Scottsdale Progress - 08-30-2020 by Times Media Group

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An edition of the East Valley Tribune

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Citizens can’t speak at City Council meetings BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

NEWS ................................ 8 Axon deal sails through Council.

NEIGHBORS ............20 Scottsdale woman marks 105.

Sunday, August 30, 2020

arlier this year, the pandemic forced local governments to move public meetings online in the wake of public health guidelines aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19. But months after the pandemic first hit Maricopa County, Scottsdale is the only

Many bars here get no shutdown reprieve

large Valley city that has not restored some form of live public comment at City Council meetings – a move that has drawn criticism from some residents and local officials. Currently, Scottsdale residents who want to address Council can only submit written comments via email or the city’s website. Of the 10 largest cities in Maricopa County, Scottsdale is the only one that does not offer a call-in or in-person public comment

option during City Council meetings. Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale and Peoria all offer in-person commenting with limits on the number of people who can enter the building at any one time. Other cities – including Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert, Glendale, Tempe and Surprise – allow residents to sign up prior to their council

see PUBLIC COMMENT page 6

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

BUSINESS .................. 23 Harkens reopens movie houses.

NEIGHBORS .........................................20 BUSINESS .............................................. 23 OPINION ................................................ 24 ARTS .........................................................25 FOOD ....................................................... 26 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................27

sea of neon-green protest signs bobbed and bounced among the crowd at the State Capitol two weeks ago with chants of “Let us pour!” and “Open one, open all!” as the “Not Our Last Call Rally” pushed for the reopening of Series 6 and 7 bars. And not all the roughly 300 bar owners, bartenders and patrons who joined that rally will be happy with the state Department of Health Services’ reprieve issued last week that gave gyms, water parks, fitness centers and movie houses a green light to reopen as

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James Brower owner of Coach House in Scottsdale, a Series 6 bar, attended the “Not Our Last Call Rally” on Aug. 20. “We participated to increase awareness to the unfairness of the closure of 6/7 licensed businesses,” he told the Progress. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

the level of COVID-19 transmissions continued a downward trend in Maricopa County and much of the rest of Arizona. Only bars that serve food can reopen – and

not only at half capacity but with tables and more than chips and pretzels on the menu.

see BARS page 12

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CITY NEWS

An edition of the East Valley Tribune Scottsdale Progress is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Scottsdale. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of Scottsdale Progress, please visit www.Scottsdale.org. CONTACT INFORMATION Main number 480-898-6500 | Advertising 480-898-5624 Circulation service 480-898-5641 Scottsdale Progress 4301 N 75th St., Suite 201, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Publisher Steve T. Strickbine Vice President Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising 480-898-6309 Classifieds/Inside Sales Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@scottsdale.org TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@scottsdale.org Advertising Office Manager Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@scottsdale.org Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@scottsdale.org NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 | pmaryniak@scottsdale.org Managing Editor Wayne Schutsky | 480-898-6533 | wschutsky@scottsdale.org Staff Writers Kristine Cannon | 480-898-9657 | kcannon@scottsdale.org Jim Walsh | 480-898-5639 | jwalsh@scottsdale.org Photographers Pablo Robles | Probles@scottsdale.org Design Veronica Thurman | vthurman@scottsdale.org Production Coordinator Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 | production@scottsdale.org Circulation Director Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@scottsdale.org Scottsdale Progress 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@azintegratedmedia.com

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

North-south city split in mayoral race BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

precinct-by-precinct breakdown revealed a stark north-south divide among voters in Scottsdale’s Aug. 4 mayoral primary. Former Council members Dave Ortega and Lisa Borowsky led the five-person field and will face off in November to determine who will be the city’s next mayor. The precinct report showed that Ortega performed best in southern Scottsdale while Borowsky carried the city’s northern reaches. Of the 10 voting precincts where Ortega earned the highest percentage of votes, all were located south of Indian Bend Road and seven south of Camelback Road. Ortega led Borowsky in each of those precincts by between 11 and 17 percentage points. Conversely, seven of the 10 precincts where Borowsky performed best were north of Loop 101 in northern Scottsdale and all 10 were north of Shea Boulevard. Borowsky led Ortega in each of those precincts by between 5 and 14 percentage points. A significant number of votes remain up for grabs following an extremely tight primary that saw just 743 votes separate Ortega from Bob Littlefield, who finished in fourth place. Ortega and Borowsky finished with similar vote totals in most of the precincts in central Scottsdale. In 22 of the city’s 53 precincts – roughly between Bell Road and Camelback Road – Borowsky and Ortega finished within 50 votes of one another. Of the 71,112 votes cast in the mayoral election, over 41,000 voted for the other three contenders, meaning the General Election outcome will likely hinge on the ability of Borowsky and Ortega to sway those voters. According to the precinct report, Ortega appears well-positioned to pick up a substantial portion of the 14,349 voters who voted for Councilwoman Virginia Korte while Borowsky

could appeal to 14,333 voters who initially chose Bob Littlefield. Ortega had the secondmost votes in 9 of the 15 precincts where Korte took home the most votes. Korte was also the second-leading vote getter in 13 of the 17 precincts where Ortega received the most votes. Similarly, Borowsky had the second-most votes in 6 of the 8 precincts where Littlefield took home the most votes. Littlefield was also the second-leading vote getter in 6 of the 9 precincts where Borowsky received the most votes. Borowsky was also the second-leading vote getter in all four precincts where Suzanne Klapp received the most votes. Both Borowsky and Ortega will also have to appeal to voters who stayed home during the Primary as voter turnout is likely to spike in the General Election due to high profile Presidential and Senate races at the top of the ballot. According to the precinct report, 43 percent of eligible voters in Scottsdale voted in the Primary. Though the mayoral race is non-partisan, enthusiasm and turnout could become partisan. Borowsky is a registered Republican endorsed by the A precinct-by-precinct breakdown of the Aug. 4 Priconservative Arizona Free mary Election shows Lisa Borowsky received more Enterprise Club. Ortega is an votes in the north while Dave Ortega had more support in southern Scottsdale. (Progress ﬁle photo) independent but was a regispaced Republican turnout in the Primary. tered Democrat until 2019. According to the Maricopa County ReThat split would seem to favor Borowsky as Scottsdale is a heavily red corder’s Office, turnout among Democity where 42 percent of voters regis- crats in Scottsdale was 69 percent vertered Republican – the largest voting sus 55 percent Republicans. Even so, Republicans cast 39,991 total ballots to bloc in the city. However, Democratic voter turnout out- Democrats’ 32,181.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

CITY NEWS

PUBLIC COMMENT from front

meetings to give comments over the telephone or via a video chat. Scottsdale Unified School District has a hotline for community members who would like to call into Governing Board meetings. When the pandemic first took hold in Arizona, Attorney General Mark Brnovich issued an opinion stating that cities could opt for online-only public meetings without violating the state open meetings law as long they properly notified the public and made those meetings easily accessible. Brnovich’s opinion also noted that cities are not required by law to allow for public comment. “The (open meeting law) permits, but does not require, a public body to include a call to the public on its agenda,” the opinion said. Even so, the lack of a call-in option at Scottsdale Council meetings has riled some residents and even some Council members. Resident activist Emily Austin wrote an email to Council asking the city to give residents a telephonic option similar to

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what was used in SUSD. “This is very irresponsible. Censorship is never a good idea. This is very frustrating but unfortunately not surprising,” Austin wrote. “I guess it really doesn’t matter if we have a chance to speak because the majority of you rarely listen to us anyway.” Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield also said she supported a call-in option for residents. “I would definitely be in favor of having our citizens being able to call in and speak at meetings,” Littlefield said. “I understand other cities are implementing the procedure; I know of no reason why we could not implement it.” Mayor Jim Lane said he understands residents’ concerns. “Number one, I understand what the concern is, I do,” Lane said. Lane said allowing a limited number of in-person commenters like Chandler does is probably not feasible in Scottsdale, because of the relatively small confines of the Kiva, Scottsdale’s City Hall. During the pandemic, council members have left the cramped dais in favor of spaced-out desks. But those desks are set up in the open floor area where resi-

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Scottsdale City Councilmembers and staff currently practice social distancing while participating in City Council meetings, which have been closed to the public since the beginning of the pandemic. (City of Scottsdale)

dents and visitors would sit during prepandemic meetings. Under the current arrangement, there is little room for even 50 spectators to attend a meeting while remaining socially distant. Lane said he is going to follow up with

City Manager Jim Thompson to discuss technology options that will allow residents to speak before Council. But, much like the in-person solution, the physical limitations of Scottsdale’s

see PUBLIC COMMENT page 7

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PUBLIC COMMENT from page 6

City Hall may stand in the way. City spokesman Kelly Corsette said Scottsdale has experienced technical difficulties using call-in software due to the acoustics in the Kiva. The software is similar to what is in use in Mesa “but as I’m sure you’ve experienced when someone calls in remotely, the sound acoustics in Scottsdale’s echoing City Hall are not the best, and in our testing it’s been difficult to hear when we’ve had people call in,” Corsette said. Corsette said the city had the software in place for situations when public comment is required by law, such as the city’s budget hearings earlier this summer. However, no one signed up to comment during the budget talks, so the city was not able to test out the software in a live situation. Councilwoman Linda Milhaven said there are other issues with call-in comments as well.

