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Shoplifting incidents reported July 15-28 in Mesa
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Coronavirus cases up 1,909 in 2 weeks in Mesa
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$3.3M Higley ramp west reconstruction planned at Falcon Field
VALLEY OF THE SUN
recreation

Register for Mesa parks and recreation programs

Despite our triple-digit temperatures, fall is not that far way and Mesa’s recreation programs and classes are the perfect way to keep families active and having fun. Registration is …
entertainment

Salt River Tubing open seven days a week

Salt River Tubing and Recreation is open 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. seven days a week, weather and water flow conditions permitting, with safety protocols in place. “SRTR will strive to do its best to …
Entertainment

Coheed and Cambria at Mesa Ampitheatre Aug. 28

Coheed and Cambria and The Used 2021 — with special guests Meet Me at the Altar — perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at Mesa Amphitheatre. 263 N. Center St. The event is presented by …
Entertainment

Family day Aug. 7 at Commemorative Air Force Museum

Take a trip through 100 years of military aviation with inspiring and educational programs 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Airbase Arizona flying museum at Mesa’s Falcon Field Airport, …
Entertainment

Salt River Tubing’s Mega Hawaiian Hula event Saturday

Grab your ukulele, coconuts and grass skirt to set sail as Salt River Tubing is hosting its Mega Hawaiian Hula event 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 31. Free bandannas will be given to aloha …

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MESA NEWS & OPINION
Local news
Business

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria to open Mesa location this summer

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, based in Northbrook, Illinois, has a Mesa site under construction at 3510 E Baseline Road Suite L5-D-103 that is to open later this summer. The deep-dish pizzeria is …
News

Pre-construction work begins for Loop 202 Santan freeway

The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan ahead for closures and restrictions in the vicinity of Loop 202 Santan between McQueen Road and Loop 101 Price Freeway while crews …
News

US60 Superstition Freeway lane closures begin Aug. 5

The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan ahead for weeknight travel delays on U.S. Highway 60 Superstition Freeway in Tempe/Mesa while alternating lane closures are in place …
News

‘Ask the Airport’ virtual meeting Aug. 11

Airport tenants, businesses and users can get answers to questions about Falcon Field at a 30-minute monthly gathering called Ask The Airport. The next one, virtual by Zoom, is 10:30-11 a.m. Aug. …
News

Superstition Freeway lane closures planned beginning Aug. 15

The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan ahead for weeknight travel delays on U.S. Highway 60 Superstition Freeway in Tempe/Mesa while alternating lane closures are in place …

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OPINION

By now, you may know that the Arizona State Land Department’s intent to put up for auction 11,700 acres has been withdrawn at this time. While no concrete reason was given, I speculate that …

This summer will present a huge challenge to the Superstition Community Food Bank, a non-profit organization that for the past 40 years has provided food and other necessities to struggling families …
On July 10 a couple from the DJ Jacobs Memorial Helmet Fund donated eight high-end children’s ATV helmets to our October car show. Their young son lost his life in a tragic accident in Star …
Neighbors
As Arizona’s early childhood agency, First Things First reminds families that developmental and sensory screenings for their young children help identify delays and help connect parents with support services.

Developmental, sensory screenings needed for young children, First Things First says

As Arizona’s early childhood agency, First Things First recognizes that while every child develops at their own pace, developmental and sensory screenings are a way parents can learn about …
Mesa Community College's mascot, Thor the Thunderbird, as a graduate.

MCC student-athletes earn NJCAA All-Academic honors

Twenty-eight Mesa Community College student-athletes earned All-Academic honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association. With only 10 of the 18 MCC squads eligible to be considered …
From left are Don French, Lynn Glover and Bill Arnold.

Masonic membership awards presented

Masonic awards for years of membership were presented July 8 at Apache Lodge No. 69 to Master Masons Don French (65 years) and Bill Arnold (60 years). The presentation was made by Lodge Master Lynn …
Mother and daughter, residents of A New Leaf’s La Mesita Apartment Community.

A New Leaf wins $65K grant to improve economic mobility

A New Leaf has been selected as a 2021 Bank of America Charitable Foundation RFP Grants for Economic Mobility recipient and is to receive a $65,000 grant …
Gerald Hundt’s children at the inaugural Gerald Hundt Memorial Golf Tournament held at Gold Canyon Golf Resort. From left are Jeremy Tanberg, son-in-law; Brett Hundt, son; Brandon Hundt, son; and Jenea Hundt-Tanberg, daughter.

