Thompson added, “I think we should feel fortunate to have received almost $23 million through this process. It does not make us whole but it certainly is appreciated in a dif�icult time, so I don’t want to sound ungracious.” “We appreciate that the governor set this aside,” he added. Scarpinato said if schools are dissatis�ied, there is an option: “The best place for this discussion is in the legislature.” That’s exactly what Mesa school of�icials are doing, Thompson said. “We still have to be prudent and expedi-
feel very bored at home sitting on a computer screen and I don’t get why they make it so they force people to go online.” Mya Ward, a sophomore at Mountain View High School, said “I feel safer at school than I did at my house. My mental health is going down. “I hated school until it was taken away from me,” Mya continued. “I hated it and now I love school and I want to stay. I was a straight-A student last year and this year, I was failing �ive classes. If you’re going to tell me that remote learning works – can you please explain that to me? “Can you explain how I’m supposed to learn graphic design over a computer? Can you explain to me how I’m supposed to learn how to speak another language? I’m supposed to speak Spanish over a computer and the audio doesn’t even work half the time. I’m going to say it again: my high school career will never be – and is never replaceable by – a computer screen.” Her mother also spoke. “I fear our children will, much like spring, be locked out and alienated for
by the end of December, with 11,700 for Pima. The vaccine developed by Moderna. That needs to be kept only at minus 20 Celsius, or about minus 4 Fahrenheit, more like a regular freezer. Moderna will ship out the vaccine in lots of a minimum of just 100. State health of�icials report that 593
��� VACCINE ���� 12
tious about the expenses this year so that we can continue to carry forward money into (2021-22) because all of the safety nets that are being provided in 2021 are going to go away,” he said. “We are talking with the Legislature and we are working on maybe some additional funds to schools to help continue to transition into our new reality of 3,500 less students in Mesa Public Schools, but we can’t be guaranteed that. And so right now, the only safety net we can control is continuing to try to carry forward and just spend where necessary but not in any other way.” Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services contributed to this report.
the balance of the school year,” said Lisa Ward. “Please rethink the virtual start.” Hale Elementary �ifth grade Miles Austin and his parents also addressed the board individually. “I can’t really do that well on a computer screen,” Miles said. “The audio doesn’t work half the time. People are always stressed and yelling. It’s better at school.” His mother, Heather Austin, who has three sons at Hale, asked, “Why are we still arguing about being around little children when they have been proven the safest to be around during the pandemic?” Her husband Jared Austin gave a heartrending statement about how online learning has “crushed” one of his son’s motivation and spirit. “It just crushed his little spirit, willingness to learn and his desire to learn,” he said. “It just crushed it. And so now even though he’s back in school, he hates going to school. He’s just lost that and the only way that he’s going to gain that is by the trust of a teacher that interacts one on one. Please keep our kids in school. Don’t go back online.”
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
SAME-DAY HEATING & PLUMBING SERVICE
This chart shows the trend of COVID-19 cases in Arizona since the pandemic began in March.(Arizona Department of Health Services)
Call us for quick, honest, reliable service 7 days a week!
Governor has no plans to extend eviction ban BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
G
ov. Doug Ducey won’t impose any new restrictions on individuals or businesses despite what appears to be a record number of daily COVID-19 cases and a trend that is pushing even higher. And he has are no plans to extend a moratorium on residential evictions once a federal ban on ousting tenants expires at the end of the month. The Department of Health Services on Tuesday reported 12,314 new cases – a �igure that hasn’t been seen since the beginning of the pandemic. There also were 23 more deaths, bringing the Arizona total to 6,973. The numbers could include a spike in tests over the weekend. And with delays in those reports, the agency eventually sorts the tests based on the actual date the test is administered. But what cannot be denied is that even the department’s own day-by-day delayed analysis, after sorting the numbers by actual test dates, shows there were a record 7,645 cases actually reported for Nov. 30. That compares with the June 29 peak
of 5,452, the day that the governor concluded he had made a mistake in allowing bars, gyms, water parks and movie theaters to reopen. Since that time, though, the governor has relaxed his restrictions, allowing businesses to operate, though some at reduced capacity and under certain health protocols. Those restrictions appear to not be working. For the current week, 23 percent new tests were positive – up from 18 percent the previous week and 14 percent the week before. At last count there were 3,157 patients in Arizona hospitals with positive or suspected cases of COVID. The last time the �igure was that high was July 17. There were 744 intensive care beds in use, also the highest since July. And while they represent just 43 percent of ICU capacity, the number of available beds dropped as low as 143 – within 8 percent of total capacity. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is predicting an average of 55 deaths a day by the end of the year, eventually reaching 73 by the third week of
��� VIRUS ���� 12
39
$
95
Heating Tune Up & Safety Inspection Limited time offer. Restrictions may apply. Call for details. Expires 12/31/20.
39
$
FREE
Heating Service Call With Purchase of part/repair. Limited time offer. Restrictions may apply. Call for details. Expires 12/31/20.
Heater 95 WaterFlush
NO Weekend Charges
Limited time offer. Restrictions may apply. Call for details. Expires 12/31/20.
NO Overtime Charges
480.345.COOL (2665) 3065 N. Norfolk Ave, Mesa, AZ 85215 westernstateshomeservices.com LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED
SENIOR & VETERAN DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE! AZROC #253810/ #321722
11
12
NEWS
VIRUS ���� ���� 11
January. That’s even with a rapid rollout of vaccine to the highest risk individuals. In his latest forecast, Joe Gerald, a doctor at the Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, predicted dire problems with access to critical care due to shortages of space, personnel and critical supplies. “If not addressed within the next one to two weeks, this crisis will evolve into a humanitarian crisis leading to hundreds of preventable deaths,’’ he wrote. “At this point, only shelter-in-place restrictions are certain to quickly and suf�iciently curtail viral transmission.’’ Even White House Coronavirus Task Force, one of the sources Ducey has said he has relied upon, urges Arizona to do more. “Mitigation efforts must increase,’’ the report says. That includes “no indoor gatherings outside of immediate households.’’ And Ducey’s reaction to all this? “It’s clear the numbers are moving in
VACCINE ���� ���� 10
health care providers have completed the approval process and are certi�ied to start administering the vaccine when it arrives. Another more than 1,200 are in the pipeline. They also reported that every skilled nursing facility in Arizona has opted to participate in a program by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide vaccinations to all residents and staff. Both of the vaccines require a second dose, within 21 or 28 days, to be fully effective. Under the state plan, the top priority for immunization will be health care workers, particularly those working directly with patients. Also in the �irst group will be home health aides, nursing assistants and medical assistants. After them come residents of skilled nursing facilities and independent and assisted living centers. The second-priority people include adults with high-risk medical conditions living in shelters or other congregate living settings. Then there are the teachers, about 146,000 of them, along with police, corrections of�icers and other emergency response workers. This group also includes others who
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
the wrong diråection and are having a tremendous impact on our health care system,’’ said press aide C.J. Karamargin. But he had no announcements of any changes in current regulations. Ducey does have other powers to deal with the pandemic above and beyond health precautions. In March he imposed a moratorium on evictions of renters affected by COVID-19, whether due to themselves or a family member with the virus or simply by virtue of having lost a job because of the outbreak. He said this is health related because keeping people in their homes helps prevent the spread of the virus. Ducey extended his order several times before allowing it to expire at the end of October. But the governor noted at that time there would be no immediate effect because the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had imposed its own moratorium. That federal bar itself self-destructs at the end of this month.
On Tuesday, citing the rise in COVID-19 cases and that Dec. 31 expiration, Democratic legislative leaders called on the governor to once again protect tenants from losing their homes and apartments. But Karamargin said the governor has no plans to step up, saying it’s a federal issue. Karamargin acknowledged that the governor did not wait for federal action earlier this year. But he said Ducey believes that this should be part of the discussion going on in Washington about the next step in federal coronavirus relief. Rep. Kirsten Engel, D-Tucson, said that makes no sense, given that the governor has advised people that the safest place to be is at home. “You can only stay home if you have a home,’’ she said. The most recent survey by the U.S. Census Bureau shows about 14 percent of Arizonans said they were caught up on their rent. About 56,000 said they are very or somewhat likely to lose their homes or apartments in the next two months.
cal conditions like o b e s i t y, heart diseases and chronic lung disease. Then there are more than 1.2 million Arizonans older than 65 not in high-prioriAs the first of several COVID-19 vaccines roll out, it will be months before ty groups. Arizonans not in high-risk or essential worker classifications will be able to This catget them. (Special to the Tribune) egory also work at schools including bus drivers, includes those con�ined to prisons and cafeteria workers and front-of�ice staff jails. But Christ said that inmates who that deal with children. have underlying medical conditions may, After that come workers for utility on an individual basis, be moved into a companies and then people in food in- higher category. dustries including those at grocery stores That leaves everyone else as supplies and restaurants, transportation workers become available – and as people choose like those who drive trucks and buses as to get vaccinated. well as gas station employees. State health director Dr. Cara Christ Also, in that second group are other said that even with a public relations “essential workers” which the state says campaign aimed at those who appear includes everything from �inancial ser- most hesitant, she knows there will be vices to funeral home employees. those who refuse. The next priority would be nearly 2.3 All this assumes that the system of demillion Arizonans with underlying medi- livering and administering the vaccine
It’s not just Ducey who won’t recommend changes in what Arizona individuals and businesses should and should not be allowed to do. “The number of cases added to the dashboard today is concerning but not unexpected,’’ said Health Director Cara Christ. She said the agency anticipated an increase two weeks after the Thanksgiving holiday, the normal incubation period for the virus, as families gathered in increased numbers. In anticipation of another spike after the December holidays Christ is urging people to take additional precautions and limit contacts beyond their immediate families.