“Letting folks call in sounds simple enough but we have no way to conﬁrm who is speaking. When folks show up in person there is more accountability; they complete a card indicating their name and address and then are on video.”

“Letting folks call in sounds simple enough but we have no way to confirm who is speaking,” Milhaven said. “When folks show up in person there is more accountability; they complete a card indicating their name and address and then are on video.” In lieu of call-in technology, Corsette said the city offers residents the ability to submit comments online – which has its own benefits, he said. For instance, Corsette said, it allows residents to draft out their comments “at a time and place that is convenient to them” and Council receives them before the meeting. “For one item at last night’s City Coun-

cil meeting, 75 public comments were received, which tells us that many people are able to use this method to make sure their comments are provided to City Council and become part of the public record.” But that method, too, has its flaws. Littlefield said she often does not have time to go through every comment prior to a meeting. “I would like to have citizens be able to give verbal comment on agenda items during the meetings. I miss hearing from them,” Littlefield said. “Frankly,” she added, “I often do not have the time to read all the written comments sent to us in batches – often they come in only hours before the meeting and I am reviewing notes, in other meetings, or driving down to City Hall.” Both Milhaven and Councilwoman Solange Whitehead said there are existing options available to those who want to reach out to Council, including submitting comments or contacting members individually. Whitehead echoed Corsette’s comments about the audio quality of call-in comments, stating “It is not very good quality in the Kiva and far worse for those watching Channel 11.” “Staff has set up Zoom calls for speakers at meeting. Resource and time wise, the City doesn’t have resources to do this for large numbers of speakers,” Whitehead said. “It’s on my radar and I’m looking for solutions.” At Council’s meeting Aug. 25, Councilman Guy Phillips attempted to agendize a discussion on reopening public meetings in their entirety to residents but that motion died after it received no support. Phillips’ motion was broad and went beyond just addressing public meetings as he sought to discuss terminating Lane’s March 18 emergency declaration that, among other things, gave the city manager the authority to restrict access to public buildings. That proclamation also authorized Lane to later issue Scottsdale’s mask mandate – a measure, still in effect, that Phillips has strenuously opposed. Corsette said the city will reopen public meetings when it is safe to do so. “Once the public health situation allows, the city looks forward to holding meetings in person once again, with members of the public in attendance,” he said.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

Axon deal sails through City Council BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

$9.4-million infrastructure reimbursement deal designed to keep Axon from leaving Scottsdale won unanimous approval from City Council on Aug. 25 and drew widespread praise from its members. The deal will pay the taser and body camera manufacturer up to $9.4 million if it meets construction and employment benchmarks connected to a proposed headquarters expansion in northern Scottsdale. Even with Council approval, the deal hinges on Axon winning a state land trust auction to purchase a parcel in the Crossroads East near Loop 101 and Hayden Road. The land, located near Axon’s existing headquarters, will go to auction on Sept. 10 with a starting bid of $31.7 million. If Axon wins the bid, it will be eligible for up to $7.2 million in reimbursements for costs associated with the widening of Mayo Boulevard and Hayden Road. Those improvements could also include associated infrastructure work like sidewalks, landscaping, sewer, wastewater and water improvements, according to a draft of the agreement. Council also agreed to reimburse Axon $2.2 million for a payment it must make to the city after purchasing the land. The Arizona Land Department requires any successful bidder on the land to pay the city $2.2 million within 30 days of the auction as payment to recoup city costs for existing infrastructure in the area. In order to receive its full reimbursement, Axon must build at least 250,000 square feet of commercial or manufacturing space and have a payroll of $130 million over any continuous 12-month period within five years of the state land auction. If Axon does not meet those benchmarks, it would still be eligible to receive up to 50 percent of the infrastructure reimbursement, or about $3.6 million. If it wins the bid, Axon must reserve 4.5-6 acres for the city to build a fire station, water pump and potential future command center.

Axon is planning to expand its Scottsdale headquarters if it can successfully bid on 74 acres of nearby state trust land that will go to auction in September. (Photo by Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

Under the deal, the city will pay Axon for the land using the same per-acre price the company pays the state for the larger parcel. The city anticipates the plot will cost it about $2.6 million, according to a council report. Proponents of the deal cited a number of benefits to the city, including retaining Axon, formerly Taser International, a major employer founded in Scottsdale in 1993. Scottsdale resident Rick Smith, a Chaparral High School graduate, founded the company in the 1990s and it has grown significantly since that time. The now publicly-traded company has a local workforce of 850 employees in Scottsdale and had total revenue of $549 million in 2019. Axon nearly left Scottsdale a few years ago after coming to an agreement with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to purchase a plot of land adjacent to Scottsdale. But in 2019, Axon backed out after it was unable to secure design approval for its new headquarters from the SRPMIC. Smith credited Mayor Jim Lane for brokering a deal to keep the company in Scottsdale. “I would also love to give some credit to the mayor here,” Smith said. “We were pretty far down the road on moving forward with a deal over in the Salt River location.” “We were going somewhere else, and it was exactly (Lane’s) approach that got

us to rethink it,” Smith said. In addition to the 850 existing jobs at Axon in Scottsdale, the company expects to add 650 new positions after its expansion. The city estimated it will give Axon $12 million, including the land sale, over the course of the deal but will receive $16.5 million in value, including the infrastructure improvements, land and existing and new taxes association with construction and Axon’s operations. Additionally, both city and company leadership said Axon’s expansion will make the city a more attractive destination for other technology companies in the future. “And, again, to the point that this further diversifies our city industry base and our reliance on hospitality and focuses on our emerging tech industry is important,” Scottsdale Economic Development Director Rob Millar said. Smith said the company would like to play a role in making Scottsdale a tech destination. “I’d like people to start saying Scottsdale in the same breath as San Francisco, Seattle, Austin and Scottsdale when they talk about the top tech cities,” Smith said. Smith said that goal also benefits Axon’s recruiting goals, because industry talent tends to move to markets where they have more employment options. Councilwoman Linda Milhaven called the vote “a watershed event for Scotts-

dale” and compared it to the Mayo Clinic’s role in sparking the growth of the city’s healthcare-centric “Cure Corridor.” “I think this... raises our profile,” Milhaven said. “I think it improves our brand and our reputation.” The deal sailed through the City Council – a somewhat unexpected occurrence considering a previous reimbursement plan in Crossroads East for the Nationwide development faced opposition from some residents and members of the Council when it passed on a 5-2 vote in 2018. The Nationwide deal included zoning changes packaged together with an infrastructure reimbursement and some of the opposition was connected to requests for greater density and heights in the development. Axon indicated its eventual project will require zoning changes – including a request to increase height allowances up to 82 feet – but those requests will come to Council at a later date. Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield is the only council member who voted no on the Nationwide reimbursement and is still serving on Council. At a City Council meeting in 2018, she said the Nationwide deal did not include enough public outreach and “the cost for this infrastructure improvement will be borne by the Scottsdale citizen who quite literally will

see AXON page 9

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

City names new transportation director

to add to the livability side of Scottsdale transportation.” The hiring marks a reorganization at the city, which previously separated transportation and streets into separate departments. “Merging the two departments into one has already been a great success improving communication and coordination between planners, operators and maintainers,” Public Works Director Dan Worth said. “Finding the right director to lead this new, expanded team was a critical final step in the reorganization.” In addition to overseeing that reorganization, Melnychenko will lead

two city departments that have experienced some turnover and scandal in recent years. The hiring fills a nearly-yearlong void at the top of Scottsdale’s Transportation Department after former Director Paul Basha resigned last September after an internal investigation found he violated conflict of interest rules. According to the investigation, Basha and Transit Programs Manager Lisa Johnson failed to properly administer a contract awarded to Jerry Johnson, Lisa Johnson’s husband. The city fired Johnson. The city found that Basha and Lisa Johnson had initially taken steps to avoid a conflict of interest by agreeing that she would not be involved in administering the contract awarded to her husband. However, they later flouted those rules because Basha found the rules “burdensome and without benefit,” according to the report. Basha admitted to disregarding the rules but denied any impropriety occurred. According to the report, Basha said, “No impropriety at all, but there was a perception and in government work, perception is reality.” Streets Operations Director Randy Ghezzi resigned in late June 2019 just weeks after an audit found staff in his department failed to follow up on recommendations from the Arizona Department of Transportation to inspect or repair

