The Science of Cannabis Summit @ MAC Piper Theater

What better place is there in the  New Urban Downtown Mesa  than The Piper Theater @ Mesa Arts Center for an educational exploration into the world of cannabis?

 Sunday 17 March 2015 11 AM - 5 PM

[Check-in & Coffee opens @ 10:30 AM]

Learn about what’s happening in the rapidly growing world of cannabis from industry specialists, medical professionals, growers, scientists, and families involved in it every day. 

Open to the general public, 18+ with advanced ticket purchase.
Before May 10th: $99/person • After May 10th: $149/person
  
8 OF THE BRIGHTEST MINDS IN CANNABIS SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION IN A SERIES OF SHORT-FORM EDUCATIONAL LECTURES
 Click-on Read More for Agenda & Speakers >>> 

Helen's Hope Chest Ribbon Cutting: Escobedo @ Verde Vista Facility for Foster Children

 New update with images on Thu April 30
The Mesa Chamber of Commerce has announced a Grand Opening for Helen's Hope Chest that there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of a new building built by Gorman Construction Company as part of Phase II for an affordable housing initiative on the north side of University Drive directly across the street from the headquarters for Mesa United Way's Save the Children.
NEW UPDATE ON THU APRIL 30 images taken today

 First with Breaking News: AZ Governor and Mrs. Ducey arriving just before the 11:00 start time in image to the right for today's dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony at 126 E University Drive

Governor Ducey & Mayor John Giles

The Verde Vista location in the Washington Park-Escobedo neighborhood replaces what once were segregated public housing units and buildings to house military pilots training here in the 1940's during World War II. 

On-site Gorman Construction staff

Mesa has come a long with Fair Housing - it was once acceptable to discriminate on the basis of color or race.
Your MesaZona blogger posted an earlier article about Gorman Construction's donation of this new building on March 2, 2015 that you can either scroll down for older posts or find a link here http://mesazona.blogspot.com/2015/03/clear-snapshots-out-of-murky-downtown.html
 

New building & Invitation

The New Urban Downtown Mesa is regenerating affordable housing opportunities, rooting out old segregated public housing in a blighted area, with expanding growth in new construction that incorporates amenities and services for family needs and foster children.

Speaking of foster children, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who won office with significant help from some of the state's most socially conservative leaders, took many by surprise this week with an order that the State of Arizona immediately resume allowing married same-sex couples to foster and adopt children

We start this report with hope and end with hope: fair housing, equal rights and equal protection under the law with no bias and no discrimination . . .

Public Notice: Central Mesa Extension Community Advisory Board (CAB) Final Meeting

That's right - Final Meeting

A key component of Valley Metro’s Construction Outreach Program for the Central Mesa Extension is the formation of a citizen board to serve as the voices for the community during light rail construction. The board is known as the Community Advisory Board (CAB) and is comprised of residents and business representatives from the community adjacent to the light rail route. - See more at: http://www.valleymetro.org/event/detail/central_mesa_extension_community_advisory_board_cab_meeting#sthash.c6WdJAWh.dpuf

When: Thursday, April 23, 2015

Time: 3-5 p.m.
Where: Central Mesa Extension Project Office @ 200 S Center Street 

What: CAB members will review and evaluate the performance of Valley Metro's contractor as it relates to minimizing impacts to the community.
CAB members will make a recommendation to Valley Metro whether to award a quarterly incentive  to the contractor for going "above and beyond" Valley Metro's contract specifications.
As far as "going above and beyond" the installation of the public station art along the line is gaining attention for its uniqueness and visual impact [as noted in older posts on this blog].
 The four station artists incorporated the community’s history and culture as a part of the theme “Old Roots New Growth.” 
 
