#SOTC2016 > Limited Tickets Still Available + Live Broadcast @ 08:00 Thu 04 Feb

Limited tickets available for Mayor John Giles’ State of the City Breakfast

Post Date: 02/03/2016 9:51 AM

There are just a few tickets left for Mayor John Giles’ State of the City Breakfast tomorrow morning at the Mesa Convention Center, 201 N. Center St.
Join us from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. for networking, breakfast and Mayor Giles’ annual message. The State of the City Breakfast is presented by the Mesa Chamber of Commerce and tickets can be purchased online at www.mesachamber.org/events.

If you miss out on purchasing tickets tune in to Mesa Channel 11 or www.mesa11.com/live where it will be broadcast live at 8 a.m.
After the live broadcast, the program will be posted online at www.mesaaz.gov/stateofthecity and rebroadcast on Mesa Channel 11. Look for program listings at http://mesa11.com/schedule.
Mayor Giles will take the stage to highlight some of Mesa’s successes in 2015 and talk about his goals for 2016. His State of the City topics will include economic development, prosperity and education. Comments and questions right after his talk
Mayor Giles is encouraging residents to share their thoughts on social media. Use the hashtags #NextMesa and #SOTC2016 on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. 
All media are encouraged to attend. RSVP to melissa.randazzo@mesaaz.gov for details.

-30-

Mayor’s Office
Contact: Melissa Randazzo
Tel. 480-644-3219
melissa.randazzo@mesaaz.gov

Cronkite News Puts Boeing On The Radar > Aerospace & Defense Spending in Arizona

The article and link here with a video published yesterday starts off like this:
How the aerospace industry impacts Arizona’s economy
By Audrey Weil | Cronkite News | POSTED: Feb 1, 2016                                
MESA – The world’s premier attack helicopter is made only in Mesa, and it’s one of the many reasons Arizona ranks fourth in the nation in employment for aerospace and defense manufacturing.
Boeing also manufactures on the assembly-line in Pennsylvania the Chinook CH-47F [see post yesterday]

"Even though, they’re working here in Mesa, Arizona, they’re making a difference in Afghanistan, they’re making a difference in Saudi Arabia, they’re making a difference in Asia Pacific,” Director of Global Sales and Marketing for Boeing Attack Helicopter Programs Mark Ballew said.
[shown herein image from Defense Helicopter to the right at a ceremony in Fort Hood TX celebrating the return from Iraq by the Blackcats of B/2-227 Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. Deployed to Iraq in 2009 and 2010, as one of the first Army units equipped with the CH-47F Chinook, the Blackcats flew more than 10,000 hours, seven thousand of which were flown under night vision goggles, moved in excess of one million pounds of cargo and transported 50,000 troops during its deployment.]
Boeing along with MD Helicopters and other aerospace/defense/tech industries is located at Falcon Field, newly "re-branded" by the City of Mesa as a powerhouse accelerator for the local economy joining the PHX Mesa Gateway for industrial high-tech and residential development. 
Here's a link to the 2:49 YouTube video included in the report - just touch the arrow on the screenshot to play forward


On-air reporter Jackie Padilla follows the script written by Audrey Weil using one source: "According to the Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona trails only California, Washington and Texas in employment for aerospace and defense manufacturing. Boeing, one of the state’s major defense contractors, has been producing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters in Mesa since the early 80’s.

Here's a link to another YouTube video about how Apache AH-64s cleared the way to start Operation Desert Storm back on 07 Aug 1990. It was not uploaded or published until 21 May 2015.

Why Cronkite News chooses to make Boeing a feature yesterday is interesting - there are many posts here about Boeing. Another example of reporters being "spoon-fed" what stories to write? . . . mebbe

 

Much Ado About Mulch > Edible Landscaping Class @ MUG Sat 20 Feb



Did you know?

In the original one-square mile pioneer property layout plans for the City of Mesa were 1.25-acre plots to encourage urban farming? .... well, what happened to that?

The idea has new growth sprouting again in the "food desert" downtown Mesa become; however take heart, dear readers.

Three years ago, certain individuals in the group RAIL  took action to establish and cultivate an empty area of ground on First Avenue calling it the Mesa Urban Garden, a New Urban DTMesa "infill project" for a community garden where people can dig in the fertile earth to plant and grow their own food.

There's still room to grow here. . . come and find out.

You are invited to an on-location outdoor class to be given by The Herb Lady Catherine who's considered an expert in Edible Landscaping in the desert. The lecture takes place in about two weeks - plenty of time to plan ahead on your calendar.