its bridges – including the Drinkwater Bridge that underwent $9 million worth of repairs that year. The city declined comment on whether or not the audit played a role in Ghezzi’s resignation. City spokesman Kelly Corsette provided a statement from City Manager Jim Thompson stating that “Mr. Ghezzi voluntarily resigned from his job at the city.” Earlier that year, the Progress reported that the city reprimanded Ghezzi in 2018 after an investigation into alleged ethical violations and conflict of interest found he violated city rules by maintaining outside employment at an area Lowe’s without supervisor approval and received a gift in excess of $25 from a potential vendor. The report found that during a pavement conference in Las Vegas, Ghezzi attended a dinner paid for by VSS International, a firm that previously employed Ghezzi and had received a city contract in the past. After resigning from the city, Ghezzi again began working for VSS as a business development manager, according to agendas published for 2019 conferences hosted by the County Engineers Association of California and Northwest Pavement Management Association. Following the investigation, the city docked Ghezzi’s pay and put him on a 40hour unpaid suspension.

eral of whom celebrated the city’s ability to hold onto one of its homegrown success stories. “I think it’s a wise decision and I think it’s great to see us all come together on something that is as important as this is for the city,” Lane said. The Axon deal did have its critics. Betty Janik, the top vote getter in the Primary, took to Facebook earlier this month and said the infrastructure improvements were “of little benefit to citizens.” Candidate Tom Durham also told the Progress he was against the deal. “My first point is Axon is a very, very successful company,” Durham said. “Their profits and their sales are grow-

ing every year, and to me, that raises the question of why are we giving them $9 million when so many Scottsdale businesses are suffering, and we have a lot of businesses that are closing and shutting their doors?” Councilwoman Solange Whitehead said, “I certainly didn’t get all that I wanted but when negotiations were over, I voted big picture. The City will acquire prime real estate at a discount and Scottsdale retains a cutting-edge tech company that is experiencing tremendous growth for all the right reasons.” If Axon successfully purchases the state land, it will likely be back before the city in the coming year to ask for zoning changes and design approval for

its new headquarters. Preliminary designs for the new Axon campus show a unique building that includes an illuminated 40-foot-wide sign bearing the company’s name, banding around the building in the company’s signature yellow and a futuristic illuminated lighting system. According to the agreement, Axon plans to request to rezone the property to I-1 industrial park zoning and will ask for amended standards to allow for buildings up to 82 feet tall – well above the 52 feet allowed under city code. Millar, the economic development director, said the reimbursement deal approval does not guarantee approval of Axon’s future zoning or design requests.

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

ollowing a nationwide search, the City of Scottsdale found its new transportation director right in its own backyard. On Aug. 13, the city announced the hiring of Scottsdale resident Mark Melnychenko as Transportation and Street director, a new position that will oversee both transportation planning, transit and traffic engineering along with the city’s streets. Melnychenko worked for Phoenix for nearly 24 years, most recently worked as deputy director in its Street Transportation Department. In Phoenix, Melnychenko helped develop Transportation 2050, a plan approved by Phoenix voters in 2015 that included expanded investment in public transportation, streets and bike lanes. Melnychenko also worked on the Grand Canalscape, a 12-mile pedestrian and bike trail system along the Grand Canal from Interstate-17 to the Phoenix-Tempe border. Melnychenko is also familiar with transportation issues in Scottsdale. In addition to living in the city for 30 years, he previously chaired Scottsdale’s Transportation Commission. “I’m excited for the chance to make a difference where I live,” said Melnychenko. “I’m going to do what I can

AXON from page 8

be forced to pay for development that they don’t want.” But, in the case of Axon, Littlefield said she believed the benefits of the project outweighed the costs to the city by diversifying the economy with quality manufacturing jobs. “As you know, I do not like passing out city money to private companies, in general, and especially if I can’t be sure that we’re not going to be pretty sure of getting it back,” Littlefield said. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to get this back in spades.” Littlefield’s comments were largely echoed by the rest of the Council, sev-

Scottsdale resident Mark Melnychenko is the city's new Transportation and Street Department director. (File photo)

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

(Continued from previous page)

Mint to date. That’s why area residents who find their zip code on the distribution list today are being urged to call. Since this special advertising announcement can’t stop anyone from buying up all the new 2020 Edition Arizona State Silver Bars they can get their hands on, the Federated Mint has not set a limit of how many Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bags residents can get – these are the bags pictured above that contain 10 individual Silver Vault Bags each. Everyone who gets these will be glad they did. “Residents who want to cash in on the lowest ever State Minimum set by the private Federated Mint better hurry. That’s because after the deadline ends, the State Minimum for these pristine half ounce Arizona State Silver Bars set by the Federated Mint will go up to $50 per bar no matter how many bars people get,” Withrow said. “We’re bracing for all the calls and we’re doing the best we can, but with just hours left before the deadline ends, residents who find the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication need to call the National Silver Hotline,” Withrow said. ■

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If you find your zip code on the distribution list printed in today’s publication read below then call: 1-800-280-2754 EXT. FMM4262

I keep calling and can’t get through: Keep trying. Right now everyone’s looking to cash in on the lowest State Minimum ever set by the Federated Mint. In fact, we won’t be surprised if thousands of residents order up as many Silver Vault Bags as they can get their hands on before the deadline ends. That’s because the State Minimum set by the Federated Mint has been slashed to the lowest ever at just $29 for each silver half ounce bar for the next 2 days for everyone who gets the vault bags. And since each Silver Vault Bag contains 10 pristine State Silver Bars for just $290 we’re guessing state residents will be claiming two or more bags while they’re up for grabs. But all those who really want to cash in are taking the Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bags containing 100 State Silver Bars before the deadline ends and the State Minimum set by the Federated Mint goes up to $500 per Vault Bag. In fact the State Minimum set by the Federated Mint is reduced even further for those getting the Jumbo Bags so just be sure to ask the National Silver Hotline operator for your discount. So if lines are busy keep trying. How much are the Silver Vault Bags worth: It’s hard to tell how much these Silver Vault Bags could be worth since they are in pristine condition, but those who get in on this now will be glad they did. That’s because the State Minimum set by the Federated Mint goes up to $500 per bag after the deadline ends. So you better believe that at just $290 the Silver Vault bags are a real steal for everyone who beats the deadline. Can I buy one State Silver Bar: Yes. But, the lowest ever State Minimum set by the Federated Mint of just $29 per bar applies only to residents who purchase a Silver Vault Bag(s). That means only those residents who order a Silver Vault Bag(s) or a Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bag get the lowest ever State Minimum set by the Federated Mint. All single bar purchases, orders placed after the 2-day deadline and all non-state residents must pay the $50 per silver half ounce bar. Why is the State Minimum set by the Federated Mint so low now: Thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to get the silver at the lowest ever State Minimum set by the private Federated Mint. Now all residents who find the first three digits of their zip code on the Distribution List above are getting the Silver Vault Bags for themselves and all the solid .999 pure State Silver Bars found inside. The price for each Silver Vault Bag after the deadline ends is set at $500 which is $50 per bar, but residents who beat the 2-day deadline only cover the lowest ever State Minimum set by the Federated Mint of just $290 for each State Silver Vault Bag which is just $29 per bar as long as they call the National Silver Hotline before the deadline ends at: 1-800-280-2754 EXT. FMM4262. Hotlines open at 8:30 A.M. FRONT VIEW

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

BARS from front

No dancing. No karaoke. No darts or pool. And forget about wandering around in hopes of finding a hook-up. “Bars are being held to a different standard than other businesses,” said James Brower, owner of Scottsdale’s Coach House, a bar with a Series 6 license. “Class 6 and 7 license holders are just as capable of practicing safe business practices as others.” A Series 6 license allows for the sale of beer, wine and spirits without the requirement to sell food. A Series 7 license allows a bar to sell just beer and wine To open, bars and nightclubs with one of those licenses must provide dine-in services – meaning, customers are escorted to tables, groups are limited to no more than 10 and standing and mingling are limited to waiting areas. Bars and nightclubs not operating as a restaurant, on the other hand, must remain closed until counties reach 3 percent rate for new COVID-19 tests coming back positive. And even then, they will be allowed to have only half their customers. The state’s reopening announcement followed weeks of tension, rallies and a lawsuit that more than 100 bar owners across the state filed in Arizona Supreme Court against Gov. Doug Ducey’s shutdown. The bar owners’ central argument was that if restaurant bars, hotel bars, microbreweries, wineries, casino bars and other similar establishments can reopen, so can Series 6 and 7 bars. “Singling out series 6 and 7 licensees was lazy at best,” said their attorney, Ilan Wurman, a law professor at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. “At worst, doing so was a corrupt favor to Governor Ducey’s friends in the powerful restaurant industry.” The high court early last week tossed the suit. Chief Justice Robert Brutinel stated the bar owners “did not provide a compelling reason as to why this matter could not be initiated in a lower court.” Some of the bar owners are now taking their claim against Ducey to a trial judge. Wurman is already filing a new lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court that argues that the distinction between liquor license series has nothing to do with public health.