GOT NEWS?
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com
works as planned. “So, it’s really important that everyone continue taking precautions even after being vaccinated to ensure that everyone is protected,’’ Christ said. She said procedures are being set up to ensure that people come back for the second dose. Even after everyone who wants to be inoculated is served, that doesn’t end the matter. “What we don’t know is how long that immunity lasts,’’ Christ said. She said it could end up being a situation like the �lu, where people have to get revaccinated on a regular basis, or whether it will be like the measles where there is a need for a “booster’’ after a certain period of time. “Those kinds of studies will still be ongoing,’’ Christ said. Christ said the state has no plans to force the shots on anyone. But she said that employers, particularly those whose workers deal with the public – and especially those who are vulnerable – are free to impose such a requirement. The government is providing the vaccine without cost to those who agree to administer it. And she said that insurance companies have agreed to waive any outof-network deductibles as to what providers charge for giving the shots.
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
13
Study shows erratic nature of COVID-19 spread BY ANTHONY J. WALLACE Cronkite News
R
esearch from Arizona and beyond suggests the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can spread erratically, making some infected people “superspreaders” and others dead ends for transmission. This can create clusters or “microhotspots” – neighborhoods, schools, towns or other small geographic areas where the virus runs rampant – even while communities next door remain relatively unscathed. These concentrated outbreaks aren’t included in the Arizona Department of Health Service’s COVID-19 data dashboard, which breaks down cases by county. Dr. Peter Plantes, an internal medicine specialist, works with hc1, a health care data analysis company that recently launched a COVID-19 dashboard explaining the dynamics of the pandemic in new detail. The company partners with more than 20,000 labs across the U.S. that quickly share the results of COVID-19 tests, along with the patient’s address. The �irm then calculates the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests by city and, in some cases, neighborhood. Plantes said the patient information they receive from labs is subject to privacy laws. For example, the platform’s Maryvale east zone in Phoenix, showed a percent positivity of more than 29 percent – nearly double the recent positivity rate for Maricopa County and is second only to the Yuma zone for highest in the state. Conversely, the Tempe north zone just 10 miles away had a positivity rate of about 11 percent over the same time period – the lowest of all zones across Arizona. “I often think of it like radar in weather,” Plantes said. “A weather front can go through a town, and a tornado, thunderstorm or hailstorm can be happening in one part of the county and yet the other part of the county has sunshine.” Plantes’ dashboard uses data from about 1.1 million COVID-19 tests administered in Arizona – or about 42 percent of the total reported by the Department of Health Services. Will Humble, former director of the department who now is executive director
of the Arizona Public Health Association, said this kind of data is particularly useful for those making policy decisions regarding smaller geographic areas, such as school districts. The virus can crop up in clusters, he suggested, because it can pass so easily from one person to another, especially in certain environments. “It is distinguished from in�luenza, for example. What you see with in�luenza is a more sporadic type of situation,” Humble said. “This virus is more contagious than in�luenza … especially with certain environments like bars and nightclubs.” According to data compiled by hc1, the COVID-19 positivity rate for those 20-29 years old in Scottsdale was 24 percent in May, when hordes of young people were seen at local bars and clubs. In August, after bars were closed most of the month under an executive order from Gov. Doug Ducey, the percent positive for that age group in Scottsdale dropped to 8 percent. Research from around the world supports the idea that transmission of the virus can be feast or famine. In one notable case from Washington state in March, one sick member of a choir sang in a room with 60 other people for two and a half hours. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found that 87 percent of the people there got sick; three were hospitalized and two died. On the other hand, stories abound about people living in close contact with an infected person for weeks without getting sick. With COVID-19, it appears that a small number of infected people often are responsible for widespread transmission. Efrem Lim is a virologist with Arizona State University who leads his institution’s collaboration with the Arizona COVID-19 Genomics Union, an alliance of researchers from across the state that collects viral samples, sequences their genomes and shares the �indings. What they’ve found is the virus is constantly mutating, albeit usually in a way that doesn’t make it more or less dangerous to humans, Lim said. These tiny changes, however, do cause it to leave a paper trail in its genetic code as
Efrem Lim, a virologist with Arizona State University, said research indicates that it is possible that some people may shed more virus than others, but an undoubtedly important factor is the choices an infected person makes. (Special to the Tribune) it spreads from person to person. If someone has an identical version of the virus as another, they likely contracted it from that person, or at least the chain of transmission between the two is short. The researchers have examined more than 3,000 positive samples and recently published an analysis of their data in the American Society for Microbiology journal mBio. They found that the virus started circulating in Arizona in February and these �irst instances of community spread were imported from the outbreak in Washington state. Lim’s group determined that the state’s �irst COVID-19 case – a member of the ASU community who had recently returned from China – resulted in no additional cases. “So that was the opposite of a superspreader, someone who was very compliant, followed the rules, isolated, and there you go,” Lim said. “You see evidence of it completely shutting down the chain of transmission.” Their data also showed where one infection resulted in many others, whether through a single superspreader event or through a chain of transmission. This quality of the virus – that some can give it to no one and others to many – does not have to do with its genetics, Lim said.
For various reasons, he added, it is possible that some people may shed more virus than others, but an undoubtedly important factor is the choices an infected person makes. “A lot of it is actually driven by human behavior, which is why it’s important that people should still keep wearing a mask,” Lim said.
GOT NEWS?
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com
14
NEWS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
AROUND MESA
Mesa food bank to distribute holiday meal items Friday
United Food Bank will distribute holiday food items, including hams, during its regularly scheduled Friday food distribution 7 a.m.-noon Friday, Dec. 18, at the Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St. The weekly distribution will then pause until Jan. 8. “The food bank is committed to serving any family in need who enters the line by noon,” a spokeswoman said. Cars must have trunks or backseats cleaned out. There also is a walk-up line. Santa and his elves will greet everyone in line. This week’s distribution will be accomplished with the help of 125 volunteer “elves,” as assistance from the National Guard has ended. People who want to support United Food Bank’s work in feeding the hungry in our region can donate at unitedfoodbank.org. Donations to United Food Bank qualify for Arizona’s dollar-for-dollar tax credit on your state income tax liability.
Visit Mesa launches new ‘Fresh Foodie Trail’ promotion
Visit Mesa has launched the new Fresh Foodie Trail GeoTour with Geocaching HQ to promote the East Valley’s “agritourism” attractions that are popular this time of year. The tour will lead geocachers to farm stops on the award-winning Fresh Foodie Trail and treasure hunters
can collect a series of limited-edition stickers along the way. People who find all 10 geocaches will earn a digital souvenir through Geocaching.com, a recipe booklet and branded wooden spoon from Visit Mesa. Attractions participating in the tour include Steadfast Farms, Jalapeno Buck’s, True Garden Urban Farm and other regional farms in the area. Visit Mesa launched its first GeoTour more than a year ago, recording 2,100 logs representing visitors from seven countries. Visit Mesa is still actively managing the Autism Certified City GeoTour, a collection of geocaches anchored at many of Mesa’s participating Certified Autism Centers and city parks. Both GeoTours can be searched on the free Geocaching.com App on any mobile device. Learn more at VisitMesa.com/Geocaching. December is also the last month for Arizona residents to book an Escape to Mesa vacation package featuring $150 in booking incentives. Visit Mesa launched the series of themed vacation packages earlier this year to encourage hotel stays in the city. The offer features a $150 incentive to guests that book a stay of at least two nights in Mesa hotels and will be available for a limited time. Information: EscapetoMesa.com.
Mesa offers a variety of holiday attractions all month long
Merry Main Street, sponsored by the City of Mesa,
Visit Mesa, Downtown Mesa Association and numerous businesses, offers holiday activities in a safe and healthy environment for all visitors through Jan. 3. A nearly four-story tall tree is located on Macdonald at Main Street and the 5,000-square-foot Winter Wonderland Ice Rink is open again at 20 E. Main St. The area around the ice rink will be adorned with vintage holiday decorations not used in downtown Mesa since 1967. Rink tickets must be pre-purchased for a specific day and time and a maximum of 50 skaters are allowed at one time. Masks must be worn during check in and skate return. Visits with Santa continued on Fridays and Saturdays through this coming weekend. 19. Santa will be inside his magical snow globe with kids of all ages sitting in front. People can bring your cell phone or camera for pictures. All visitors are asked to wear masks while waiting in line. More information: merrymainst.com.
Mesa Public Library gets into the holiday spirit Saturday
There is no snow or train but you can still wear your pajamas to the drive-through holiday celebration Mesa Public Library is hosting its for its Not So Polar Express beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 at Red Mountain Branch, 635 N. Power Road, and Dobson Ranch Branch, 2425 S. Dobson Road and at 3 p.m. at Mesa Main Library, 64 E. First St.
Laugh. Don’t leak. There are treatment options for bladder leakage.
