Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Hosts Airport Development Forum

Phoenix-Mesa (Arizona) Gateway Airport Authority (PMGAA) recently hosted international and national airport developers, operators and investors, as well as other aviation-related companies for a three-day event designed to create awareness and educate aviation industry leaders about development opportunities available at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The event was part of the airport authority's proactive planning for future development of more than 1,000 acres of aeronautical and non-aeronautical land located adjacent to the airport's runways and roadways.
As part of a strategic initiative called enVision Gateway, representatives from companies in Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Puerto Rico, and across the United States were provided helicopter and bus tours of the Phoenix East Valley so they could experience first-hand the growing strength of the region's thriving economy. In addition to learning about development opportunities at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, attendees also heard presentations from leadership of the Arizona Commerce Authority, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Maricopa Association of Governments, and a panel of East Valley Economic Development Directors. At the conclusion of formal programming, select attendees participated in one-on-one meetings with airport staff and state/regional officials to discuss development opportunities in greater detail.

"We are pleased that so many industry leaders representing aviation companies around the globe were able to join us for our enVision Gateway event," said PMGAA Executive Director/CEO Jane Morris, A.A.E. "Many in attendance were surprised by Greater Phoenix's robust economy and impressed with the facilities and infrastructure available at Gateway Airport. The airport looks forward to continuing the dialogues started during the event."
Source: Aviation News Apr 20, 2016 10:46 AM

Customer Appreciation Day: $1 Subs @ Jimmy John's

Today from 11-3
Free Smells all the time
Freaky fast delivery

One here in DT Mesa

Scrutiny In The Media > Mesa Charter School Corporation Operator Edkey Inc



Most recently the Edkey Corporation, receiving $31 Million dollars in state education funds to operate 17 campuses in Arizona has been in the media spotlight , notably in  series of reports from ABC 15 investigations .

With the upcoming Arizona special election on May 17 for voters to approve Prop 123 that's on the ballot, perhaps some more attention might be of interest to voters both to take a look at the special statewide election and for the local election campaign of Edkey charter school executive Jerry Lewis going after a seat on the Mesa City Council for District 3.
In this image to the left, posted on Twitter by Jerry Lewis on March 31, 2016
Great night of phoning for Prop123. Pleased with # of people across AZ voting YES on May 17 to support education.
In the interest of disclosure, shouldn't have Mr.Lewis declared that that the education corporation he works for stands to benefit from voter approval of Prop 123?
Interestingly there is only one comment added to the post
S A M‏@scottymotech Apr 3

@JerryLewisAZ it's a scam and let's the politicians off the hook for breaking the law and stealing from our kids and schools

Jerry Lewis has experience in accounting, as noted in the almost immediate endorsements from former mayor Scott Smith [who left office to run for governor getting defeated by Doug Ducey] and a simultaneous by John Giles on 17 Sept 2015 for Lewis's announcement as a candidate for the Mesa City Council. Did somebody or somebodies get Lewis to run? Ya gotta be curious about that, especially in the timing. Lewis in that announcement is stated as being an assistant superintendent [he has no teaching degree] while other documents show he is a chief executive officer for the charter school corporation.

In an abstract published on March 15, 2015 Edkey appears to be sole member of limited liability companies [LLC] registered in Pima County while Lewis has been a resident here in Mesa and Maricopa County for 34 years.

Edkey operates this charter school here in Mesa shown in the image to the right.

Pathmark Academy's curriculum and educational foundation are based on Mormon religious principles according to some reports.

 

Abstract
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its long term rating on the Pima County Industrial Development Authority, Ariz.'s $17.9 million series 2014 education facility revenue bonds issued on behalf of multiple separate limited liability companies (LLCs), the sole member of each of which is Edkey Inc. (Charter School Operator) (Edkey) to 'BB' from 'BB+'. The outlook is negative. At the same time, we lowered our long-term rating to 'BB' from 'BB+' on the authority's $44.4 million series 2013 education facility revenue bonds, which are on parity with the series 2014 bonds and were also issued on behalf of multiple, separate LLCs, also with Edkey as the sole member of each. The lower rating reflects our view of Edkey's lower-than-projected enrollment,...