Roughly 300 bar owners, bartenders, patrons, and more showed up to the “Not Our Last Call Rally” to push for equal opportunity for Series 6 and 7 bars, in response to Governor Doug Ducey’s closure of said businesses at the end of June. (Pablo Robles/ Progress Staff Photographer)

“Not Our Last Call Rally” attendee James Brower, owner of Coach House in Scottsdale, said, “Bars are being held to a different standard than other businesses. Class 6 and 7 license holders are just as capable of practicing safe business practices as others.” (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

The lawsuit not only alleges that Ducey does not have the constitutional authority to shut down businesses, including bars, but it also asks a judge to declare that, by shuttering the bars, Ducey effectively took their property and that bar owners receive compensation from the state. Ducey re-imposed the shutdown of bars and other businesses that attracted large gatherings in June after numerous photos and videos on social media showed large crowds with no masks or social distancing

huddling together in various nightspots, including some in Scottsdale. Such gatherings also are believed to be part of the reason for the surge in coronavirus cases that occurred in June and July. “The actions of a handful of bars doesn’t mean that the rest of the 2,000-plus Class 6 and 7 license holders are behaving the same way,” Brower said. As of Aug. 25, more than 1,200 businesses submitted applications to the state health department for approval to reopen;

as of Aug. 24, it had approved 103 applications and denied 202 of them. Among the hundreds that were denied is Jolie’s Place in Chandler, which received a denial letter on Aug. 19. The letter stated that their application “failed to provide proof” that their business “has taken or will take such extra steps, beyond those required, as necessary to operate safely.” It said businesses that have been approved to reopen had implemented “specific more stringent requirements” beyond those required in its guidelines and benchmarks for other businesses. They included operating as a restaurant at less than 25 percent occupancy or at less than five customers at one time, setting modified hours such as 10 p.m. closure, and requiring the purchase of food along with the purchase of alcoholic beverages. Nine bars were, however, given permission to reopen, only one of which is located in Scottsdale – the El Dorado Bar and Grill, which reopened Aug. 26. “We have been approved by the Arizona Department of Health Services to reopen under very strict guidelines,” El Dorado Bar and Grill wrote on Facebook on Aug. 22. And changes made at El Dorado reflect what the health department wrote in its denial letter. El Dorado not only changed their hours of operation – they now close at 10 p.m. – but they also require patrons order food with alcohol, wear masks upon entry and while walking around the premises. It also requires patrons observe social distancing. Guests, limited to parties of 10 or fewer people, are not allowed to move bar stools or tables without permission. “Bars deserve to be open because there is no reason that we can’t be open and abide with AZDHS and CDC guidelines just as other license holders,” Brower said. “A number on your liquor license doesn’t determine how safe a business can be.” Rusty Spur Saloon owner Susan Anderson agrees. “There is a generalization that all bars – 6 and 7s – were operating at foolish, unsafe levels. Many bars operated appropriately, as did restaurants, as did some gyms. But to make many of the good guys the sacrificial lambs for the bad guys is just wrong. Now many restaurants are not operating

see BARS page 13

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

Arizona could lose millions in undercount BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

rizonans are responding to the U.S. Census at a rate near the bottom of the national pack. And that could affect everything from federal aid to whether the state gets another seat in the U.S. House. New figures from the Census Bureau show that just 60.8 percent have returned their questionnaire, whether online or by mail. And even with census workers following up by going to homes where people didn’t respond, the rate is just 68 percent. Only four states have lower tallies. This comes despite $1.2 million the governor’s office put into what Alec Thomson, the governor’s director of strategic initiatives and campaigns, described as grassroots and paid media efforts to drive up response. And when that didn’t produce the desired response, Gov. Doug Ducey pumped another $600,000 aimed at increasing the response rate among tribal communities, rural areas “and other traditionally undercounted communities.’’ Thomson said the state has redoubled its efforts, with everything from a new round of radio ads to having census trackers setting up stands in front of Food City grocery stores.

BARS from page 12

at safe levels,” Anderson said. With bars shuttered, bar owners claim that some restaurants aren’t playing by the rules and, according to Anderson, they’re “getting away with it.” “If safety for the people is the sole reason for keeping the gyms and bars closed, Governor Ducey and the AZ Department of Health is putting a blind eye to the number of restaurants that are not following 50 percent occupancy, not social distancing and increases in sales of alcohol that are not being audited 40/60 for a 12 license,” Anderson said. Wurman added that some bars have spacious outdoor patios, table service and no dancing, while some restaurants “often have cramped spaces, loud music, dancing, and no outdoor seating.” “I want the government to listen,” Ander-

And he said the governor extended his Arizona Complete County Committee through the end of October. But time is running out before then. The original plan was to have census takers in the field through the end of July. Then, with the COVID-19 outbreak and the inability to get census takers out on the streets, that was extended through the end of October. But now the agency wants everything done by the end of September. “I think what you have happening in Arizona is somewhat of a perfect storm,’’ Thomson said, citing delays in the field operations. And that, he said, created problems particularly in tribal and rural areas. On one hand, he said, urban areas are doing better, with a 64.7 percent total selfresponse rate in both Pima and Maricopa counties compared with the 60.8 percent statewide figure. Yavapai County is only slightly farther behind at 63.3 percent. But in Navajo County just 30.4 percent of people either returned the forms or responded online. It was even worse in Apache County with a 20.7 percent response rate. Thomson said reservations present a unique situation, saying that some are refusing to open up to census workers to do in-person follow-up visits. It’s for that same reason, he said, that New Mexico also has a response rate below average.

son said. “We are not complaining with the same complaint. I want them to open their eyes. They didn’t solve a problem, they just extended it.” According to Anderson, restaurants should be mandated to reach the same benchmarks as bars with a series 6 or 7 license. “I agree with Gov. Ducey’s decision on regulating the situation to keep the public safe. What I don’t agree with is that restaurants are violating the benchmarks and bars are staying shut because of benchmarks,” she said. “Close everyone down and reopen only if and when they meet the same requirements that the bars and gyms do,” Anderson suggested. “This will weed out the violators.” State health officials last week issued a statement encouraging people to report any violations to them or county health of-

“The in-person part of this was key for Arizona, is key for Arizona,’’ Thomson said. Put another way, if those follow-up visits don’t produce data, the state will end up with an overall response rate that falls short of much of the rest of the country. There’s also the possibility that those in the state who are not here legally may be reticent to respond, whether directly or to a census worker coming to the door – even with the Trump administration withdrawing its bid to not count them and even with assurances that anything someone tells a census taker will remain confidential. All this is not just academic, or even about bragging rights. Thomson figures that every 1 percent missed translates out to $60 million a year in lost federal dollars which are doled out on a population basis. Multiply that times a decade – the time until the next census – and that's $600 million in foregone revenues for each percentage short. Put another way, Thomson said, each counted person brings in about $3,000 a year. Still, he said, there are no firm numbers to exactly what an undercount actually will mean financially. “That is a question that we can’t totally answer yet,’’ Thomson said. “There is a lot that goes into that final

ficials – or even local police. State health department spokesman Steve Elliott said his agency is contracting with most local public health department to investigate complaints and enforce the requirements of the various executive orders issued by Ducey. For counties that don’t contract with the state, health inspectors themselves will go out to take a look. Those inquiries, he said, will involve not just observation of how a business is operating but also interviews with customers and employees. But Elliott said there’s a role for the public as well. “If you believe a business isn’t following these requirements, which were established for the safety of customers, employees and the broader public, ADHS encourages you to share your concerns so local and state officials can follow up as

count,’’ he explained. “There are some statistical formulas that are integrated into the final count.’’ And, ultimately, Thomson said Arizona needs to see whether that in-person follow-up operation manages to move the needle a bit. “We just need to remain focused on doing everything we can right now,’’ he said. It’s not just money that’s at stake. There’s also political power. In a report late last year, Election Data Services concluded that shift in population from the Northeast to the South and West should pretty much guarantee that Arizona will pick up a 10th seat in the U.S. House after the decennial census. The organization’s Kimball Brace said that’s because Arizona is adding residents at a rate faster than much of the rest of the country. But only official tallies by the Census Bureau matter. And if they’re not on this official list, they don’t count. Even the internal response rate matters. The number of legislative districts will remain the same at 30. But there is a requirement to come up with districts of roughly equal population. If some areas are undercounted, they may need to be combined geographically with adjacent areas to meet the official population threshold.