Coloplast Corp. 1601 West River Road North, Minneapolis, MN 55411 USA Customer Service 800.258.3476 PM-02002 11.17
Each library branch’s parking lot will have several drive-in stops with special treats. Each car will get a copy of The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, courtesy of Kids Need to Read. All treats and books are while supplies last. Food served at this program may include tree nuts, soy or other allergens. People must stay in their vehicles and follow directional signs. For the Dobson Ranch location, enter the parking lot at the south entrance (near the fire station), drive toward the park and exit the parking lot by taking a right at the light.
Donations sought for agencies that help Mesa’s needy residents
ABC: A Better Community provides shelter, meals and other essential services to Mesa children, families and seniors in need. For the current the City has allocated ABC grant money to five nonprofits: Arizona Brainfood’s weekend food bags for children, East Valley Adult Resources’ Meals on Wheels for the elderly, Mesa United Way’s VITA program, Teen Lifeline and United Food Bank. City utility customers can contribute by automatically donating money with their monthly utility bill payment. Visit mesaaz.gov/abc to enroll. They can also enroll by calling 480-644-2221. People who are not Mesa utility customers can send a check to City of Mesa Customer Service, P.O. Box 1466, Mesa, AZ 85211-1466 and write “ABC: A Better Community” in the memo area.
www.azurologicsurgeons.com
If you are experiencing incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse, please call Dr Alvi (480) 409-5060.
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
15
A-1 Golf Carts SUN LAKES, AZ
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
STOP IN AND CHECK OUT THE
IDEAS WANTED Apps • Beauty • Electronics • Housewares • Medical Pets • Tools • Lawn and Garden • Toys and more!
Call 866-847-9023 for our FREE Idea Starter Guide. 100% Confidential • Davison charges fees for services
NEW E-Z-GO’S! 2021 TXT
2021 RXV Lithium
6 Passenger RXV
FINANCING AVAILABLE When you purchase a NEW E-Z-GO!*
Finance offers only available at participating E-Z-GO dealers. Approval, rates, applicable fees, and terms provided are based on credit worthiness. Offers only available in 50 U.S. states and District Columbia. Financing offers void where prohibited. Finance terms are also available for pre-owned E-Z-GO products. Please see your local E-Z-GO Authorized Dealer for details.
25820 S. Arizona Ave. • Sun Lakes, AZ 85248 480.895.2000 • www.A1GolfCarts.com
••
16
COMMUNITY
TheMesaTribune.com |
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
@EVTNow
/EVTNow
Mesa actor diverts from usual gangster role BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tribune Staff Writer
M
esa multihyphenate entertainer Michael Saquella is thrilled about small things as well as easy laughs. “I’m excited that I got out of bed this morning,” Saquella says dead pan. High on his priority list, though, is “Dream Round,” in which he wrote, produced and stars. The �ilm features Richard Grieco and premiered last month on streaming services. “It’s a great role for me,” said Saquella, who owns Cactus Blue Entertainment. “I normally play mobsters and gangsters. In this �ilm, I play a real sweet, innocent gentleman who lost a family.” He and Grieco have known each other since 1991, when the two worked on the Burt Reynolds vehicle “Forget About It,” which was shot in Mesa. “We played a lot of golf,” he said. “We’re like brothers.”
After living in New York and LA, actor Michael Saquella now calls Mesa home. (Photo by
Jay Curtis)
Saquella is also looking forward to the release of “Carolina’s Calling,” in which
he appears alongside Antonio Sabato Jr. The indie �ilm is “comedy with an alien
fered in a public high school in Arizona. Today, Klett is executive director of the Educator’s Institute for Human Rights and serves on the board and the education committee for the Phoenix Holocaust Association in Arizona. With all the opportunities and knowledge that she has gathered over the years, Klett makes sure to bring it all back to her students. Klett’s work �ills a major gap in Arizona and the nation. The U.S. Millennial Holocaust Knowledge and Awareness Survey of 50 states concluded in September that “nationally, there is a clear lack of awareness of key historical facts” about the Holocaust
Kim Klett, right, is a teacher who is working on the Holocaust education program that the state will require of all students before they can graduate. (Special to the Tribune)
Mesa teacher helps develop mandatory Holocaust class BY MAIRANY GARCIA Tribune Contributor
B
ack when Dobson High teacher Kim Klett was beginning her path to a doctoral degree in English, she decided to take a class that would impact the rest of her career: Holocaust Literature. “I don’t remember learning it in high school so I took the class,” Kim Klett says. “It was a real eye opener, and I thought, wow, this could be really powerful at the high school level.” She took another class on how to teach the Holocaust and put together what is now her Holocaust Literature class. Then, in 2001, Klett’s Holocaust Literature class became only the second of-
twist,” he said. It was �ilmed in Arizona in mid-June, when the state reopened, and it wrapped principal shooting on July 3. The project continued in the Carolinas this summer. A major �ilm studio is considering releasing it this winter. “It’s one of my better projects,” he said. “Besides Antonio Sabato Jr., it has Stacey Dash in it. We’re hoping to do a red carpet event at Harkins and make a big event out of it. We’ll open it up to the public and have paparazzi.” Saquella grew up in New York but moved to Arizona to attend ASU in 1977. After that, he relocated to Los Angeles. He has been entertaining for nearly four decades. His versatile acting skills have landed him roles in �ilm, television, comedy and live entertainment. Saquella’s career began when he took to the stage as a standup comic, opening for notables such as,
��� HOLOCAUST ���� 17
��� AUTHOR ���� 17
COMMUNITY
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
17
Foundation helps MCC entrepreneurs TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
A
foundation has awarded Mesa Community College $50,000 to help 15 low-income students launch their businesses. The Santander Consumer USA Inc. Foundation’s grant will help students enrolled in MCC’s Green Flag program. The college noted that nine out of 10 business startups in the country fail within three years due to lack of capital, mentoring and the structural resources needed to prosper. “Santander Consumer USA invests in the future of aspiring entrepreneurs by
AUTHOR ���� ���� 16
Charro, Tony Bennett and Rachel Welch. He showcased his talents when he wrote, starred in, and made his directorial debut in the horror �ilm “Blue Lake Butcher.” As an actor he also starred in the movies “Used Cars,” “O’Hara’s Wife,” “Assassin,” “Second Chance,” “Lady Blues,” “News Traveler” and “Desert Rose.” He directed and wrote the �ilm “Ambush at Peck Canyon,” based on the true story of
HOLOCAUST ���� ���� 16
among people under 39. In Arizona, 44 percent could not name a concentration camp or a ghetto and 67 percent did not know how many people died in the Holocaust. Arizona ranked 38th among states in Holocaust knowledge, with 23 percent of respondents meeting all three criteria for being “Holocaust knowledgeable.” That criteria include “de�initely” having heard about the Holocaust, knowing that six million Jews died and being able to name at least one concentration camp. The most distressing statistic was that 16 percent of respondents in Arizona and 15 percent nationally believe that Jews caused the Holocaust. “I have no clue anything about the Holocaust,” said Vanessa Longoria, a 16-yearold Dobson High student. When told the number of victims, Longoria was surprised. “It just makes me think why weren’t we taught about this? Why didn’t we learn
providing �inancial support and lending time and expertise to impact the lives of students who are starting their entrepreneurial journey. We want to help prepare tomorrow’s innovators to be career-ready in whatever paths that they choose and we want to do that in our home community of Mesa,” said Sandra Broderick, head of operations for Santander US. The foundation’s support of the East Valley helps eliminate major �inancial barriers to business startup costs and provides educational stipends for the recipient entrepreneurs. “The grant increases equity and access
murdered Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. A comedian and a blues singer, Saquella does impersonations of the late comedic talent John Belushi in live performances in “Legends in Concert” and “Legendary Superstars.” Saquella’s favorite role was in “Forget About It,” as he and Reynolds have a long-standing relationship. As a boy, Saquella and his family drove from Los Angeles to La Jolla only to �ind the beach blocked off because Reynolds was �ilming “Lucky Lady.”
about this?” She asks, “Because this is a really important thing out of all of history, this is something that everybody should know.” Unlike Longoria, Jake Allen, a former student in Klett’s Holocaust class and now a history teacher at Dobson, said it was not surprising at all. Allen recalled that when he initially has brought up the death toll before his students, “I watched a lot of kids’ jaws drop and that seriously concerned me.” He said American history teachers in discussing World War II usually cover the causes of the war, American mobilization and related topics but that there are no standards to cover the Holocaust at all. Which is why, when he was planning to cover the Holocaust longer and more in depth – taking time out of other units – he remembered the profound impact that Klett’s class played in his life as a student and individual. He said her expertise helped him to teach the Holocaust more effectively. “Something as world-altering as the
to the tools, training and seed money required to launch new small businesses and grow career opportunities in the East Valley,” the college said in a release. “The Santander Consumer USA Inc. Foundation grant is the third leg of the stool,” said Richard L. Toler, Jr., chair of the MCC Business Department. “The MCC Green Flag program provides the �irst two legs for MCC student entrepreneurs. The program supports students with guidance, academic advisement and support to help them successfully complete required classes.” MCC not only teaches the students by provides them with connections
He went through the yellow caution tape and walked up to Reynolds, who offered an autograph. “I said, ‘No, I want to know how I get started,’” he says with a laugh. “He said, ‘Figure out what it is to make you want to do that and never quit.’” Saquella replied, “Mr. Reynolds, I’m going to work with you some day.” The two ran into each other frequently before they reunited for “Forget About It,” which was �ilmed at Sunrise Village on
Holocaust, just on a respect level, is an extremely important thing to get right.” Allen said. “It’s important for me as a teacher to make sure that I do whatever topic I’m doing at that time justice,” he said. The reason behind all of his effort? “The number one reason why you need to learn history is so you don’t let it happen again.” He says. “It’s important for individuals to recognize you’re not learning history just for the sake of a grade or you’re not learning history just for the sake of it.” “You’re learning so you can make sure you’re educated when you see things like this come up again,” he added. Longoria says she’d like to learn more and also believes the information is vital, especially for young people, stating: “It should be known what has happened before and what has happened to give people like my friends and Gen Z an idea that – if something like the Holocaust happens – this is not okay and ask, ‘well what can we do about it?’”