Sept. 9 golf tournament to benefit food bank

The Second Annual Gerald Hundt Memorial Golf Tournament will be hosted Sept. 9 by the Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club with all proceeds going to Superstition Community Food …
Mesa Education & Business Reporting
Education
Education

MCC First Year Experience program earns national recognition

Mesa Community College’s First Year Experience program, a supportive year-long engagement with first-year college students, was recently recognized as a Program of Promise by the National …
Education

SRP installs solar system at AZ Agribusiness & Equine Center High School in Mesa

The Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center High School in Mesa received a free solar system from the SRP Solar for Nonprofits program. It was awarded to AAEC as part of SRP’s previous call …
Subscriber exclusive

Eastmark, Queen Creek high schools to offer career, technical education programs

Career and technical education offerings such as bioscience, nursing services, network security and digital photography will be offered as satellite EVIT programming in 2021-22 at Eastmark and Queen …
Education

Bank of America philanthropy benefits indigenous MCC students

Indigenous Mesa Community College students are beneficiaries of a $150,000 grant from Bank of America awarded through the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation as part of the bank’s overall …
Education

New Walmart initiative offers classes in Mesa

Walmart has a network of 200 training academies nationwide, including one in the Walmart Supercenter, 857 N. Dobson Road in Mesa. Free — virtual for now — classes are being offered to …
Education

Mesa school crowned state champion of 7th annual Vocabulary Bowl

Students from Red Mountain High School, in the Mesa Unified School District, emerged from the pack to win the Vocabulary Bowl’s Arizona state championship by mastering more than 95,000 …
Education

Construction of new San Tan charter school progressing

Adolfson & Peterson (AP) Construction topped out Ridgeview College Preparatory High School in San Tan Valley, officially reaching the project’s construction midpoint. “Construction …

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Business

A team from Mesa business Friendly Auto Centers has created the “Drive Friendly, Arrive Safely” public awareness campaign to help save lives and keep streets safe from deadly …

Landsea Homes Corp., a residential homebuilder, has broken ground within the Eastmark master planned community in Mesa. “Eastmark is such a desirable location to live in the Phoenix metro area, …
Mountainside Fitness is opening its 19th Valley location Saturday, Sept. 4, at 9311 E. Cadence Parkway in Mesa. To celebrate the opening, Mountainside Fitness will host a grand preview party 9 …
Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center, 1955 W. Frye Road in Chandler, recently held a special dedication prior to the opening of its newest patient-care tower, Tower D. Designed to …

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Daily Independent
Entertainment
Programs and activities are offered for all ages and include adult sports, youth sports, adaptive programs, tennis lessons and leagues, pickleball lessons, water exercises, school break camps, enrichment classes such as dance, yoga, karate and more.

Register for Mesa parks and recreation programs

Despite our triple-digit temperatures, fall is not that far way and Mesa’s recreation programs and classes are the perfect way to keep families active and having fun. Registration is …
“Robot Cat” by Maxime Chiasson can be seen at the i.d.e.a. Museum.

Stay inspired, engaged this summer at Mesa museums

Three new exhibitions opened recently in downtown Mesa. Travel back in time to ancient Arizona to walk with dinosaurs and then go behind the scenes to develop a deeper understanding of our past at …
Storm Large

Concert film, live Q&A with Storm Large July 31

Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., is offering an online showing of a documentary concert with musician, actor and author Storm Large at 7 p.m. July 31. “Large shares her …
Desert scorpion hunting classes are at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, July 17 and Aug. 14 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11.

Desert scorpion hunting class at Lost Dutchman State Park

At Lost Dutchman State Park, 6109 N. Apache Trail in Apache Junction, there are creepy things crawling in the dark. Scorpions find their way into all the nooks and crannies of the desert and after …
Learn more about The Improv Syndicate at theimprovsyndicate.com.

The Improv Syndicate live Sunday in Gold Canyon

PG-13 improvised humor from The Improv Syndicate is Sunday, July 25, at the Gold Stallion restaurant, 6030 S. Kings Ranch Road in Gold Canyon. The show starts at 6 p.m. No cover. “If you …

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Obituaries

William C. Hinton, Sr.

William, 95, of Sun City, AZ, was born July 26, 1925, in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to Blanche and Chester Hinton.He grew up and went to high school in East Stroudsburg; attended Washington …

Florian P. Gay

Florian Peter Gay, 91, of Gold Canyon AZ, formerly of Darien IL, peacefully passed from this life on July 19.Preceded in death by his wife of 43 years Dorothy (Madden). Born in Chicago to Charles and …

Janet Deinhart Gerster

On July 27th, 2021 Janet Deinhart Gerster passed away peacefully at her home in Sun City, Arizona surrounded by family after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.Janet was born on June 22nd, 1945 in …

Elsie Louise Nicolai

Elsie Louise Nicolai passed away on July 1, 2021.

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