Source: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/3133956/pima-county-industrial-development-authority#rela0

Jerry Lewis is probably best well-known for getting fellow Mormon Russell Pearce booted out of office over SB 1070, then a short 2-year stint in the AZ State Legislature where he failed to win re-election in a 2012 campaign where John Giles was the co-chairman to keep him in that office. He's now "itching to get back into politics", but has some hurdles to overcome now in light of this reporting from five years ago:

I came away from the meeting feeling sorry for Jerry Lewis. He seemed to be a male version of Olivia Cortes, over his head and caught in the middle of a struggle hard core left wingers are waging against a powerful state senator. Someone got Olivia to run. Another someone got Jerry Lewis to run.

Jerry Lewis started out the meeting telling everyone that, yes, he was fired from two jobs since leaving his accounting firm and that he was fired at gunpoint from one of those jobs. He acknowledged that his school was involved in a (nearly two million dollar) fraud lawsuit and that he had been implicated by a disgruntled former employee in giving out items contributed to his school to use in a yard sale. Allegedly one person netted a thousand dollars from those yard sale items . . .

Jerry Lewis did have supporters there but in questions from the floor you could see that many in the audience were seething with rage at his candidacy. Galen Updike, the former President of the Arizona Senate prior to Russell Pearce winning that honor from his Senate colleagues, pointed out in the first question from the floor that Jerry Lewis could never be elected again in LD 18 if he took out Russell

In that regard, Jerry Lewis was asked if he would run again and he was very uncomfortable with that question saying he would make a decision when it came time to run.

He told us he had served in a “high church calling” and he was Seminary and Institute teacher. He acknowledged he had no teaching credentials but he loved to teach religion more than any thing else.

Source: http://sonoranalliance.com/2011/10/29/jerry-lewis-randy-parrazs-puppet-in-over-his-head/

Here's one more academy operated by Edkey LLC

Good source:

 

 

Heads Up Cougar Fans! Cougar FanFest! Here In Mesa





Brigham Young University's all-male football and basketball staff are staging CougarFest here in Pioneer Park on Saturday staring at 11:00 a.m. This is your chance, Cougar fans  

Image courtesy of Tumblr

I kid U not, dear readers - here's the the headline
BYU kicks off annual Cougar FanFest
this weekend in Arizona
Brett Pyne | BYU Athletic Communications 
Posted Apr 18, 2016 12:15 PM | Updated Apr 18, 2016 6:50
PROVO, Utah — BYU Athletics hits the road this weekend to begin the first of six scheduled FanFest events presented by sponsor Sprint.

Cougar FanFest gets underway with the first event this at 11 a.m. at Pioneer Park located across the street from the LDS Church Mesa Arizona Temple.
BYU athletes and coaches, including Kalani Sitake and the new football staff, will be on hand along with Cosmo to meet and greet fans this weekend in Arizona.
Coach Sitake and receivers coach Ben Cahoon will also particiate in a fireside this weekend in Arizona.
The fireside takes place the following day, Sunday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m. at
Mesa Community College
LDS Institute located at
1310 S. Dobson Road in Mesa.
Source: byucougars

The annual Cougar FanFest events are similar to Cougar Kickoff held in Provo each year in August.
Cougar Nation will have the opportunity to interact with student-athletes, including getting autographs and taking photos, while also enjoying other games and festivities such as face painting, inflatables, team posters and other BYU prizes.  



Saturday's FanFest will include appearances by the BYU football staff including Kalani Sitake, Ty Detmer, Ed Lamb, Ilaisa Tuiaki and other coaches as well as football players Harvey Langi, Algernon Brown, Ului Lapuaho, Tuni Kanuch, Fred Warner, Sae Tautu and men's basketball athletes Corbin Kaufusi, Elijah Bryant and Nate Austin.

Who's to judge if your MesaZona blogger is serious or not?. . . 
Maybe ask Judge Judy - she can be a Cougar.

Ticket information, BYU fan merchandise and food concessions will also be available. 