through the Mesa Chamber of Commerce. “Santander’s �inancial support, the third leg of the stool, is the energy that fuels the success of our students’ and small businesses; brightening the overall economic future of our community,” MCC said. Dan Piercy, director of the MCC Green Flag program and Business faculty, said, “The majority of brilliant business ideas introduced by students rarely materialize due to inexperience, limited capital and lack of resources.” Information: mesacc.edu/green�lag. McKellips Road. “We were sitting under the orange trees talking,” he said. “Burt said, ‘I think I remember you.’ His son, Quinton, had the hots for my daughter, Samantha.” Saquella enjoys living in Arizona, though, because of the cactus and rocks. “People love the ocean,” he says. “I love the desert. I love Arizona. It’s like home. I’ve been here 43 years now and I absolutely love this place. I would de�initely tell everybody to move here.”
Klett is now serving on an Arizona task force formed by university professors, other members of the Phoenix Holocaust Association and local historians to develop a Holocaust education plan that will be required in schools. Recently, the Arizona State Board of Education added mandatory instruction about the Holocaust at least once in junior high and teachings of the Holocaust and other genocides as a credit requirement for high school graduation. “A lot of times people read about the Holocaust and they think, ‘Oh well that was really sad. It was in the past. It’s a good thing we’re not like that anymore.’ And they just kind of move on,” she said. “They have to realize, No, this still hasn’t ended.” Seeing the Board of Education pass its mandate “feels very, very good,” said Sheryl Bronkesh, president of the Phoenix Holocaust Association. “But I’m going to only allow us to bask in that good feeling [for a short time],” she said, “because we have a lot of work to do.”
18
BUSINESS
TheMesaTribune.com
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
|
@EVTNow
/EVTNow
Eastmark couple teaches the art of cooking BY MONIQUE SELEEN TRIBUNE Contributor
S
weet Moments Company is cooking up ways for people to gather virtually and learn how to prepare everything from gourmet meals to decadent desserts – all from the comfort of their own homes. Mesa couple Therese and Brent Ludwig, launched the company in 2019 with a desire to connect with people through hands-on cooking and learning. After years of owning and operating a bakery, Therese said she was ready for a change. “I was done with the crazy hours that came with running the bakery.” she said. “I love teaching and interacting with people, sharing the knowledge of food, and getting in the kitchen and having fun.” Sweet Moments began by offering inhome services. Therese, a trained pastry chef and culinary instructor, would conduct private cooking lessons from the
Theresa Ludwig of Mesa's Eastmark community and her husband Brent own the Sweet Moments Company, which teaches people the art of gourmet cooking. (Special to the Tribune)
person’s home. But with COVID-19, the Ludwigs knew they had to adapt the company to the changing times. Over the summer, they
transitioned all their classes to virtual formats and started marketing their services in Eastmark, the master-planned community where they reside.
Sweet Moments Company now offers a wide variety of virtual classes, including their Date Night option for couples wishing to prepare a more upscale dinner with items like seared lamb lollipops with herb couscous and red wine sauce. There are also several family-friendly classes to choose from including cookie decorating and cupcake-making, which Therese said tend to be some of the most popular classes. The company also offers general cooking classes which explore common cooking techniques that aren’t quite as upscale as the Date Night option. In addition, they are launching a fourweek Intro to Cooking Course beginning in the new year that will cover topics such as knife skills, sauce making, soups, salads, and dressings. A complete dinner will follow each session. Once registered for a class, all ingredients are prepared and pre-measured in
��� COOLING ���� 19
Mesa brewery’s work with entrepreneurs makes new suds TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
A
Mesa brewery is �inding different ways to stay a�loat in the pandemic. Dave Valencia, owner of Oro Brewing Company and the Oro Taproom at 210 W. Main St., said he’s “uniting the East Valley” through his unique craft beer. “Jesse Kortepeter, head brewer, was brought to the team in 2017 because of his passion for uniting Arizona through creating one-of-a-kind IPAs, ales, stouts and specialty craft beers,” Valencia said in a released. Kortepeter adds on Oro’s website: “I enjoy thriving in a small, close-knit group of motivated individuals rallying around the goal of crafting and serving great beer.
“I sincerely believe that people never stop learning, and I have a profound respect for the brewing process and the creation of beer,” he added. “The quality and integrity of these fermented creations means a great deal to me, so constantly evolving and adapting alongside an engaged team continually inspires me to become a better brewer.” The two men teamed up with various local entrepreneurs, such as Village Coffee in Scottsdale, where they infused
��� BREWS ���� 19
Oro Brewing Company founder Dave Valencia, left, and head brewer Jesse Kortepeter are teaming up with local entrepreneurs to come up with inventive beers. (Special to the Tribune)
BUSINESS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
COOKING ���� ���� 18
the company’s commercial kitchen, then either shipped or delivered to the participant’s front door the day before the class. Classes are then conducted via Zoom and are taught in real-time by Therese from her home kitchen. “It was important to me that I teach out of my own kitchen to show a comfortable environment and that it can be done at home,” said Therese. “I want all the classes to have that warm and welcoming feeling.” Behind the scenes, Therese’s husband Brent, a full-time engineer by day, dedicates his spare time to helping with the technical side of the business, doing the camera work, �ilming and handling the �inances. “He is the backbone of the company,” said Therese. Therese, who is a full-time culinary instructor at Scottsdale Community College, manages the company’s social media, responds to emails, handles all the class bookings, shops for the ingredients and prepares the ingredients for all the classes. With so many moving parts, Therese
said it has been tough getting everything organized as the company continues to grow. “Time has been our biggest challenge,” she said, adding; “We’ve spent a lot of time developing our products, �iguring out new packaging, and creating new methods to make it more ef�icient.” Therese said they have plans to expand and hope to eventually bring on more chefs and some help with the kitchen prep work and the portioning and shipping in the new year. While COVID-19 has taken a toll on several small businesses, Therese said Sweet Moments has thrived in its new virtual format. “It has had a positive impact on us and really helped kick-start our business,” she said. The company also offers private course bookings which Therese said have been a hit with large corporations. “A lot of companies are contacting us wanting to set up a virtual get together as a holiday gift to their employees or as a team building event,” said Therese. Bringing people together in the kitchen is exactly what inspired the name for
the company. Therese, who said her love for cooking and baking was fostered by her mother, said she wanted to recreate those special memories for others. “It is so rewarding to see people interact and do something together,” said Therese. “It’s not just about cooking, it’s about bringing sweet moments to the kitchen.” Information: smcoaz.com.
GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com
BREWS ���� ���� 18
their blonde ale with a cold brew coffee and created “a perfect way to start your morning.” Valencia and Kortepeter also collaborated with local beekeepers to feature 40 pounds of local wild�lower honey in the their prize-winning “Royal Windsor” spiced ale. Oro features six core beers and eight rotating specialty beers daily in their taproom and offers complimentary educational tasting to the public. The taproom opens at 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday. It is closed Monday and Tuesday so the two men can craft new brew. To help combat COVID-19 Oro has limited indoor seating to 26 guests and added an enclosed large patio overlooking downtown Mesa. “Stay safe and enjoy fresh craft beer responsibly, preferably at Oro Brewing Company,” Valencia said. Information: OroBrewing.com or 480-398-8247.