needed,’’ he said. Two of Scottsdale’s oldest bars, Rusty Spur Saloon and Coach House, continue to remain closed. With no definitive reopening date, “we just can’t afford it,” Brower said. “The impact of this has been devastating,” he added. “Personally, it feels like my family has been splintered apart. I grew up in this bar and it is just as much a part of me as my arms or legs.” Brower furloughed 18 employees since the second shutdown. As for Rusty Spur Saloon, while Anderson describes the impact of the pandemic and ensuing closures as “horrible,” she said the bar isn’t going anywhere. “I am a strong businesswoman. I manage my business in such a sense that I’ve owned it for 18 years. I don’t think COVID is going to kill any business; I think government is,” she said.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

Your Local Guide to Better Living

HEALTH

Summer 2020

WELLNESS Special Supplement to The Scottsdale Progress

The Joint keeps patients healthy during the pandemic 530 clinics in 34 states. “I think we’re playing an instrumental role in helping patients across this country,” Holt said. “We need to alleviate strains now more than ever.”

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

eter Holt hears stories daily about The Joint’s ability to lessen the effects of pandemic stress on the body. The quarantine forced workers to telecommute and, sometimes, use less-thanideal office furniture that causes tension in the shoulders, necks and backs. “Ergonomically correct chairs are gone,” said Holt, The Joint’s president and chief executive officer. “We’re sitting hunched over our computers. The stress people are under is really unprecedented.” The Scottsdale Airpark-based company felt its services were essential and stayed open during the quarantine to make people as comfortable as possible. “We will be open wherever and whenever possible,” Holt said. “If we had any doctors or franchises who thought it was in their best interest to close, we fully supported that.” By staying open during the pandemic, The Joint kept patients with back and

The Joint’s president and CEO, Peter Holt, says 30% of those who have never been to a chiropractor are scared. The Joint is trying to change that. (Photo courtesy The Joint)

neck pain, and other assorted aches, out of emergency rooms. “We relieved some of that pressure on the health care system,” Holt said. “We allowed them to treat COVID-19 patients. We’re on the front line and truly helping our patients, and helping this country battle this pandemic.” The Joint is adhering to all CDC guidelines. The staff removed all the nonessential items where viruses can collect. They sanitize between patients and wear gloves and masks. “Certain adjustments we’re not doing because there’s greater exposure,” Holt said. “A lot of The Joint offers wellness plans for $69 a month for up to these rules are governed four visits. (Photo courtesy The Joint) by state or local munici-

Changing attitudes Holt is a Baby Boomer and he recalled, when he was younger, people considering chiropractors “quacks. It was voodoo medicine.” “That is profoundly changing,” he said. “If you look at our patient A typical exam at The Joint is 20 minutes, with 3 to 5 min- base, 39% are Millennials, 34% are Generation utes for the adjustment. (Photo courtesy The Joint) X, 19% are Baby Boomers like me. It’s really the palities. We ask the standard questions like if you had exposure to COVID-19, The young people who are looking for more clinics are checking temperatures. Chiro- natural holistic ways to get out of pain. To practors are medical doctors so it’s always me, it’s so interesting. “It’s a $15 billion industry and it’s in a medical setting.” The Joint was founded in Tucson in dominated by independent practitio1999 by chiropractor Fred Garretson, ners. There are 40,000 chiropractors opwho had a vision of bringing chiropractic erating in the United States today. What care to the masses. He wanted to try it in we’re doing is putting it into a retail cena retail setting, where it’s inexpensive and ter and making it convenient, affordable the procedures are cash only, without in- and accessible.” Last year, The Joint saw 585,000 pasurance interference. “He was unbelievably successful,” Holt tients come through the doors for the first said. “But he didn’t really understand the time. Of that 585,000, 26% had never seen franchise model very well. Fast forward a chiropractor before. “To me, that just shows you the power to 2010 when The Joint Corporation was refounded with the acquisition of the of bringing it into a retail setting,” he said. “You can access it and feel comfortable original eight franchised clinics.” The owners found the clinics “so trying it in a professional setting. We’re darn profitable,” Holt said, that the improving sanitization and cleanliness. company added a portfolio of corposee THE JOINT page 18 rate clinics. As of August, The Joint has

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

ARE YOU TURNING 65 OR NEW TO MEDICARE?

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

HOV receives grant to provide free dementia support

BY LIN SUE COONEY

amily caregivers often feel overwhelmed, anxious and isolated while they are caring for a person with dementia. They want to keep their loved one at home for as long as possible but wonder how to make it all work. Thanks to a federal grant, Hospice of the Valley can now help these families at no charge. The Administration for Community Living has awarded funds to 12 agencies nationwide to help families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. The three-year grant will allow Hospice of the Valley to significantly expand its Palliative Care for Dementia program, which provides home visits to help caregivers with education, emotional support, behavior management strategies, medications, respite, placement options and living wills. Families also have 24/7 phone support with a nurse, social worker or Hospice of the Valley medical director Dr. Gillian Hamilton. “We are absolutely thrilled to be able

Christiane and Muryl Cole appreciate the 24/7 support they receive from Hospice of the Valley’s dementia care and education program. (Photo courtesy Hospice of the Valley)

to help more families who so desperately need support,” Hamilton said. “Dementia is a vulnerable and challenging journey, and no one should travel it alone.” This program serves those at any stage and with any type of dementia, as well as their family caregivers. Hospice of

the Valley will collaborate with a number of local organizations to create programs with a special focus on people with dementia living alone; those with distressed behaviors; and those with developmental disabilities like Down syndrome, who may develop Alzheimer’s at an early age.

Executive Director Debbie Shumway expressed gratitude and excitement. “Our goal is to help those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their family caregivers live at home with high quality of life,” Shumway said. “We are extremely grateful for this grant and for the collaboration of so many local partners who share this same vision.” Those partners include The Alzheimer’s Association, Dementia Caregiver Alliance, Duet Partners in Health and Aging, Senior Adult Independent Living Program, Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities and Valleylife. This grant also provides funding to train a dementia-capable workforce to better serve the rapidly rising number of people who will be diagnosed—a 43% increase in Arizona by 2025. To enroll or get more information on Hospice of the Valley’s Palliative Care for Dementia program, visit hov.org/dementia/palliative-care-for-dementia or call 602-636-6363.

A legacy of caring More than end-of-life care Hospice, palliative and dementia care Support for the caregiver • Music, massage and pet therapy Military veteran and first responder recognition Grief support • Volunteer opportunities Call 24/7 to speak with a nurse • As a not-for-profit, we turn no one away

(602) 530-6900 hov.org

Lin Sue Cooney Director of Community Engagement

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

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THE JOINT �� page 14

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Dr. Sandra McRae Cabot travels extensively to share her message of holistic health. (Photo courtesy Dr. Sandra McRae Cabot)

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NEIGHBORS

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City honors woman on her 105th birthday BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

cottsdale resident Athena Wright donned her �inest black, red, and white blouse and waved from the entrance of Pueblo Norte Assisted Living. Surrounding her was her daughter, Diane Wright, and Pueblo Norte staff, one of whom held a sign that read, “Happy 105th Birthday, Athena!” As Aug. 25 marked a milestone birthday for Athena, the city of Scottsdale joined American Legion Post 44 and others for a socially distanced drive-by birthday parade. “She was totally awed,” Diane said. Other participants included Scottsdale Fire, Library, Police, Solid Waste, and Water. Athena also received a special birthday gift from Mayor Lane: He proclaimed Aug. 25 as “Athena Wright Day.” “The beautiful proclamation read and presented to my mother by vice mayor Solange Whitehead was a totally unexpected

