Friday, January 17, 2020

Comparison of 2 Different Posts from 2 Different Sources : "The Reserve at Red Rock" + That Controversial "Land-Auction Deal"

First off > Here's the NON_WOW from this blog: the 132-acre site is right next to 600 acres of an ammunitions manufacturing company in northeast Mesa . . .high-caliber it might be in more ways than what the East Valley Tribune says
04 January 2020
There's  controversial history to this 136.7-acre site 
04 August 2019
Controversial 132-acre "Auction Land-Deal" Gets A Name: It's Been Dubbed "Reserve at Red Rock"
According to this article  yesterday by Jim Walsh East Valley Tribune Staff Writer, Sean Lake (the zoning attorney for Blandford Homes) has filed plans that describe how an essentially untouched swath of pristine desert land in northeast Mesa - long-promised as a public park that was auctioned off by the City of Mesa with a winning bid of $21.1M - would eventually turn into an upscale community - “a high-level gated, resort lifestyle residential community,’’ - with big lots for close to 300 homes. 
However, at this point-in-time nothing is finalized - it is only the first filing made to the Planning & Zoning Board months after the controversial high bid at an auction that was a surprising $5,000,000 more than the estimated sale price - it essentially gave city coffers a windfall of five million if the sale is a done deal. The developer still needs to complete a site plan, a minor general plan amendment and all other necessary zoning approvals before it can complete the sale."
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Factoid1: Blandford looked at the smallest lots in Red Mountain Ranch and made sure their lots were larger. 
Factoid 2: The northern border of the 132-acre "Reserve at Red Rock" abuts the 600-acre Nammo Talley Industries, a defense contractor that has requested a buffer zone of 27 acres between its ammunitions manufacturing facility and any residential housing.
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“Special attention was taken during the design process to create as many premium home sites as possible, taking advantage of the natural desert setting and mountain views,’’ the conceptual plan says.
Staff writer Walsh takes the time to note that Christine Zielonka, Mesa’s development services manager, clearly states: “We are absolutely at the very beginning stage, . . None of it is finalized yet. . . We are a long way from figuring out what this is going to look like.’’ 
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When news of the city's proposed Auction Land-Deal became public, it was controversial from the very beginning. 
Residents of the adjacent Red Mountain Ranch opposed it. 
So did Verl Farnsworth, speaking up in public in front of the Mesa City Council:
BLOGGER NOTE: readers of this blog can use the Searchbox on this blog to more at least three or even more earlier posts featured about the auction land-deal topic of interest
1
2
3Nevertheless, "the $21.1M auction land-deal" somehow managed to get approved by the Mesa City Council. In the face of that opposition. Staff WriterWhen complaints were made over the history and narrative initially provided by the city's 6-member Planning & Zoning Board (all nominated and appointed by Mayor John Giles) for the unspoiled 132-acre parcel, Zielonka also states in the article ". . .  that officials also will update a page on the city’s website that lists documents describing the site’s history going back to the ’80s."

 Jim Walsh takes pains to publish yesterday that "Zielonka estimates that the Reserve at Red Mountain probably won’t come before the city’s Planning and Zoning Board for about nine months and before the City Council for about a year. . . "
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The filing by zoning attorney Sean Lake for the upscale high-level resort-style gated community — dubbed Reserve at Red Rock by developer Blandford Homes — is only a first draft for a 132-acre site once set aside with a promise made by the city for development of a public park in 1998.
"Blandford has put a substantial down payment on the property, but needs to complete a site plan, a minor general plan amendment and all other necessary zoning approvals before it can complete the sale." 
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The first post on this blog for Nammo Talley was this from October 2015
https://mesazona.blogspot.com/2015/10/nammo-talley-back-in-news.html

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High-end NE Mesa housing plan wows zoning panel

Posted by   /  January 14, 2020  /  No Comments
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Blandford Homes’ site plans for the Reserve at Red Rock at Thomas and Recker roads in Northeast Mesa show, top left, how the community will be laid out and, at right, where it is located in conjunction with other properties in the neighborhood. / City of Mesa / East Valley Tribune
By Jim Walsh | East Valley Tribune
An undulating swath of pristine desert in northeast Mesa will be named The Reserve at Red Rock and become just the sort of resort-caliber residential community the city envisioned when it auctioned off the land last year.
In return for the $21.1 million land sale, Blandford Homes, one of Mesa’s premier builders, plans to build 296 high-end homes in the gated community, according to plans unveiled last week before the city Planning and Zoning Board.

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Time To Party Again @ Fiesta Mall ?? Nah....it's mebbe too soon for that + AZ Republic reporter Alison Steinback says "It’s unclear what might be planned for the space."