Trophies, Awards, Plaques, Promotional items and Gifts, On-site Engraving
ng i v r e S y l d u o Pr d the Valley an ver Beyond for o 30 years
19
10% off
any order over $100 with ad
3414 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018
602.955.0812 | 866-955-0812
www.hjpromosales.com | hjtrophy.com
••
••
20
OPINION
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
Share Your Thoughts:
Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timespublications.com TheMesaTribune.com
|
@EVTNow
/EVTNow
Bowers stands tall amid fumbling MAGA-teers BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist
A
sculptor and artist by trade, a politician by choice, Speaker of the Arizona House Russell “Rusty” Bowers has long been a puzzle: A quiet Mesa father of seven with a big title, an avoider of the limelight, Republican to the core, an arch conservative suddenly this week cast as an arch villain – a “coward” and “a traitor” – by the red-hatted MAGA-teers. Why? Because Rusty Bowers, who has helped lead the GOP during parts of four decades, has steadfastly refused to undermine the Arizona Constitution and throw the 2020 election to Donald Trump. For that – and for adding some rare
Become a Published Author with Dorrance. We want to read your book!
dignity to our state’s Legislature – I’d say Bowers deserves not the steady diet of hatred he’s been getting on social media, but a medal. Something with gravitas, like the statues of �ire�ighters Bowers made with his bare hands-on display at the State Capitol in Wesley Bolin Plaza. I have been to the Arizona Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial often, and always I depart impressed by Bowers’ talent. Now add to that my admiration for the man’s adherence to principle. One way you can judge Bowers’ dignity is by casting his demeanor against the insanity of his attackers, like Kelly Townsend, who has served as the Legislature’s village idiot since 2013, and Phoenix City Council candidate Nicole Garcia, who will likely lose her March runoff election and hopefully return to the political
No Clipping Required. ON AVERAGE, AARP MEMBERS ENJOY
$449
2
Our staff is made up of writers, just like you. We are dedicated to making publishing dreams come true. Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made countless authors’ dreams come true.
swamp from which she crawled. Townsend egged on the Bowers haters when the Speaker shuttered the Legislature after multiple unmasked members met for hours with one-man superspreader Rudy Giuliani. Townsend went next level after the Speaker, as is his prerogative, rejected her requests to convene the House Election Committee for yet another proo�less dogand-pony show purporting to uncover election fraud. Garcia, who appears to have been born incensed, posted Bowers’ cell number on social media. A Townsend follower posted Bowers’ home address and called for a protest outside his house. “I cannot condone this action,” Townsend tweeted, a directive far different than saying, “Are you people nuts, don’t do this.” Bowers remained silent through the tu-
SAVINGS
ON AUTO INSURANCE when they switch from companies like
GEICO, State Farm and Allstate Your savings could be even more!
Call The Hartford 1-844-998-0817
The AARP® Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford.1
Complete Book Publishing Services FIVE EASY STEPS TO PUBLICATION:
1. Consultation
4. Distribution
2. Book Production
5. Merchandising and Fulfillment
3. Promotion
Call now to receive your FREE Author’s Guide
855-977-5138
or www.dorranceinfo.com/lovin
Saving is easy! With this policy, experienced drivers who switch save an average of $4492 in the first year alone — and they get all the benefits and privileges you’d expect with the AARP Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford. Your own savings could actually be greater.
96%
of customers recommend The Hartford*
■ ■ ■ ■
24/7 claims service First accident forgiveness3 Lock in your rate for a full 12 months New car replacement3
The only national auto insurance program endorsed by AARP.
Call The Hartford now to request a FREE money-saving quote.
1-844-998-0817 No coupon necessary.
Not an AARP member? If you’re 50 or over, request a FREE quote and more information today!
FREE duffle bag when you request your free quote!4
AARP and its affiliates are not insurers. Paid endorsement. The Hartford pays royalty fees to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP membership is required for Program eligibility in most states. The AARP Automobile Insurance Program from The Hartford is underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. It is underwritten in CA by Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company; in WA, by Hartford Casualty Insurance Company; in MN, by Sentinel Insurance Company; and in MA, MI and PA, by Trumbull Insurance Company. Auto is currently unavailable in Canada and U.S. Territories or possessions. Specific features, credits and discounts may vary and may not be available in all states in accordance with state filings and applicable law. Applicants are individually underwritten and some may not qualify. 1 In Texas, the Auto Program is underwritten by Southern County Mutual Insurance Company, through Hartford Fire General Agency. Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates are not financially responsible for insurance products underwritten and issued by Southern County Mutual Insurance Company. 2 Savings amounts based on information reported by customers who switched to The Hartford from other carriers between 1/1/19 and 12/31/19. Your savings may vary. 3First Accident Forgiveness is not available to CA policyholders. Terms and conditions apply. 4Gift is a limited time offer and not available in all states. Email address required in most states. Allow 4-7 weeks for delivery. Bottle not included. *Based on customer experience reviews shared online at www.thehartford.com/aarp as of June 2020. 006131
mult, which isn’t surprising: He’s avoided the press since he was elected in 1992. Bowers’ �irst legislative go-round lasted until 2001. He lost a Republican Congressional primary in 2010, then returned to the Legislature in 2014. How reliably conservative is he? Well, the American Conservative Union has given Bowers a lifetime score of 92. Kelly Townsend? She rates a 90. This election, Bowers was A-rated and endorsed by the National Ri�le Association meanwhile scoring 14 percent from the Sierra Club and 42 percent from Planned Parenthood. However you feel about Bowers’ politics, say this much for Mr. Speaker: He does not back down from his principles, even in the face of vicious attacks. “As a conservative Republican, I don’t like the results of the presidential election,” Bowers explained in a statement. “I voted for President Trump and worked hard to reelect him. But I cannot and will not entertain a suggestion that we violate current law to change the outcome of a certi�ied election. “I and my fellow legislators swore an oath to support the U.S. Constitution and the constitution and laws of the state of Arizona. It would violate that oath, the basic principles of republican government, and the rule of law if we attempted to nullify the people’s vote based on unsupported theories of fraud.” Bowers ended by quoting Ronald Reagan, who reminded us that in the eyes of the world, America’s peaceful transfer of presidential power is “nothing less than a miracle.” Equally miraculous nowadays? An elected leader who maintains grace and his oath of of�ice in the face of furor.
Share Your Thoughts: Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak @timespublications.com
SPORTS
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
21
TheMesaTribune.com @EVTNow /EVTNow
Fall wrap: Mesa teams struggle to qualify for postseason BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor
T
he fall sports season has of�icially come to an end for all Mesa schools, as they all managed to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic with few issues. Some programs saw success that led to playoff appearances and top-10 �inishes in cross country, swim and other sports, while every Mesa football team was left out of the postseason for the �irst time in several years. Much of that stemmed from the Arizona Interscholastic Association limiting the number of playoff participants to just eight teams this year in football. Typically 16 teams make the conference tournaments. Still, reaching the end of a season that, at times, appeared it may not reach a conclusion is an accomplishment in itself. Here’s a look at how every Mesa school fared during the pandemic-delayed fall sports season.
Red Mountain
Red Mountain’s football team was left out of the playoffs for the �irst time since 2005 after the Mountain Lions �inished 3-4 overall in a new region for the 2020 season. Positive COVID-19 cases with Desert Ridge’s program forced Red Mountain to miss a game, which could have potentially helped its ranking. Led by Noah Czajkowski, Red Mountain’s boys’ cross country program placed fourth overall in the state championship meet. The girls, meanwhile, placed eighth overall. Red Mountain’s swim program had a strong showing at the state meet this fall, with the girls’ placing third overall and the boys seventh.
Led by Noah Czajkowski, Red Mountain’s cross country team placed fourth overall in the state meet to wrap up a pandemic-shortened fall sports season. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff)
place �inish and the girls seventh overall. Despite one of its best seasons in recent years, Mountain View’s football program was left out of the 6A playoffs after a 6-2 season. The volleyball program, one of the top-ranked teams all season, lost in the semi�inals to eventual 6A runner-up Perry.
Mesa
Mesa High School’s volleyball program �inished 9-6 overall in the pandemicshortened season and were second in the East Valley Region – comprised of all Mesa schools. The Jackrabbits entered the 6A Conference play-in tournament as the No.
20 seed and fell to Valley Vista. The football program made it through all eight of its scheduled games, �inishing 3-5 overall. The Jackrabbits wrapped up the 2020 fall football season on Nov. 20 with a close loss to district-rival Westwood.
Skyline
Led by Aidan Tinen and Jordan Gloria, the Skyline boys cross country team broke through to the top 10 and placed No. 9 overall at the state meet at Crossroads Park in Gilbert. Abby Ober�ield led the girls team in the �inal meet of the season, but as a whole the girls were unable to place.
Westwood
Westwood wrapped up its 2020 football season with a close victory over districtrival Mesa, a 36-35 game. It was just the second win of the season for the Warriors, but it came in one of the state’s longest tenured rivalries. Lisa Backlund and Mackenzie Vongphosy represented Westwood in the state golf championship match, scoring 218 and 225, respectively. The Westwood volleyball program �inished 7-7 overall and made it to the 6A Conference play-in tournament before losing to Chandler.
Dobson
Dobson’s football program opened the season with a win over North Canyon, before struggling the rest of the way. The Mustangs �inished 2-6 overall, with their only other win coming against districtrival Westwood. The Dobson badminton team �inished 4-7 overall and was left out of the postseason tournaments, while the volleyball team struggled to �ind consistency and �inished winless on the year. In swim, the Dobson boys program quali�ied for the state meet and �inished No. 15 overall with 53 points.
Eastmark
Mountain View
Mountain View’s swim program, a perennial contender in Division I, saw its girls place fourth at the state meet and boys 10th. The cross country program saw similar success this season, as the boys placed sixth after Joshua Judd’s ninth
Austin Wells shot a 171 overall in the golf state championship in Tucson. Dylaina Herrera represented Skyline in the badminton singles championship tournament, winner her �irst match before falling in the quarter�inals. As a team, the Coyotes were ranked No. 14 overall but lost to Chaparral in the �irst round.