New York City until 1941 when she joined the U.S. Army. “Since this was before Pearl Harbor, I asked why and she said that all the boys were joining up, and since she was single, she decided to do the same,” Diane said. Athena entered as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps in September 1941 at Ft. Dupont, Delaware. “She was assigned to a medical unit and arrived in Australia in June 1942,” Diane recalled, adding that her mother Scottsdale resident Athena Wright celebrated her 105th birthday on Tuesday with a drive-by birthday served in numerous station hospitals in Australia and at parade. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer) the 18th Station Hospital in the New Guinea jungle. honor that I don’t believe has fully sunk Athena was relieved from active duty in in,” Diane said. “The parade was a lot for December 1944 and earned Bronze Stars her to absorb.” A Scottsdale resident since 2000, for her service in New Guinea and the East Athena was born in 1915 in Oxford, Mas- Indies during World War II. “My mother is an extremely strong and sachusetts. After graduating from high school, she independent woman, traits that have became a registered nurse and worked in served her well throughout her long life,”

Scottsdale teen is a Stamps Scholar

Scottsdale teen is one of 267 top students across the country have won Stamps Scholarships. Pri Karlapudi, who is entering the University of Arizona to study physiology and medical sciences, joins what Stamps Scholarships of�icials call “an accomplished network of highly driven individuals who are committed to leaving an impact on their local and larger communities.” Selected from over 263,000 applications, the 15th class of Stamps Scholars was chosen by their universities and colleges for academic excellence, leadership experience, dedication to service,

and exceptional character. Pri was in the top 10 of her graduating class with a 4.7 GPA and was a National Merit Scholarship winner. A varsity swimmer who also is in the J Swim Club at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community center, she was National honor Society president and a member of the HOSA Future Health Professionals club, Society of Women Scholars and Spanish Honor Society. A research intern at mayor Clinic's orthopedic department, Pri also was �inance director for the Arizona Youth Climate Coalition. At most partner universities, the

Stamps Scholarship covers a full ride all four years of undergraduate study and includes enrichment funds for academic and professional development such as, study abroad and research. Stamps Scholars have used their funds to conduct scienti�ic research in Antarctica, study abroad in Jordan and attend a medical Spanish program in Ecuador. “This year’s group of new students join us at a time when our alumni network has grown stronger and more capable to be leaders in innovation across STEM, humanities, business, and other fields,” said Roe Stamps, founder of the Stamps Scholars Program.

Diane said. “It started as soon as she graduated from nursing school and immediately moved to New York City from her Connecticut village.” During her time in the Paci�ic, she married Diane’s father, a major in the medical corps, and became pregnant with Diane. The family eventually settled in Washington D.C., where Diane’s father gave up his commission to help set up the Veterans Administration, where he worked in the Department of Medicine and Surgery until his retirement. Athena went on to work at Mt. Alto Veterans Hospital through 1967 and in 1968 transferred to the National Institutes of Health, where she remained until her retirement. She relocated to Scottsdale in 2000. “This parade and the recognition by the city of Scottsdale and the American Legion are a wonderful tribute to her long life and public service in the military and later at Mount Alto Veterans Hospital and the National Institutes of Health,” Diane said.

Pri Karlapudi

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

NEIGHBORS

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DeFusco Law awards 10 SUSD teacher stipends

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

ocal law �irm DeFusco Law awarded $3,000 in stipends to 10 Scottsdale Uni�ied School District teachers this month. The stipends were used to purchase extra school supplies for the students. The teacher recipients include Ingleside Middle School’s Shalese Doan, Kiva Elementary’s Sheila Fullerton, Desert Mountain High’s Janet Emond, Cherokee Elementary’s Melanie Usher, Tavan Elementary’s Marilyn Miracle Williams, Coronado High’s Misty Gardner-Hajek, Cocopah Middle School’s Matthew Dougall and Chuck Curry, and Navajo Elementary’s Laura Jenner and Jeannette Young. “I am so appreciative of DeFusco Law for giving us this grant,” said Young, Navajo’s vocal music teacher. “We don’t have money in our schools to buy extra items, so we really count on community partners to help our schools get what they need. DeFusco Law has been doing this for a while.” Since 2018, the DeFusco Law Classroom Supply Stipend Fund has donated more than $10,000 to SUSD teachers. “It is important to DeFusco Law to give back because we feel we owe it to teachers,” said Bryn K. DeFusco, founding partner at DeFusco Law. “Andy and I are products of public schools. We wouldn’t be where we are today without all the amazing teachers we had in the public schools we attended.” Each teacher received $300.

“I am so appreciative of DeFusco Law for giving us this grant. We don’t have money in our schools to buy extra items, so we really count on community partners to help our schools get what they need. DeFusco Law has been doing this for a while.” -Jeannette Young, Navajo’s vocal music teacher

Coronado High School Student Government Teacher Misty Gardner-Hajek is one of 10 SUSD teachers who won a DeFusco Law Classroom Supply Stipend Fund. (DeFusco Law)

Young asked DeFusco Law for tote bags and rhythm instruments for each student. “With the coronavirus pandemic, music teachers’ options in the classroom have been greatly diminished. We can’t sing, and we can’t share instruments,” Young said, adding “I was able to buy enough tote bags for kindergarten and 1st grade and a few rhythm instruments to put in them.” Cocopah band director Curry, on the other hand, spent the stipend on a band instrument repair kit, explaining it “will help keep the kids instruments in good working order when they return to live instruction.” The donation was particularly meaningful to Curry, who had just returned to teaching after spending nearly a decade performing as a professional musician on Broadway tours and cruise ships. “I was actually living in Thailand, where I had to leave my wife and 1-anda-half-year-old son to take this job and

start making money again,” Curry said. “With all of these life changes, it was so nice to hear that DeFusco Law provided some money to help me in my return to teaching.” Each year, DeFusco Law commits at least $3,000 in funding to SUSD schools. Local businesses also contribute to the DeFusco Law Classroom Supply Stipend Fund. This round’s contributors included Rimmer Lighting, Phoenix Mountain Animal Hospital and Turquoise Farms. “I was so appreciative that local businesses are partnering in such an impactful way with our schools, students and teachers,” said Edmond, Desert Mountain social studies-criminology and IB MYP coordinator. “DeFusco Law is not only using their resources, but they are encouraging other businesses to join them to support Scottsdale schools. It speaks highly to the value they place on education and supporting their local public

schools,” Emond continued. Edmond used the stipend to buy a set of “Just Mercy” – a book about Bryan Stevenson, lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative – for her classroom. “Just Mercy,” winner of the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Non�iction and the NAACP Image Award for Non�iction, among many other awards and nominations, was adapted into a feature �ilm last year. “This book speaks to many of the themes that are discussed in our class,” Edmond said. “Now, students who could not afford to purchase their own copy will have one provided for them. What a gift.” This round, DeFusco Law received about 12 applications. Pre-pandemic, Bryn said, they typically receive 30 to 40 applications. “I’m hoping we receive more in the next round when the application period opens in November,” Bryn added. While choosing who receives a stipend, Bryn said she and Andy try to award teachers who work at schools that may lack the resources of a PTA “that is able to raise a lot of money.” “I think many don’t realize that there can be fundraising inequities among PTAs/APTs in SUSD,” Bryn said. “Some PTAs are able to reimburse teachers for classroom supplies.” Looking ahead, Bryn said they would like to expand the program to help more teachers. “Hands down, the teachers are the primary reason parents send their children to SUSD schools. Arizona’s public schools are grossly underfunded and so it’s the least we can do to help out and be assured that the dollars are going right into the classroom.” The next application period opens in November. Information: defuscolaw.com. Businesses interested in contributing to the DeFusco Law Classroom Supply Stipend Fund can email the �irm at info@ defuscolaw.com. “Thank you,” Edmond said. “Thank you for valuing our public schools and supporting programming in such an inspired way. We appreciate the partnership with our greater Scottsdale community.”

BUSINESS

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Harkins reopens movie houses – but expect changes PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

cottsdale-based Harkins Theaters is raising the curtain again after the nearly six-month pandemic shutdown, but moviegoers should prepare for a somewhat different experience. Harkins’ new safety protocols – including mandatory masks unless in your seat munching popcorn or eating some other item from the snack bar – won Arizona’s largest theater chain permission to reopen from the state Department of Health Services. While Harkins opened last Friday, it’s getting into the belated – and truncated – summer blockbuster season with special showings starting tomorrow, Aug. 31, of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet.” That movie was originally supposed to begin the annual rollout of megamillion motion pictures until businesses were shut down in March in Arizona and many other parts of the country. Many blockbusters have been delayed by major studios until the holiday season while others have been rolled to next year. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas in Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert also won permission to open a few days before Harkins got the green light. But Harkins’ major multiplex competitor, AMC Theaters, remained dark at press time. “There is no question that this has been the most difficult time in my 50 plus years in the business,” said Dan Harkins, owner of the theaters that bears his family’s name. “I am so excited and so appreciative of our incredible team and tremendously loyal guests that have continued to support us through this challenging time,” Harkins President/CEO Mike Bowers

Dan Harkins said reopening is not only good news for them but for moviegoers numbed by the wave of pandemic-related news in recent months. “In trying times, people have always looked to us to escape for just a few hours of solace and to immerse themselves in another world,” said Bowers. But moviegoers won’t be able to escape the pandemic and its impact completely. The mask mandate is ironclad, for one thing. And if you don’t want to comply, you’ll have to either wait until Maricopa County relaxes its mask mandate – something not likely any time soon – or just go back to Netflix. “Face coverings required for the Harkins team and for guests (except while eating/drinking in seats),” Harkins said in its announcement. “If a guest does not have a face covering, one will be available at the theatre.