Here's a story reprinted today 17 Jan 2020 just a few minutes ago that's taken from https://roselawgroupreporter.com/2020

Last holdout building at Fiesta Mall sells

Posted by   /  January 17, 2020  /  No Comments
By Alison Steinbach | The Republic
A real estate investor paid $7 million for the last holdout building at Mesa’s once bustling Fiesta Mall, the Dillard’s Clearance Center, earlier this month.
The store closed Jan. 7. This leaves the mall entirely empty and owned by two companies.
It’s unclear what might be planned for the space.
Steven Johnson from Verde Fiesta I, LLC, which purchased the Dillard’s building and owns the other large box store buildings, did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails from The Arizona Republic. Jerry Tokoph, principal of the other group that owns the mall interior and parking lots, declined to comment.
Previous plans for Fiesta Mall to become a health and education campus for community colleges and for-profit schools — floated in 2017 when several mall buildings were bought by Tokoph’s group — have not come to fruition.
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  • Published: 36 mins ago on January 17, 2020
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  • Last Modified: January 17, 2020 @ 10:14 am
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Re-Arranging The Chairs + "A Passing-of-the-Gavel Ceremony" @ Maricopa County Board of Supes

That's how the SLOW-PLAY in the media started after the scandals surrounding Maricopa County Assessor disappeared back under-the-radar screen where they magically all wanted it to go for months - and never address the $508B temptations in the valuations of real estate...so we get two new chairs: "Squinty-eyed" Jack Sellers, the newest member as Vice-Chair.
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and Clint Hickman got a new boost up the shadow county government in this reprint from The Daily Independent that is by no means an "independent" source for news

Hickman appointed chairman of Maricopa County BoS

Posted by   /  January 13, 2020  /  No Comments

LINK > https://www.yourvalley.net/stories/hickman-appointed-chairman-maricopa-county-board-supervisors,129100
Clint Hickman, the newly-elected chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, said county government’s job in the coming year will be to make Maricopa County a place “where prosperity lasts and democracy flourishes.”
At the annual “Passing of the Gavel” ceremony, Mr. Hickman said his primary focus will be on the 2020 election cycle.
“The integrity and success of our elections is my #1 priority in 2020,” Mr. Hickman said. “Because of our partnership with the Recorder’s Office, we will have bipartisan oversight of elections not seen in Maricopa County in more than 50 years. In addition, the Board has invested millions of dollars to make sure we have the right personnel and updated equipment to allow people to have the voting experience they want and deserve.”

 
A new elections operations agreement between the Board of Supervisors and the Recorder’s Office gives the Board responsibility for election day activities, as outlined in state statute. Previously, the Board had delegated its election duties to the Recorder according to a 1955 charter.
Another change this year: there’s now an executive-level position inside the Elections Department reporting directly to the Board.
“When something happens, or there are key decision points, the Board needs to know about it, and our residents need to know about it,” Mr. Hickman said. 
“Making sure people know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it is vitally important for our democracy, so we’ll be holding more public meetings and releasing detailed plans to the public, as we did recently with the first-ever Election Day and Emergency Voting Plan.”
Beyond elections, Mr. Hickman said he wants to build on momentum from previous years in creating an environment where businesses can grow and current and future residents can find good jobs. He listed among the successes a moratorium on government rules and regulations; a training series for local merchants called “Vendor University;” and several programs and initiatives which provide second chances and job connections for incarcerated individuals.
“In total, we’ve been able to direct approximately $1 million in federal workforce funds to job training efforts here in Maricopa County, which doesn’t just help justice-involved individuals, it also helps the community,” Mr. Hickman said. “Fewer repeat offenders means lower jail costs. And more people with jobs means a stronger economy. All of it leads to safer communities.”

Mr. Hickman has served on the Board of Supervisors, representing District 4 in the West Valley, since 2015.
He takes over as chairman from Bill Gates, who continues to serve as supervisor of District 3 in the North Valley.








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Mesa Arts Center announces free series of film screenings and live music: Sound + Cinema

MORE GOOD NEWS from Casey Blake > Thanks!
Mesa Arts Center’s new Sound + Cinema series will screen The Princess Bride on Mar. 7, Jurassic Park on April 4, and Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse on May 2.

Media Contact:
Casey Blake
480-644-6620
casey.blake@mesaartscenter.com

Mesa Arts Center to offer four series of free events in early 2020
Including Sound + Cinema, a new film and live music event series

Jan. 13, 2020 (Mesa, AZ) – Mesa Arts Center today announced a new series in its lineup of free community events: Sound + Cinema, an outdoor live music and film screening series. 
> Sound + Cinema begins in March 2020 with a 3-month pilot series of live local music followed by a screening of a popular or cult classic film. 
> The events are being offered in addition to the ongoing Out to Lunch concert series, spark at dark 3rd Saturday night events and Wordplay Café, an open mic night facilitated by Mesa Arts Center and hosted by The Nile Cafe.