Mountain View’s volleyball program made a run to the 6A semifinals as the No. 3 seed before losing to eventual state runner-up Perry. (Courtesy Donna Mundy Photography)
Eastmark, in just its second year of existence, was represented at the state golf championship by Chapin Smith, who shot a 158 in the two-day event. Eastmark’s girls swim team quali�ied for the state swim meet and �inished No. 30 overall. The Firebirds’ football season ended on a positive note with a win over Fountain Hills. Eastmark �inished 2-6 overall in its �irst full varsity season.
22
GET OUT
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
Like us:
Follow us:
GetOutAZ @GetOutAZ
TheMesaTribune.com
Marshall Shore is Arizona’s Hip Historian BY LAURA LATZKO GetOut Contributor
M
arshall Shore, the man known as “the Hip Historian,” has a thirst for acquiring new knowledge and sharing it with others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he had to �ind new ways to do this, including hosting virtual happy hour. The Arizona History Happy Hours are accessible through the Marshall Shore, Hip Historian Facebook page and on Twitch at 7 p.m. Thursdays. Past shows are also available for view on Facebook and YouTube. Shore has partnered with AARP Arizona, which is helping to promote his virtual show statewide. The historian offers the show for free but is accepting donations. Like many others, he hasn’t been able to work due to venue closures and event cancelations during the pandemic. Along with his show, Shore has been working with Virtual Arizona Pride, hosting LGBTQ-themed happy hours on topics such as LGBTQ entertainers in Arizona for the organization’s Third Saturdays. During his time as a historian, Shore has hosted a range of different events, including themed tours, bingo nights and Arizona history talks. He started the virtual happy hours so he could connect with others. “I missed sharing stories with people and in return them sharing with you,” Shore said. Through in-person and virtual events, he has met folks with rich histories, such as a woman in Scottsdale whose dad worked for area resorts in the 1960s. Often during the virtual shows, audience members will use the chat feature to talk with each other and with the host. “People are having this other conversation as you are talking, asking questions and being able to give tidbits about their own experience,” Shore said. The virtual shows have a talk-show format, with his conversations �itting
Marshall Shore - Hip-Historian (Facebook) into different segments. For one segment, he shares facts about small towns in Arizona. “We have some really amazing little tiny places that are rich with history,” Shore said. “For me, that’s part of the fun. I pick a town, and I don’t even know the history. I know it’s an old mining town, but when did it start? What was there? How is it functioning now? Did it have a boon in the ’50s?” Another segment touches on Arizona’s music history.
“I get a chance to talk about some really cool voices that have come from Arizona and get a chance to highlight the diversity of that,” Shore said. E a c h week, Shore brings on guests with knowledge of the topics discussed, which so far have included Arizona’s Tiki history, Hohokam canals and the local R&B music scene of the 1950s and ’60s. During each virtual happy hour session, Shore provides cock-
tail recipes. “I’m looking at how to make it engaging because so many things virtual are just talking heads. I think for a lot of people, it’s easy to watch that and zone out,” Shore said. He has found that asking trivia questions helps to keep audiences engaged, especially when he goes more in-depth and creates discussion around the answers. “I’ve learned it’s more fun if you ask questions and at the end of that go through the answers and talk about why
that’s the answer. That way, you empower people so when they walk away, they know more than when they came in,” Shore said. During his career, Shore has built up a collection of goodies that he often shares with viewers. His collection includes a cocktail stirrer designed by sign maker Glen Guyette. Through his work, he has put a spotlight on people who have been part of Arizona’s history. This includes comedian and singer Rusty Warren of “Knockers Up” fame and Madge Copeland, who opened the �irst Black salon in Phoenix. Even when doing virtual shows, Shore continues to dress in his colorful signature style. He focuses on different items of clothing, such as his eyewear, because of the format but still continues to don clothing items such as his hand-painted Arizona jacket. Hailing from rural Indiana, Shore has a master’s degree in library science and worked as a librarian in New York and the Phoenix area before becoming a historian. He moved to Phoenix in 2000 and started on his current path in 2009, when he hosted his �irst event. He developed his nickname “the Hip Historian” during Arizona’s Centennial. He always had an interest in information, community building and theater, but there wasn’t a job that �it with those passions. This prompted him to create his own job. “When I �irst moved here, there was this prevailing thought that there’s no history here. As I was going out, I’d come across these amazing stories and realize people just haven’t taken that time to explore. It was like, ‘Let me do that,’” Shore said. He said his natural curiosity has always been part of his personality. “As friends back in New York would say, I would talk to a stump. I think everybody has a good story. You just need someone who’s willing to listen,” Shore said.
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
23
Family First Physicians 2345 E Southern Ave Ste 101 Mesa, AZ 85204
Family First Physicians
Hours:
Family2345 First EPhSouthern ysicians Ave HMonday-Friday ours: FamEilSouthern y First PhyAve sicians Hours: 2345 Family First P hysicians Monday-Friday Hours: Ste 101 7am-5pm 2345 E Southern Ave Monday-Friday Ste 101 7am-5pm 2345 E Southern Ave Monday-Friday Ste85204 101 7am-5pm AZ101 85204 Phone: Phone: 480-893-2345 Mesa,Mesa, AZ 480-893-2345 Ste 7am-5pm Phone: 480-893-2345 Mesa, AZ 85204 Mesa, AZ 85204 Phone: 480-893-2345 The office of: The office of:
Accepting new patients! Same-Day Scheduling Now offering telemedicine! TheThe office of:of:M.D. Accepting newnew patients! Accepting patients! Allen Germaine, M.D. Allen Germaine, office Accepting new patients! Allen Germaine, M.D. Sepatients! habla Español Accepting new BrittonBritton Goodman, D.O. Allen Germaine, M.D. Goodman, D.O. Same-Day Scheduling Same-Day Scheduling Britton Goodman, D.O.
Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-5pm Phone: 480-893-2345 The office of: Allen Germaine, M.D. Britton Goodman, D.O. Jennifer Dorn, FNP Gabriella Katana, PA-C Amber Valenzuela, PA-C Christopher Costello, PA-C
Same-Day Scheduling Jennifer Dorn, FNP Britton Goodman, D.O. Jennifer Dorn, FNP Same-Day Scheduling Call us today at 480-893-2345 Now offering telemedicine! Jennifer Dorn, FNP Gabriella Katana, PA-C Now offering telemedicine! Jennifer Dorn, FNP Now offering telemedicine! Gabriella Katana, PA-C Now offering telemedicine! Amber Gabriella Katana, PA-C Se habla Español Valenzuela, PA-C Gabriella Katana, PA-C Se habla Español Amber Valenzuela, PA-C Se habla Español Amber Valenzuela, PA-C Christopher Costello, PA-C Se habla Español Amber Valenzuela, Call usSince today at 480-893-2345 2005, our goal has been to treat entire families andPA-C provide effective, efficient care. Christopher Costello, PA-C
Christopher Costello, PA-C us today at 480-893-2345 CallCall us today at 480-893-2345 Christopher Costello, PA-C Call today atan 480-893-2345 The us practice has open-door policy, offering scheduled visits, same day appointments and
Since 2005, our goal has been to treat entire families and provide effective, efficient care. walk-in service for patients of all ages. 2005, our has been to treat entire families andand provide effective, efficient care. Since 2005, our goal haspolicy, been to treat entire families provide effective, efficient care. TheSince practice has an goal open-door offering scheduled visits, same day appointments and The practice has an offering scheduled visits, same dayday appointments and walk-inpolicy, service foroffering patients of all ages. The practice hasopen-door an open-door policy, scheduled visits, same appointments and walk-in service for patients of all ages. walk-in service for patients of all ages. walk-in service for patients of all ages.
$3 Off
For additional information, including accepted insurances, patient
For additional information, including accepted insurances, patient and more, please visit our website at ForFor additional information, including accepted insurances, patient additional information, including accepted insurances, patient portal, and more,portal, please visit our website at For additional information, including accepted insurances, patient portal, visit website portal, visit f.caoour m ilwebsite yfi firrstatpat hysicians.com wwand w.and famore, mimore, lyfi firrplease stpplease hyw siw ciaw ns.our m portal, and more, website at w .failm ilrysplease fir fi siaicniasour om wwww .fw am yfi fir tprshtp yshiycvisit .ncso.cm
www.familyfifirrstphysicians.com
a dozen Bundtinis®
Gilbert
2285 E. Baseline Rd, #103 Gilbert, AZ 85234 (480) 892-1667
NothingBundtCakes.com
Expires 12/31/20. Limit one (1) coupon per guest. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Valid only at the bakery(ies) listed. No cash value. Valid only on baked goods; not valid on retail items. Coupon may not be reproduced, transferred or sold. Internet distribution strictly prohibited. Must be claimed in bakery during normal business hours. Not valid for online orders. Not valid with any other offer. Discounts applied before tax.
Mesa’s Recycling Program Reminders These Categories Continue To Be A YES!
Beverage Bottles, Jugs and Cans Empty, Clean and Dry
E.g.- Water bottles, milk jugs, soda bottles, soda cans, beer bottles, wine bottles, juice bottles, etc.
Metal Food Cans
Corrugated Cardboard
E.g.- Vegetable, canned fruit, tuna, pet food, tomato sauce, soup, etc.
HOW TO TELL IF IT IS CORRUGATED: Tear a small piece. If you see a flat top and bottom layer with a wavy middle layer, it is accepted.