You can find more details in links for a Contact List of the 16 members of the Community Advisory Board and the CAB Meeting Agenda by clicking on the Read more link below

Fun In The Sun: Surf's Up for Water Sports & Pancakes

This just in from Randy Policar:  
Vice Mayor Dennis Kavanaugh hosts annual Pancakes and Surfing event on April 25

Date: April 20, 2015

Contact: Randy Policar
Tel. 480-644-4750

Randy.Policar@mesaaz.gov

@MesaCityCouncil

FUN! 2 Years Strong

“This event has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years and it just keeps getting better and better,” Vice Mayor Kavanaugh said.  
Mesa's Bravest & Finest hit the Flow Rider for an intense surf battle

See below for more details and a link to a Mesa Channel 11 1:55 You Tube video from last year

SCHMOOZA PALOOZA? : A Building with A History

TASTE OF MESA:  

FireFighter Grillas Do Dogs & Burgers

Tuesday, April 21, 2015 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

52 S Center Street 

Please Click-on Read More for details

Another Point of View: Light Rail doesn't create new economic growth

According to a report with a link here dated April 14, 2015 that was published by The Arizona Republic and reported by Robert Robb, data from both Valley Metro and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey indicate than less than 5% of Valley of The Sun commuters use public transportation and 80% of Valley Metro's passengers use the bus.

Click on image from Valley Metro to enlarge

As Robb reports, " . . . light rail doesn't do much to get people from Point A to Point B and costs a lot to not do it . . . the bus system, not light rail, is the public transportation workhorse . . . Over a billion dollars of local money has gone to building light rail . . . To the extent light rail causes economic activity to be relocated, that does increase property values along the routes. Perhaps light rail should be financed with a special tax district so those benefiting from that effect pay for it . . . The attempt to justify a tax increase for light rail based upon claimed regional or city-wide economic benefits, however, is an exercise in misdirection."

Whoa! Your MesaZona blogger invites comments from readers . . .

Logistics & Business Sense Lands Mesa Fiesta Corporate Park a New Lease for 25,000 Square Feet

The City of Mesa has attracted a Christian non-profit organization to occupy a facility located at 1345 S Alma School Road that is twice the size of its former location in Tempe.
In a March 3, 2015 posting http://fmscblog.com/in-the-packing-room/mesa-az-site/   announcing the company's move, FMSC Executive Director/CEO Mark Crea said  ". . . We are thrilled to bring FMSC to the City of Mesa. This is an incredible opportunity . . .and it makes financial sense,” 

Phoenix Business Journal's Brandon Brown's report on April 16, 2015 provided a few more details 

How Many Ways Can We Celebrate Mesa 2015 & EARTH WEEK?

Update by  Press Release April 16
Kevin Christopher from City of Mesa Public Information & Communications Office

". . . The City will have Arbor Day and Earth Day activities during Celebrate Mesa Saturday, April 18 from noon to 4 p.m. at Pioneer Park, 526 E. Main St.  A tree planting ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Tree value tags will be hung from trees throughout the park showing the dollar value of the environmental benefits including energy savings and carbon reduction.  A Living Green village will be set up with workshops from master planters, solar cooking demonstrations, garden tower exhibits, a tree hugging booth and a visit with Mother Nature. . . "  
A free family event that brings the community together to enjoy games, carnival rides, entertainment and more!
Some of the fun family activities include:

• Bounce houses and carnival rides
• Entertainment, contests and give-aways
• James Reid Magic Show
• Carter's Farm Petting Zoo
• Earth Day displays and activities see above update
• Uproar & Pirate Ship Rides ($2 each)
• Information vendors
• Food vendors

EARTH DAY

More than 20 million people participated in the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Senator Gaylord Nelson founded the holiday. Your MesaZona blogger participated in that first Earth Day - while enrolled in a Masters in Teaching program at Temple University in Philadelphia ...The eco-friendly day began in the United States and became accepted globally in 1990. 

More than one billion people from around the world are expected to participate in Earth Day events this year - IT IS THE LARGEST CIVIC EVENT IN THE WORLD

You can recycle 84 percent of household waste.

It costs about 50 cents per year to drink eight glasses of water each day from the faucet. If you drink your water primarily from water bottles, then it can cost you as much as $1,400.00 annually.

Please click on the Read More Link below for more information, including volunteer and vendor opportunities [important to note the Sponsors also]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: 2015 Bike & Pedestrian Survey

The City of Mesa's Bicycle and Pedestrian Program wants the community's input in order to reach the goals and objectives of the Bicycle Master Plan and the needs of the residents.

The survey will take you just a few minutes and is a great way to be sure YOUR voice is heard. You also have a chance to win a Downtown Mesa gift certificate.

Take the Survey

After completing your survey, forward the link below to as many friends, family, and co-workers as you can. The more responses we have, the better our ability to know what the community really needs for our bicycle and pedestrian users.
 