1:30 - 2:30 Sat 20 Feb 2016

212 East First Avenue [Hilbert/Mesa Drive]

 

At the same time it's important to support those those who grow, produce and sell local products and retail goods in the new urban Downtown Mesa-  that means go and buy fresh local produce - it's only available downtown one day a week! - THAT'S ALWAYS ON FRIDAY IN THE PARKING LOT NEXT TO CITY HALL ON MAIN STREET - Arizona cheese, colorful organic eggs from a guy who raises chickens downtown, bodacious and crusty breads from Proof Bakery, Big Burritos, salsas and maybe Catherine The Herb Lady . .
Sign-Ups to rent your own garden plot  on an annual basis are available right now for the spring growing season.

Please feel free to visit MUG any time to see what raised garden areas are available to dig in mostly organic soils for planting. Bring a friend. Bring your kids.

Irrigation hook-ups connect with your own garden of delights. You might be more motivated to get into urban gardening than what you need-to-know. 

To meet the growing interest to learn more about gardening, Catherine "The Herb Lady" has offered to share her 30+ years of Trowel-and-Error experience.

Spring is only two weeks away . . .

 

<< More information in flyer to the right

[click to enlarge]

 

 

 

THINK GREEN

Get to know all about MUG

http://www.mesaurbangarden.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take-Aways From Today's Economic Development Advisory Board Meeting

Black-and-White Pencil Sketch Rendering 02/02/16

If you have read a previous post on this site about the EDAB you, dear readers, may have gotten a certain friendly-constructively critical impression [perhaps due to the fact that was the first meeting of this year after the Holidays]. It is time now to take a different perspective on the agenda and discussions of board members present at today's meeting. Absent from the meetings for the second or third month in-a-row were both Mayor John Giles and City Manager Chris Brady, who are designated ex-officio members.



Just trying out different ways of doing graphics on this site using a b/w sketch special effect. If that's not appealing here's the same thing in color to the right:
Members on the left side not seen in either of these will be in images later. The space to the right is an desk area for presentations to board members - they face their way with backs to anyone attending the meetings including the public who are infrequently seen at these 7:30 a.m. monthly meetings.


Presentation by Andrew Clegg, Project Manager for the Re-Branding of the Falcon Field Economic Activity Area FFEAA
Strategic Plan Progress Update
- Branding activities
- Marketing activities
- Leads
- Projects
- Product development

He started out with the BRAND PROMISE: NE Mesa ...... will finish this up tomorrow


Some key findings and research

T2050 @Mesa Convention Center > SWTA Conference

Host: City of Mesa, Valley Metro, ADOT and AzTA.
SWTA 2016
Freedom Through Transit Conference
February 1-3, 2016
Meet you in Mesa, Arizona - just a light rail ride from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.  

Catching the tail-end of the second day in the vendor Expo, they looked like they were still having fun after the first day. 
That came as a surprise as these regional industry conferences tend to go on and on, session after session, constant parade of speakers, etc. Ya-de-ya - you all know that scenario, right?
Attendees at this conference just didn't impress yours truly like that,
could be the character in the image to the right had something to do with the light-hearted tone of people on the second day - take a look at the dude. 
He's prominently featured in the conference program
General Session 4: DEALING WITH LIFE, Josh Blue
Join SWTA as we host this presenter who will shed some comedic light on less light-hearted transit topics.
Josh Blue, winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, puts the cerebral in Cerebral Palsy.
Josh continues to break down stereotypes of people with disabilities, one laugh at a time.
Facebook: facebook.com/officaljoshblue /
Twitter: @JoshBlueComedy
The event planners had also arranged to have an autograph session.
You can imagine what that might have looked like, or you can see all that in the links 
Josh Blue, winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, puts the cerebral in Cerebral Palsy.

What to expect:
Hear from industry leaders.
See the latest technology and products.
Know transit’s current status, straight from FTA and DOT.
Laugh with our guest presenter and comedian, Josh Blue.
Who's coming to Mesa?
FTA Headquarters is providing leadership staff to provide vision, guidance and hands-on help for all areas of your transit business.

• Therese McMillan, Acting FTA Administrator, will address how the FAST Act affects the SWTA Nation.
• James Harper Jr, FTA Director of Procurement, will provide definitive information for your next procurement.
• Cecelia Comito, FTA Assistant Chief Counsel, General Law will address Buy America.
• Selene Faer Dalton-Kumins, FTA Director, Office of Program Oversight, Transit Safety & Oversight will address Triennial Reviews in a new way to help you succeed.