Empty, Clean and Dry
Remove All Packaging
Paper
Office Paper, Newspaper, Mail and Magazines
All Other Items NOT Accepted When In Doubt, Keep It Out. For recycling information, visit mesarecycles.org
No Longer Accepted
• PAPERBOARD BOXES (cake mix, cereal, tissue, detergent, soda case, cracker, frozen food packaging, etc.) • PLASTIC & PAPER CUPS • MILK, JUICE & ICE CREAM PAPER CARTONS
• NON-BEVERAGE PLASTIC OR GLASS BOTTLES, JUGS, JARS & CONTAINERS (laundry, shampoo, household cleaners, yogurt, margarine, jelly, salad dressing, mustard & ketchup bottles, fresh berry containers, other food and non-food products, etc.)
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
24
King Crossword
Obituaries
ACROSS 1 4 7 8
10 11 13 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 25 26 27 28 30 33 36 37 38 39 40 41
Vagrant Poke Femur or fibula Elaine’s last name on “Seinfeld” Cook by direct heat Silvery Smooth-coated pooch 1/20 ton (Abbr.) Humdinger Moving truck Narnia’s Aslan, e.g. Antitoxins Munchie Enthusiasts’ emotions Roe provider Group of quail Debtor’s letters Muslim maiden Thee High-backed chairs Earthling, in sci-fi Flavor Go over the books Spud’s buds Always, in verse Two, in Tijuana
Donna Briglovich
Obituaries Dale Morgan Porter, Jr.
26 28 29 30
Beyond well-done Throng Where the elated walk Affirmatives
31 32 34 35
Sudoku
Obituaries H E A D STO N E S
DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 14 15 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Uneaten morsels Work with Verifiable Boxer’s successful blow
Dale Morgan Porter, Jr., 77 of Chandler, AZ, went to be with his loved ones on November 30, 2020. Dale was born to Dale Morgan Porter Sr. and Violet Leah Porter on November 1, 1943 in Beloit, WI. He is survived by wife; Linda Ellen Porter, sisters; Patsy Leah Jones and Carol Marie Porter Floyd, daughters; Tamara Kay Zaleski, Angela Dawn Wood, sons; Aaron Joseph Porter and Dale M Porter III, as well 10 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his Father, Dale Morgan Porter Sr., and Mother, Violet Leah Porter. Services to be held Thursday, December 17, 2020 at Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery, 7900 E Main St, Mesa AZ 85207. Visitation at 10 am with family prayer at 10:45/10:50. Funeral Service at 11 am. Mausoleum service to follow funeral, 12 noon.
Give a leg up One Tuneful Spanish wine town Mad Tavern offering Forehead Conductor’s wand Whine English channel? Signs of sorrow Kindle competitor Genetic stuff Young fellow Put into words Try for a two-pointer Queasiness Nil Ousted Bro or sis
Donna Briglovich (nee Merlene), age 86, of New Hope, MN and formerly of Ashtabula, OH passed away on December 6, 2020. Preceded in death by husband, William Clint; and grandson, Ryan Clint. Survived by children, Deborah (Vincent) LaCroix, Kevin Clint, Larry (Julie) Clint; and grandchildren, Renee & Michele LaCroix, and Blair Clint. A celebration of Donna’s life will take place in the summer of 2021
Kennard Eric Boice
Kennard Eric Boice, 70 years old, died in Gilbert, Arizona, November 29, 2020 of complications of alcoholism. Kennard was born May 27, 1950 in Farmington, New Mexico. He is survived by his parents Delbert Ronald Boice and Nora Boice, his sister Roxanne Link, brother-in-law David Link, son Eric Boice, 3 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Kennard served in the US Army from 19691971, during the Viet Nam War. He and his new wife Lola Lambeth Boice were stationed in Anchorage, Alaska and Colorado for most of his service. He will be laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona. Gilbert Memorial Park is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please consider a monetary donation to the Group Home that took care of him the past 13 months. Klara’s Adult Care Home. 1934 E. Smoke Tree Road, Gilbert, AZ 85296.
Need help writing an obituary?
EVERLASTING MONUMENT Co.
“Memories cut in Stone” • MONUMENTS • GRANITE & BRONZE • CEMETERY LETTERING • CUSTOM DESIGNS
480-969-0788 75 W. Baseline Rd. Ste. A-8 Gilbert, AZ 85233
www.everlastingmonumentco.com info@everlastingmonument.phxcoxmail.com
PUZZLES ANSWERS on page 9
Make your choice Everlasting
We have articles that will help guide you through the process. Deadline for obituaries is Wednesday at 5pm for Sunday. All obituaries will be approved by our staff prior to being activated. Be aware there may be early deadlines around holidays.
Call 480-898-6465 Mon-Fri 8:30-5 if you have questions. Visit: obituaries.EastValleyTribune.com
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
25
The Mesa 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 | TheMesaTribune.com
Employ ment
Employment General 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 C,SQL,Oracle,J2EE,SA P,JAVA,JSP,UNIX to analyze/dsgn/dev/ implement/test systems & applics. Email resume to jobs@intraedge.com w/ ref no 2021-19 for SE directly on resume/cover & ref ad in EVT
Employment General
Employment General
Quadriplegic Seeks personal care attendant for weekday 11a-3p and some weekend shifts 11a-3p and some overnight shifts. 12-18 hours per week. $15.75 P/Hr. Job involves running errands, care, transfers, Must be responsible and honest. Call Craig 480-966-2059 (leave a message, it's a land line) or email ernest99@ centurylink.net
IntraEdge has multiple openings for Sr. Programmer Analyst II 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/report on IT related projects using skills in EMC/MS/SQL/Excel/ Java/C. Email resume to jobs@intraedge.com w/ ref no 2021-25 directly on resume & ref ad in EVT
Car for Sale?
Advertise It Here!
Call 480.898.6465
CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM
Employment General Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Solution Specialist, Enterprise Performance, SAP in Gilbert, Arizona and various unanticipated Deloitte office locations and client sites nationally to provide SAP software advisory and implementation services. 15 % travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted.? To apply visit https://jobs2.deloitte.com/us/en. Enter XBAL21FC1120GIL578 in “Search jobs” field. EOE, including disability/veterans. One Certified Public Accountant (CPA)Tempe, AZ. Qualified applicants must be of the Catholic Faith and have a BS in Accounting, Auditing or Finance, and experience as a CPA, with Canadian Tax Code and with Uniform Prudent Management of Industrial Funds Act. The Job will require you to oversee the yearly budget of the Catholic Community Foundation, maintain the records according to State and Federal Requirements and ensure timely filing of government reports, Advise clients and donors about their donation options and how the US or Canadian Tax Codes will affect them, Analyze accounting practices and advise on best practices to management, Oversee the Finance and Investment Committee and manage the investment policies of the foundation, make presentations as needed to clients, donors and management. Send Resume to James Carabajal, Catholic Community Foundation, 4500 Lakeshore Dr., Suite 650, Tempe, AZ 85252 or email jcarabajal@ccfphx.org
Sell Your Stuff! Call Classifieds Today!
480.898.6465
ments Merch andise Announce
Prayer Announcements Thank You St. Jude For Prayers Answered - JRH
Announcements
Anyone know the whereabouts of Kacey Evans, age 42, please have her contact her father 918-705-1289.
CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM
Announcements
Wanted to Buy WANTED BY COLLECTOR OLDER MODEL 22 CALIBER RIFLES AND HANDGUNS IN NICE CONDITION CONSIDER OTHERS I DO NOT SELL GUNS. CALL WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. LEE 602-448-6487
Manufactured Homes BRAND NEW NEVER LIVED IN 2 BED / 2 BATH HOMES $58,900 Financing Available 55+ Mobile Home Park in Great Chandler Loc. Call Kim 480-233-2035
Real Estate
For Rent Apartments APACHE TRAIL & IRONWOOD Secluded Cute Studio, A/C $650/Month Bad Credit ok No Deposit. Water/Trash Inc. (602) 339-1555 ALMA SCH & MAIN 1b 1 bath duplex Income verified UTILITIES INCLUDED Bad Credit OK. No Deposit Close to Lightrail $700 (602) 339-1555
HOME FOR RENT? Place it here! 81% of our readers, read the Classifieds!
Call Classifieds 480-898-6465
Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship Furnace / AC Tune Up - $69 New 3-Ton AC Units - now $3,995 New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!
‘A’ RATED AC REPAIR FREE ESTIMATE SAME DAY SERVICE
Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252
480-405-7588
ItsJustPlumbSmart.com Appliance Repairs
Appliance Repair Now
If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! • Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed
480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured
Thursday Dec. 17th at 9am for the Dec. 27th edition
Email your legal notice to: legals@timespublications.com
QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!
We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not
Legal Advertising Holiday Deadlines:
of the Mesa Tribune, Gilbert Sun News, Chandler Arizonan, and Scottsdale Progress
Air Conditioning/Heating
Air Conditioning/Heating
Concrete & Masonry
Family Owned & Operated
Block Fence * Gates
Three Phase Mechanical
480-671-0833
www.3phasemech.com Sales, Service & Installation
Your newspaper. Your community. Your planet.
NO TRIP CHARGE • NOT COMMISSION BASED
Please recycle me.
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
ACCREDITED BUSINESS
ROC# 247803 Bonded • Insured
602-789-6929 Roc #057163 Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley
YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST!