“Guests that do not want to wear a face covering will be asked to wait and return to the movies when governmental public health mandates have relaxed.” There will be more room between couples and families and others, with reserved seating similar to what the AMC chain already was doing before the shutdown. Overall capacity will be at 50 percent and showtimes will be staggered to reduce the number of people milling around in the lobby. That plastic cup that entitles “loyalty’’ members to reduced-price drinks all year will be honored with beverages dispensed into disposable cups instead. And there will be special lines at the concession stands for “touchless’’ transactions with credit cards only. Harkins said its new protocols “will meet or exceed uniform guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, governmental health authorities and the National Association of Theatre Owners so that guests can sit back, relax, and get lost in the magic of the movies.” Harkins is adding enhanced cleaning and sanitizing and daily health checks for staff. When buying a ticket online, patrons will see what seats are available and will have to acknowledge an awareness of the mask rule. That acknowledgement also tells them to stay home if they feel ill. Along with hand sanitizers throughout its theaters, Harkins also has installed increased fresh air, hospitalgrade MERV 13 air filters and HEPA filtered vacuums in all auditoriums. The Merv 13 filters have a far higher effectiveness rating than the ones used in many businesses and other public places.

Harkins and all other Arizona theaters closed in late March when Gov. Doug Ducey said that only “essential businesses’’ could remain open. He eased up on the rules in May when he ended his stay-at-home orders. But those changes resulted in a massive spike in COVID-19 infections. So, the governor in late June shut the doors on them again, along with gyms, fitness centers, tubing and water parks. The current rules in place allow reopening -- but only at 50 percent capacity in the five counties – including Maricopa – where the spread of the virus has been reduced from “substantial’’ to “moderate.’’ Those orders, though, allowed individual theaters to petition to reopen if they could show they can operate safely, even in counties where the risk of the virus remains high. The addition of the Harkins chain to what can be opened is a major development. Until Tuesday, the state health department had agreed to provide waivers to only four theaters not located in the five counties where businesses can reopen. Meanwhile, AMC on Aug. 21 reopened more than 100 movie theaters in 17 states and the District of Columbia but Arizona is not among them. Only several months ago, reports said that the pandemic had crippled AMC worldwide. “AMC is carrying billions in debt and has been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy for months,” The Hollywood Reporter said two months ago of the nation’s largest movie chain. In the theaters it has opened, AMC has announced new safety equipment and protocols almost identical to those of Harkins. Information: harkins.com

OPINION

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Letters

Axon deal shows need for change on Council

nsanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. In 2018, City Council approved a zoning variance for Nationwide Development-approved building heights to 134 feet, when zoning permitted 84 feet high, increased the number of residential units by 51 percent. The Airport Advisory Commission heard the case and voted for denial with a 6-1 vote. The locals were left in the dark from city input, but Mr. Grant, director of planning who serves at the behest of the Council members said the “city staff did their

regular process of alerting residents within 750 feet of the project.” This is one of the most absurd statements possible, as no one lives within 750 feet of the project. This is your city government at work. Ouch! The vote for this project was 5-2 with David Smith and Kathy Little�ield as the two council members against. The City Council made one terrible deal with Nationwide Development, which will cost the city, you and I as taxpayers for years in the future. And now they are about to duplicate that deal, although in a smaller sense.

Road work that we will pay for, is for the bene�it of Axon, not us. Axon has threatened to go elsewhere-that would be terrific. Once again, we have a situation where a corporate entity is trying to hold Scottsdale hostage, they want rezoning for I-1 industrial park zoning and a variance to build up to 82 feet tall – 57 percent above city code current zoning. When does it end? ...hopefully with a new mayor and a new city council. Candidate for Council Tom Durham stated it will look like a spaceship, and we all know about the last spaceship along the

101 at Scottsdale Road, the now defunct Dial Building, perhaps the ugliest building built in Scottsdale in the past I don’t know how many years. Yes, indeed, it is time for a change and we can only hope that the pro-build council members who will not be serving come Jan. 1 will not be vindictive when this issue comes before them soon while still in of�ice, and will truly do what is right for Scottsdale. Surely, they must know from election results, that their formula for the future is not what “the folks want.” -Jim Bloch

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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MusicFest gets high marks in arts study BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

ust in time for the Scottsdale-based non-pro�it’s 30th anniversary, Arizona MusicFest was recently recognized as one of 10 “High-Performing Arts Organizations” as part of National Center for Arts Research’s SMU DataArts arts industry report. “The Alchemy of High-Performing Arts Organizations” studied 10 organizations from across the country with a track record of high performance, as well as 10 organizations that engineered a turnaround from low to high performance. “As we celebrate Arizona Musicfest’s 30th anniversary of serving Valley audiences, students, young musicians and lifelong music learners, we are proud and inspired to know that our success – both artistically and administratively – is not only appreciated by the local community, but also recognized on the national stage,” said Arizona MusicFest Producing Director Allan E. Naplan. “While the research was conducted prior to COVID-19, the release of the report is now intended to aid the industry as it faces unprecedented challenges,” Naplan said. The paper aims to answer three questions: How does an arts organization become �inancially stable? How do high-performing arts organizations maintain their magic? And what does it take for a struggling organization to turn its fortunes around and become high performing? “Arizona Musicfest was identi�ied as ‘high-performing’ due to our exemplary achievement in various �inancial and operating metrics when compared to other arts institutions of our size,” Naplan explained. The paper is the �irst of its kind from SMU DataArts.

Allan E. Naplan is the Executive and Producing Director of Arizona MusicFest, a secular non-proﬁt arts organization based in Scottsdale that was recently recognized as one of 10 “High-Performing Arts Organizations” in National Center for Arts Research’s SMU DataArts arts industry report. (Arizona MusicFest)

“Their observations link what has often been a series of separate conversations on artistic excellence, community orientation, and �inancial and marketing strategies,” said Will Miller, president of the Wallace Foundation, which commissioned the paper. “The nonpro�it arts sector is facing its worst crisis in a century,” Miller said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has halted most performing and visual arts organizations in their tracks, shutting off the �low of earned revenue from ticket sales and weakening fundraising. “Amidst these sea changes, we can still usefully mine the past for clues to the future by asking questions like: What did healthy arts organizations do to get that way – and how did organizations that were in some distress turn around their fortunes and become healthy?”

Arizona Musicfest, a nonpro�it in northern Scottsdale, was founded in 1991. MusicFest had just wrapped its 2019-20 festival season when the pandemic began in Arizona. The season included 27 performances that took place at various venues throughout Scottsdale and Phoenix, including Highlands Church, La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, the Musical Instrument Museum, and Pinnacle Presbyterian Church. “It has grown in amazing ways over the last many, many years, but at the core was this was an af�inity for classical music and to bring great instrumentalists to north Scottsdale,” Naplan said. Naplan calls Arizona Musicfest’s growth a “very strategic progression.” “We’ve been bringing in major celebrities now for the last �ive years or so,” he said, estimating that this season’s attend-

ees topped 30,000. “Our budget is $2.7 million, so we are a major destination cultural destination of the Valley.” According to Naplan, 60 percent of Arizona Musicfest’s budget comes from ticket revenues and 40 percent from philanthropy. “And it’s because people are engaged in our mission, which is to provide music education at no charge to area schools, really exceptional opportunities for young musicians to perform, to compete and to get scholarship funds,” he said. Naplan estimated that about 6,000 kids would get involved in the nonpro�it’s music education and youth performance, with about 3,000 adults and seniors engaged in the nonpro�it’s lifelong learning programs. Arizona Musicfest has also provided over $30,000 in free instruments to area schools and has contributed over $90,000 in college scholarships to local Valley teens pursuing collegiate degrees in music performance. “Our mission is really resonating with the community,” Naplan said. All proceeds from Arizona Musicfest’s season go toward the nonpro�it’s educational programming, including its Young Musicians program. The Young Musicians Competitions, which include piano, voice, strings, chamber ensembles, brass, and woodwinds, was added to the annual Arizona Musicfest event 20 years ago. “At the very beginning, it was the chamber concerts, but music education and youth performance were followed soon after because this was the commitment of those people that started [Arizona Musicfest] and those that followed that they wanted to give back to the community through music education and celebrating and rewarding young musicians,” Naplan said. “It’s a major part of our history.” Information: azmusicfest.org.