For additional information on the City of Mesa's Bicycle and Pedestrian program, please contact James Hash, Bike/Pedestrian Coordinator at (480) 644-3556 or james.hash@mesaaz.gov.

Ready for this? It's the Biggest Biking Event of the Spring in The Valley!

Free Event for 3 Days in the New Urban Downtown Mesa

What's fast and wild - and yet geared for the whole family? The answer? CycloMesa! 
This up-and-coming event is back in downtown Mesa for the fourth year. Activities include Kids' Zone, Zip Line, Rock Wall, Kids Bicycle Rodeo, Bicycle Shows, BMX Stunt Show, Extreme Sports Demos, Live Music, Food Truck Alley, Beer Garden, Bicycle Games and much more!
Saturday's activities start at 6:15 a.m. with the El Tour de Mesa, a bike ride/race open to cyclists of all abilities.  Course distances vary from 6 to 70 miles.
The El Tour Criterium & Mesa Adventure Challenge will also coincide with this event.  Link for 2015 El Tour Criterium here: http://www.mesabikerace.com/
 
Sponsor Note: City of Mesa & Downtown Mesa Association

Please Click on the Read More arrows below to continue with this article
Visit www.cyclomesa.com for full details.

Rendezvous in New Urban Downtown Mesa ... Say What?

From the New Urban Dictionary
RENDEZVOUS 
is a French word meaning a predetermined place and time for meeting [among other things]
It had much greater meaning to the trappers and traders of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Of course since everyone knows a lot or a little about the New Urban Downtown Mesa, they may recognize that there's an eating place at the back of City Hall called "Downtown Rendezvous" and a public park called Rendezvous [there's quite a few public parks and "pocket parks" in downtown Mesa, believe it or not]  where there's a start for an event on Sunday morning . . . grab your bikes!
It's the first ever MESA ADVENTURE CHALLENGE

Q2 2015 Economic Development Report

The City of Mesa Office of Economic Development has just released an eight-page quarterly newsletter for Q2 of this year.

Some of the investment and expansion initiatives highlighted in the report are:  
See the whole newsletter after clicking on Read More

+ Morphing of vacant-in-2014 retail giant Macy's Fiesta Mall location into an office center for 1,300 employees to be developed by Verde Fiesta I LLC. It didn't take long for the city to plan and to regenerate a vacancy that was ripe for development - and find a developer .Construction of the remodel is scheduled to begin in Fall 2015.
Old shopping malls are regenerated into corporate campuses.

+ A $25 million dollar manufacturing expansion is planned at one of two AeroTropolis inside

the Mesa Micropolitan Area at the Mesa Falcon Field Economic Activity Area (FFEAA). The company, SDI, manufacturer of initiators used in the production of airbag inflators, broke ground last month on a 64,000 sq. ft. expansion of its facilities and acquired an additional 19.6 acres adjacent to its existing facility - Anybody else curious for what developments those extra 19.6 acres will be dedicated to??

An old World War II-era training site is regenerated into an AeroTropolis as an economic engine. Mesa has not just one but two!  EXCELLENCE IN AEROSPACE Click on Plaque

AEROTROPOLIS: 
"One of the ten ideas that will change the world "
                                             -Time Magazine 2011  


According to what's said on this 2008 plaque mounted on the City Hall Plaza Heritage Wall, in 2011 over 100 companies adjacent to Mesa's two "airports" employed more than 10,000 high valued jobs.  Now, just four years later, the two Aerotropolis in Mesa are propelling the growth of more than just jobs . . . stay tuned-in for a look at a report here on MesaZona blog
 

Happy April Fools' Day! ... you'd be a fool not to know about Mesa AmpiTheatre

The New Urban Downtown Mesa knocks me out with the mix and variety of events and activities going on. 
Friday night is the start of Passover
Sunday is Easter
. . .  and the Mesa AmpiTheatre is staging this event on Saturday 11:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m.

See other downtown events using Link @ left

The Mesa AmphiTheatre is best known for its great location and tiered lawn - big enough for great acts, and intimate enough for everyone to have a great view of the stage!
It is owned and operated by the City of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Commercial Facilities Department.
Box Office Hours
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Monday - Friday

General Information: (480) 644-2560
http://www.wingstockaz.com/