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
26
Concrete & Masonry
Garage/Doors
Glass/Mirror
DESERT ROCK
GARAGE DOOR SERVICE
GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS
CONCRETE & MASONRY BLOCKWALL CONCRETE RETAINING WALL BLOCK FENCE PLANTER BBQ
FOUNDATION DRIVEWAY SIDEWALK PATIO
PAVER • CONCRETE REMOVAL • HARDSCAPE BONDED & INSURED • ROC#321648 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! FREE ESTIMATES • 16 YEARS EXPERIENCE RESIDENTIAL CALL JOHN: 480.797.2985 COMMERCIAL
Drywall
JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING House Painting, Drywall, Intall Doors, Baseboards, Crown Molding Reliable, Dependable, Honest! QUICK RESPONSE TO YOUR CALL! 15 Years Experience • Free Estimates
East Valley/ Ahwatukee
Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures, Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors, We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors. If it’s glass, we can help you. QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices. FREE Estimates
Broken Springs Replaced Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610
Not a licensed contractor
Handyman HANDYMAN 37 years experience. Drywall, framing, plumbing, painting, electrical, roofing and more. Stan, 602-434-6057
WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR wesleysglass.com SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY Call 480-306-5113
Classifieds 480-898-6465
Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Painting • Flooring • Electrical Handyman Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More!
Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Painting Painting Flooring • Electrical 480.266.4589 “No Job Too ✔Small Flooring Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Man!” josedominguez0224@gmail.com Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry ✔ Electrical Decks • Tile • More! Not a licensed contractor. Quality Work Since 1999 Decks •Affo Tile • More! rdable, ✔ Plumbing 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor “No Job ✔ Carpentry Too Small Marks the Spot for“No Job Too Electrical Services ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Painting • Flooring • Electrical Small Man!” “No Job Too Man!” ✔ Tile Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry
Home Improvement HOME REMODELING REPAIRS & CUSTOM INTERIOR PAINTING Move a wall; turn a door into a window. From small jobs and repairs to room additions, I do it all. Precision interior painting, carpentry, drywall, tile, windows, doors, skylights, electrical, fans, plumbing and more. All trades done by hands-on General Contractor. Friendly, artistic, intelligent, honest and affordable. 40 years' experience. Call Ron Wolfgang Pleas text or leave message Cell 602-628-9653 Wolfgang Construction Inc. Licensed & Bonded ROC 124934
Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Kitchens 9 199 ce Sin rk Wo y Affordable, Qualit ceBSMALLMAN@Q.COM ✔ Bathrooms 2010, 2011 9 199 Sin rk • Panel Quality Wo able,Changes 2012, “No 2013, Job Too Afford And More! 2010, 2011 Small Man!” Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2014 2012, 2013, 2014
Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Work
Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ a Licensed Contractor Insured / Not aCall Licensed Contractor Ceiling Fans Insured/ Not Bruce at 602.670.7038
• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •
• Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel
ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932
2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014
Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor
Hauling
LLC
General Contacting, Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC118198
Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists
FIND THE BEST TALENT. EASILY POST JOBS. COMPETITIVE PRICING AND EXPOSURE
All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.
Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service!
Irrigation
More info: 480-898-6465 or email jobposting@evtrib.com
J BS. EASTVALLEY TRIBUNE.COM
Most jobs also appear on Indeed.com
MISSED THE DEADLINE? Place your ad online! Call 480-898-6465
• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service
NTY
5-YEAR WARRA
480.654.5600 azirrigation.com Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671
Home Improvement
Sprinkler & Drip Systems
TNT Exteriors LLC
Family owned & operated company specializing in: • Residential & Commercial Garage Doors • Roofing • Rain Gutters
Repairs • Modifications • Installs
WE WILL MATCH OR BEAT ANY WRITTEN QUOTE FROM A LICENSED COMPANY!
Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured
Handyman
Home Improvement
One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766
Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!! Classifieds 480-898-6465
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY
CallandBruce Repairs at 602.670.7038 Resident/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor Ahwatukee / References Call Ahwatukee Bruce at 602.670.7038 • Installation ofReferences/ Insured/
OUR JOB BOARD HAS THE TALENT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR.
• Old Paint & Chems.
• Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris
TNTExteriors2018@gmail.com CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE 480-532-5606 ROC# CR326937 #CR322178 #CR321443
• Yard Waste • Concrete Slab
ACTION CONTRACTING INC.
• Remodeling Debris • Old Tires
WE DO IT ALL!
• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations
• Electrical Repair • Plumbing Repair • Dry rot and termite damage repair
GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY
All Estimates are Free • Call:
520.508.1420
www.husbands2go.com
Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC#317949 Ask me about FREE water testing!
Meetings/Events?
Get Free notices in the Classifieds!
Submit to ecota@timespublications.com
Bath & Kitchen Remodels • Car-Port to Garage Conversion Drywall & Stucco Repairs • Plumbing • Electrical • Can Lights Windows • Doors • Cabinets • Painting • Block Fences Wrought Iron Gates • Remodeling • Additions • Patios Tenant Improvements
East Valley
480-833-7353 - Office 480-430-7737 - Cell A+
LIC/BONDED/INSURED Res/Comm’l ROC#218802
aaaActionContractingInc.com
-S
I
E NC
19
78
-
• 20 Years Experience • 6 Year Warranty
480.345.1800 ROC 304267 • Licensed & Bonded
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
27
Landscape/Maintenance
Painting
Superstition Landscape Maintenance
Jose Dominguez Painting & Drywall SEE OUR AD IN DRYWALL! Quick Response to your Call! 15 Years Exp 480-266-4589
Junk Removal PLUS House Cleaning
Not a licensed contractor
Call or Text Adrian 480•376•9803 or 480•925•1418
Honest & Reliable
Plumbing
FREE Estimates
Public Notices
HYDROJETTING
480-477-8842
SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY
BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM
East Valley PAINTERS
20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED ROC 3297740
Pool Service / Repair
Irrigation Repair Services Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured Technician
Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting
Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems
10% OFF
Call Lance White
480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com
We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality
ROC# 256752 Insured/Bonded Free Estimates
ALL Pro
T R E E
S E R V I C E
Voted #1
L L C
Prepare for Winter Season! LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE
Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com
480-354-5802 Painting
HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE
Free Estimates! Home of the 10-Year Warranty!
480-338-4011
ROC#309706
showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!
FALL SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable
Call Juan at
480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.
480-688-4770
Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131
Misc. household goods, personal items, furniture, clothing, toys and/or business fixtures and items belonging to the following: Tenant Name Unit # Ceo Jr. Ray 200 Marcos Cortez 648 Christina Juarez 603 Louis Burgess 801 Maryorie Martinez 204 William Daley 704 Angel Ortiz 311 Monique Jenkins 204 Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party. Items sold “as is”, CASH ONLY, and Buyer must pay a security deposit and broom sweep/clean the unit. Go to www.storagetreasures.com to bid on unit(s). Published: East Valley Tribune, Dec. 13, 20, 2020 / 34992
NOTICE:
Most service advertisers have an ROC# or "Not a licensed contractor" in their ad, this is in accordance to the AZ state law.
Now Accepting all major credit cards
Plumbing
Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): The advertising requirements of the statute does not prevent anyone from placing an ad in the yellow pages, on business cards, or on flyers.
PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH!
What it does require under A.R.S. §32-1121A14(c) <http://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/01165.htm> , is that the advertising party, if not properly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the public by including the words "not a licensed contractor" in the advertisement.
Beat Any Price By 10% • Lifetime Warranty Water Heaters Installed - $799 Unclog Drains - $49 FREE RO UNIT w/Any WATER SOFTENER INSTALL NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 Months!! ‘A’ RATED PLUMBING REPAIR Free Estimates • Same Day Service
Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the individual or company.
Roofing
MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.EastValleyTribune.com
Contractors who advertise and do not disclose their unlicensed status are not eligible for the handyman's exception. Reference: (http://www.azroc.gov/invest/licensed_by_law.html) As a consumer, being aware of the law is for your protection. You can check a businesses ROC status at: http://www.azroc.gov/
Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709
We Are State Licensed and Reliable!
Free Estimates • Senior Discounts
PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR
www.eastvalleypainters.com
480-405-7099 ItsJustPlumbSmart.com
Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs
Juan Hernandez Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair
Advertisement of Sale NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to the Arizona Self-Service Storage Act, Arizona Statutes 33-1704, Section H, Enforcement of Lien. The Undersigned will sell at public sale by competitive bidding on or after December 23, 2020 at 9:00am using an online auction at www.storagetreasures.com, said property has been stored and located at US60 Self Storage, 1661 S Alma School Rd, Ste 105, Mesa, AZ 85210. Property to be sold as follows:
Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience
480-706-1453
Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099
Honey Do List Too Long? Check out the Handyman Section!
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 13, 2020
28
Keep your Christmas Sweet! Let Your Residential and Commercial Roofing Contractor Keep Your Family Warm! New Construction, Repairs, Recovers, Maintenance Installation of Gutters & Attic Insulation Shingles, Tile, Built Up Single Ply, Foam & Coatings, Metal, Shake
“Let Our Family Cover Yours” The Glendale
tar
We’re Here To Answer Your Questions. Give Us A Call!
www.JBSroofingAZ.com ROC #’s: 061127 - 287012 - 198009 - 082024 - 318282