FANFEST EVENTS

Mesa, Arizona
Saturday, April 23
11 am – 2 pm
Pioneer Park
526 E. Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85203

The Great Marijuana Mystery

According to The ArcView Group, a cannabis industry investment and research firm, legal marijuana has become the fastest growing industry in the United States after logging 74% year-over-year sales growth between 2013 and 2014.
That's the story yesterday from http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/17/the-great-marijuana-mystery-thats-likely-to-leave.aspx

The marijuana investing craze takes off Estimates from some industry researchers, such as ArcView, have suggested that the compound annual growth rate for legal marijuana could average 30% through 2020. This could, by some estimates, push the legal industry's annual sales value above the $22 billion mark -- and that's without the federal government legalizing marijuana. This estimate simply takes into account more states pushing through recreational and medical marijuana legislation with or without the assistance of the federal government.
Mesa gets a mention: data from Perfect Price across 66 large cities throughout six states (Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Michigan, and California) shows that only four cities have less expensive legal marijuana than black market marijuana (Spokane, Wa., Aurora, Co., Denver, Co,, and Mesa, Az., for those curious). Conversely, 52 of 66 cities have price gaps of 10% or higher between legal marijuana and black market marijuana, including differences of 73% in Medford, Or., and 65% in Sacramento, Ca.

Special Election Statewide May 17 > Deadline Today To Register To Vote

A statewide special election on Tuesday, May 17 will be held for voters to decide on two ballot measures:

Proposition 123 (relating to education and finance)
Proposition 124 (relating to public retirement system).
All polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you are already signed up to receive an early ballot by mail, you will automatically receive an early mail-in ballot if you are on the Permanent Early Voter List. 
Early voting begins by mail and in person Wednesday, April 20.
Early voting by mail ends May 11 and early voting in person ends May 13.
ID is required at the polling sites on Election Day.
For voters in Mesa there are only four polling places located at churches:
1. Hi-Way Baptist Church 10505 E Brown Road
2. Sun Valley Community Church 3065 S Ellsworth
3. Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church 3257 E University Drive
4. Red Mountain United Methodist Church 2936 N Power Road

Arizona's Publicity Pamphlet is out, issued by Secretary of State Michele Reagan.

If you haven't received it or found a copy here's a link to view and read it >>
http://www.signatureflip.com/az/capital/2016-04-01rEdition.pub/index.html
Complete texts on both propositions are included, as well as pros and cons for Prop 123.
There are no entries opposing Prop 124.
This post will take a quick look at the so-called "funding deal" for Prop 123 that throws this issue to Arizona voters out of different unresolved divided State Legislature party-loyalties about how to fund education in a state with significant failings in the quality and success of educational achievements. Voter approval will change the Arizona State Constitution - that's not a small matter. Prop 123 will remove principal from the State Land Trust at the same time there's litigation ordering the state to fulfill certain obligations to cities where tax increases are no-no's for both the Democrats and Republicans.

Public education is failing here in Arizona - throwing more money into the same system is unlikely to improve results, but then again we are dealing with politics and not digging into some of the policies creating under-achievement, low graduation rates in high schools, community colleges, colleges and universities [all with hiking tuition]
Here is a selection of reports and studies from ASU's Morrison Institute for Public Policy readers are encouraged to take a look at:
Report underscores AZ's education gap,looming economic crisis
Arizona Minority Student Progress Report
RELATED: Failing to address education gaps puts Arizona's economic future at risk
Arizona 'leaves too many behind'
READ: Valdez: How school choice sabotages Latino kids
AZ Students struggle to achieve academic success
READ: Arizona Minority Students Still Struggle With Educational Achievement
Arizona's future workforce languishing
READ: Report: Educational gaps put Arizona's economic future at risk
Social equities in question
Morrison Institute for Public Policy is Arizona's premier think tank for independent and nonpartisan research, analysis and public outreach

Mesa mayor John Giles weighs in on taking sides in this 3-minute YouTube video from October of last year
Arizona Education Funding - State Land Trust Proposal

Supporters share their thoughts on Governor Ducey's State Land Trust education proposal.

Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rule – Tax the Churches (HBO)

Over 3,240 comments already . . . gotta say people who view this get engaged!