Golfers love Phoenix in winter! Right?
So every day started off with golf, even the day before the conference
Talking Stick Golf Club a Ben Crenshaw designed course/Arnold Palmer managed
9998 East Indian Bend Road • Scottsdale, AZ 85256
Tee-Off.com gives this course 4 out of 5 starshttps://talkingstickgolfclub.com/

General Session 1: HOST SESSION - FREEDOM IN THE VALLEY
Hear the benefits of public transit to Mesa and the region, the success story of the T2050 transportation plan and funding initiative and the future of public transit in the Valley from our hosts, the City of Mesa and Valley METRO.
Mayor John Giles, City of Mesa
Maria Hyatt, City of Phoenix, Public Transit Director
Eric Anderson, Maricopa Association of Governments
Scott Smith, Valley Metro, Interim CEO.
[Sponsored by: McDonald Transit]
More information >> South West Transit Association

Apache Compromise & The U.S. Army in Europe

Bloggers - like most people - just gotta have fun! . . . especially when history and military matters and millions all get mixed-up in a crazy amazing mad, mad maze of homeland defense spending. But with a sardonic sense of humor in the geography of global warfare it all makes sense somehow - some people may want to cry or scream at the same time.                                                                   Apaches were always portrayed as "the bad guys" in all those old Western movies produced by Hollywood - raiding and killing wagon trains and white settlers looking to take-over what is now recognized as Native American territory.

The Apaches are now living on tribal lands in Arizona and New Mexico called reservations - the largest in Arizona is the San Carlos Apache Rez. White folks might recall an Apache Indian named Tonto, made famous in the 1950's television series "The Lone Ranger" where the top cowboy wore a mask. The Tonto National Forest is one of central Arizona's outdoor assets now.

"The Apache Wars" were a military campaign to remove the threat of "predation" and "raids" by the Indians that were defending their lands and stopping the exploitation of their natural resources.  Wouldn't you do the same if you were invaded by a hostile foreign army trying to take your land away from you, killing and displacing you from your ancestral home?

How ironic that the #1 predatory attack helicopter killing machine in the world is called "Apache" . . . or that covert actions to kill Osama bin Laden were called "Operation Geronimo." [using Apache helicopters in Pakistan].

Twisted name-calling  with the military honoring the Apaches' 19th- Century war prowess for waging global wars and destruction in the 20th and 21st Centuries.

Now there appears to be an inside "rift" that went public between the U.S. Army  and The National Guard - about Apache Helicopters, CH-47 Chinooks and OH-58D Kiowa Warriors.

All names for these killing machines in air warfare are from Native American tribes. Ironic.

According to the article [with following link] each Boeing AH-64 costs about $40 Million dollars to put into service, with considerable annual high operating expenses and costs [service, parts and maintenance].The Army owns 192 of these and spends more than $165 million dollars to operate them [AH-64, UH-60 Blackhawk, and L-Model Blackhawk].

 

Army Force Commission Calls for Apache Compromise, More Troops in Europe

By Jen Judson, Defense News 6:04 p.m. EST January 29, 2016
Force's Strength Should Be at Least 980,000, Commissioners Say ["boots-on-the=ground"]
WASHINGTON — A US Army force of 980,000 is “minimally sufficient” for maintaining national security and the National Guard should keep some attack helicopters, the National Commission on the Future of the Army declared in a new report.

These are among 63 recommendations the commission made in a major report released Thursday ahead of its congressionally mandated Feb. 1 deadline.
The findings partly aim to settle friction between the Army and the Guard and many of the recommendations attempt to ensure the reserve components are used regularly and are equipped appropriately, which can be seen as a win for the Guard. Yet, some are arguing that the report doesn’t offer up enough tangible recommendations to heal the rift between the active and reserve forces.
The report also recommends more funding is needed to meet the missions expected of the Army now and in the future, a tall order considering re-institution of full sequestration looms in just a few short years.
Eight commissioners appointed by Congress and the White House examined the Army's structure and policies relating to its size and force mix between the active, Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.
In part, the commission was created to settle a dispute between the active Army and the Guard over a 2013 decision to restructure its aviation fleet.
That plan would retire all of the Army’s OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters and take all AH-64 Apaches out of the National Guard and places them in active units. The Guard pushed back, saying it should mirror the active force in capability.
If implemented, the Aviation Restructure Initiative would save about $12 billion.
http://www.defensenews.com/story/breaking-news/2016/01/28/army-force-commission-calls-apache-compromise-more-troops-europe/79457136/

Virtual Invitation: Tune Into 50 Years

SPECIAL CELEBRATION INVITATION

50th Anniversaryof the U.S.  Department of Transportation

Featuring The Honorable Anthony Foxx, U.S. Transportation Secretary

and Special Guests

 

Wednesday, February 3, 2016
11:00 AM EST
U.S. Department of Transportation
Please RSVP for virtual participation at

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/USDOT50thAnniversaryVIRTUAL