FOOD & DRINK

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S&V Italian readies 2nd Scottsdale spot

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

his fall, Scottsdale will be home to not one but two S & V Urban Italian restaurants. And fans of S & V won’t have to travel far to visit the soon-to-open second location: It’ll be located next to SOHO Scottsdale Luxury Townhome and Lofts in northern Scottsdale, about �ive miles north from S & V on Shea. “I’m excited,” said Gabby Bell, who owns S & V Urban Italian with wife Betty Bell. “This has been in the works for a couple of months.” While the owners have yet to set an opening date, they’re hoping to begin service sometime this fall – “probably within the next two months or so,” Gabby said. S & V Urban Italian at SOHO will look similar to the original 5,000 square-foot location on Shea, which boasts a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere. While S & V at SOHO will be about half the size at 2,700 square feet and offering a truncated menu, it has a larger patio with views of McDowell Mountains. The new restaurant will also feature an inviting bar that �lows from the inside to outside with adjustable garage doors. “It’s 95 percent �inished,” Gabby said of the new location, “and it’s almost the same look as the one that we have on Shea.” Since its founding in 2011, S & V Urban Italian has been known for their wood�ired brick-oven pizzas; their bruschetta that comes in a variety of �lavors, like salmon, date and goat cheese, apricot, �ig and ricotta, and more; and their meatballs, baked in a zesty red sauce, topped with parsley. The “Sophie’s Choice” comes topped with melted provolone and baby arugula and tossed with lemon oil.

“The meatballs are to die for,” Betty blurted. “It’s a special touch of our chef Al. He’s doing an amazing job.” As the S & V team continues to work on �inalizing the SOHO menu and put the �inishing touches on the new location, patrons can now order their new Family Meal Deal, which includes a pasta dish and salad for four, six or eight. As part the recently launched special, guests can choose from a Caesar or mista salad, and pasta dishes include spaghetti and meatballs for $50; fettuccine alfredo for $50 ($60 should they want to add chicken or sausage to the dish); penne vodka for $50; or rigatoni bolognese for $55. The Family Meal Deal “is really helpful for families,” Betty said, “especially the moms who stay home and have to do work from home and homeschooling and everything else – and have no time to cook.” Other S & V deals include their Pizza & Wine Oh My deal on Mondays from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. where, for $20, patrons can pick up pizza and a bottle of wine; and on Wednesdays, S & V offers half-off bottles of wine. Gabby said that, while they considered other areas of the Valley, including Peoria, they ultimately chose the SOHO area because it was a busy, high-activity area surrounded by businesses and schools, like AZ on the Rocks and Scottsdale Preparatory Academy. The SOHO restaurant is also less than one mile from WestWorld of Scottsdale. “For the parents, while waiting for swimming lessons or for climbing classes to �inish, they can come and sit at the bar and have appetizers and wine. And when the kids are done, they can come and sit down with them and have pizza or pasta or take something home,” Gabby said. Information: sandvurbanitalian. com

Neeve Bell, Anthony Bell, 2, and Betty Bell pose for a photo inside S & V Urban Italian. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

S & V Urban Italian is opening a second location just ﬁve miles north of its Shea restaurant. (S & V Urban Italian)

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NOTICE TO INACTIVE SHAREHOLDER FOR PUBLICATION

Insured/Bonded Free Estimates

The following shares of CALAMCO stock are now subject to redemption. This notice is being published since CALAMCO did not receive a response to the initial notice mailed to you at your address in CALAMCO’s records.

(All Models, Any Condition,Including Barn Finds)

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T R E E

PORSCHE • 50’s-90’s • 365 Coupes, Roadsters, 911, 912 ALL MODELS

MERCEDES • 40’s-70’s • 190SL, 230SL, 280SL Early Cabriolet

AUSTIN HEALEY’S • 50’s-60’s •

JAGUARS

• 30’s-70’s • XK, XKE, Coupes, Roadsters, Early Cabriolets

S E R V I C E

L L C

Prepare for Monsoon Season! LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE

Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential

ALFAS

• 20’s-70’s • ALL MODELS ALL INTERESTING

Do You Have or Know of a Classic Car? Finder’s Fee Paid! Cash Buyer

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Our records show that the following shareholders hold shares of the Class A and/or Class B Common Capital Stock (the “Shares”) of CALAMCO as of the date of publication of this notice. Pursuant to Article IX, Section 3 of the Bylaws of CALAMCO, the Board of CALAMCO has approved the redemption of your Shares at the market value per share set by the Board (the “Redemption Amount”). Please contact us immediately at: info@calamco.com or (209) 982-1000 to obtain additional information regarding the redemption of your Shares (including the specific Redemption Amount). You must deliver certain documents and your original stock certificate(s) to CALAMCO at 1776 W. March Lane, Suite 420, Stockton, California 95207 within two (2) years of the date the initial notice of redemption was first sent to you by CALAMCO (the “Redemption Period”) in order to redeem your Shares. If you do not take such actions within the Redemption Period, your Shares shall automatically be cancelled upon the expiration of the Redemption Period and you will have no further rights to the Redemption Amount. Martori Bros. Distributors Published Scottsdale Progress August 23 & 30, 2020 / 32668

SHARE WITH THE WORLD! Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding Announcement, In Memoriam, Obituary or any life event in this paper today! Call us for details. class@timespublications.com or call 480-898-6465

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 30, 2020

LABOR DAY IT’S OUR BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR … WE’D RATHER SELL IT THAN COUNT IT! NOW IS THE TIME TO GET TO SPENCERS ... YOU NEED A DEAL, WE NEED TO MOVE IT OUT OF OUR WAREHOUSE. EVERY MANUFACTURER HAS LOWERED PRICES!! ASK ABOUT OUR EXCLUSIVE REBATES. GET TO SPENCERS TODAY!!

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58” 4K UHD SMART TV • 2 HDMI Inputs • Airplay2 Built-In

18 CU. FT. REFRIGERATOR

• 2 Adjustable Glass Shelves • Fixed Gallon Door Shelves • Sealed Drawers with Glass Cover

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GRM183TW

RANGE

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• 2.1 Cu. Ft. • 400 CFM • 2 LED Lights • Power Sense™ Cooking Technology

REFRIGERATOR

• Dryer Rack • Steam Sanitize Plus • Sensor Dry • 10 Preset Dryer Cycles

599

199

e l Sa • ProBake Convection™ • EasyClean® • Large Capacity (6.3 Cu. Ft.) • UltraHeat™ 3.2kW Power Burner

• Slim SpacePlus® Ice System • Dual Ice Maker • Print Proof™ Finish • Smart Cooling® System • LG SmartThinQ™ App Compatible • SmartDiagnosis™ • LoDecibel™ Quiet Operation • ENERGY STAR® Qualified

LSE4611ST

OVER THE RANGE MICROWAVE

• 1.8 Cu. Ft. • Sensor Cooking • 1000 Watts • 2 Power Levels LMV1831SS

LFXS26973S

EACH **

*Pedestals not included.

DISHWASHER

DISHWASHER • True Steam • LED Tube Light • Lo Decibel (42 DBA) LDT7808SS

• QuietPower™ Motor • 14-Level Wash System • Heated Dry Option • Hot Start option • Deluxe Silverware Basket GSD2100NBB

299 4149

BUYS ALL 4 PIECES

** NO INTEREST IF PAID IN FULL IN 12 MONTHS. $799.00 Minimum Purchase Required Minimum Payments Required 30.79% APR If the promotional balance is not paid in full by the end for the promotional period or, to the extent permitted by law, if you make a late payment, interest will be imposed from the date of purchase at the APR noted above. This APR is as of 7/4/2019 and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Your card agreement, the terms of the offer and applicable law govern this transaction including increasing APRs and fees and terminating the promotional period.

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WWW.SPENCERSTV.COM OPEN DAILY 9AM-9PM | SATURDAY 9AM-6PM | SUNDAY 11AM-5PM

HOUSE IN S R E C SPEN PLANS PAYMENT BLE AVAILA Due to current circumstances, some items may be out of stock.

Scottsdale Progress - 08-30-2020

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