Sound + Cinema is a new monthly Saturday night event featuring live and local music (7 p.m.) and film screenings (8 p.m.) to be held on the south lawn of the Mesa Arts Center campus. 
The inaugural 3-month lineup includes: 
The Princess Bride, featuring People Who Could Fly on Mar. 7; 
Jurassic Park, featuring Holy Fawn on April 4; and 
Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse, featuring The Senators on May 2.

Out to Lunch, a lunchtime concert series held in the central corridor of Mesa Arts Center’s campus each Thursday from 12:30-1:30pm, continues every Thursday through Mar. 12 with a wide range of musical acts and genres. 
Attendees are encouraged to bring snacks or meals with them, or they can purchase food and beverages from vendors on site. 

spark at dark, a monthly night-out event held on Mesa Arts Center’s campus 8-10 p.m. every 3rd Saturday Oct.-May is a themed evening of “sips, sights and sounds” featuring live music, hands-on activities and a bar serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Wordplay Café is a monthly storytelling and open mic night held on the second Thursday of the month Oct.- Mar., 7-9 p.m. at The Nile Café in downtown Mesa, with a free writing or performance workshop offered at 6:15 p.m. prior to each event. 
The overarching theme of the 2019-20 series is “How to Be Human.” 
The series culminates in a ticketed Story Slam Championship held at Mesa Arts Center April 4.

Events in each series are open to all ages, however parents are encouraged to review the content and planned activities of each event prior to attending with young children. www.mesaartscenter.com/events.

Mesa Arts Center is located at 1 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ, 85201 at the intersection of Main and Center Streets in downtown Mesa, AZ.

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About Mesa Arts Center
The Mesa Arts Center, owned and operated by the City of Mesa, is a unique, architecturally stunning facility located in the heart of downtown Mesa. Arizona's largest arts center is home to four theaters, five art galleries, and 14 art studios. Guests, patrons, and students come to Mesa Arts Center to enjoy the finest live entertainment and performances, world-class visual art exhibitions, and outstanding arts education classes. The Mesa Arts Center mission is to inspire people through engaging arts experiences that are diverse, accessible, and relevant. For more information, visit mesaartscenter.com.

MAC Logo
Casey Blake 
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Office: 480.644.6620 Cell: 480.390.1258
Casey.Blake@mesaartscenter.com
MesaArtsCenter.com
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BORDER ISSUES: Mesa Arts Center to receive $60,000 grant from National Endowment for the Arts

That's the good news from Casey Blake in this press release sent two days ago:
NEA Art Works grant will support a site-specific art installation and exhibition that looks at border issues. 
  • High res images available here. 
  • Short video and project description, here.


Media Contact:
Casey Blake
480-644-6620
casey.blake@mesaartscenter.com


Mesa Arts Center to receive $60,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
In support of Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum project and exhibition Passage

Jan. 15, 2020 (Mesa, AZ) – Mesa Arts Center, an entity of the City of Mesa, has been approved for a $60,000 Art Works grant to support a collaborative, site-specific exhibition in Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (MCAM) led by multidisciplinary artist Cannupa Hanska Luger. 

Passage (exhibition title) will feature Something to Hold Onto, the second project in the artist’s Counting Coup series that investigates socially relevant and regionally specific topics through engagement activities, hands-on workshops and collaborative artmaking. 

Something to Hold Onto, the central installation, will consist of 7,000+ 1-inch unfired clay beads created through community bead-making workshops, with each bead a representation of a life lost along the US-Mexico border in the last 30 years (Source). 

Passage will be on view in Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum May 8 – August 2, 2020.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to work with a national treasure like Cannupa, and thanks to the NEA, we are able to host this ambitious, dynamic installation,” said Tiffany Fairall, Chief Curator of Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum. 
“Cannupa and his team of talented artists bring another perspective to the border conversation that gets lost amongst the political noise. Through their art, they refocus our attention back to the human element as well as the Indigenous people, who live in border states and whose lives are most impacted.”

The project is conceived and led by New Mexico based artist Cannupa Hanska Luger (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Lakota, Austrian and Norwegian) with collaborations by 
> Los Angeles artist Tanya Aguiñiga (Mexican), who will create a pop-up educational experience in MCAM’s Project Room, and 
> Phoenix based artists Thomas ‘Breeze’ Marcus (Tohono O’odham)  and 
> Dwayne Manuel (Tohono O’odham) who will create a large-scale floor mural which the onsite immersive bead installation will mirror. 

The project will be journalistically documented by Thosh Collins (Tohono O’odham) and Chelsey Luger (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Standing Rock Lakota Nation). 

The physical act of creating the ceramic beads aims to re-humanize abstract data and bring attention to ancestral migratory routes and the impact the border has on Indigenous land and populations across the American continents. 
Communities around the world are invited to contribute a bead to the installation by following posted instructions and submitting to Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum by April 25, 2020. 
Since the exact number of deaths is unknown, guests to the exhibition will also be invited to create their own bead in the gallery and add to the nebulous statistic.

Following the exhibition, all unfired clay beads will be transported to the Tohono O’odham reservation along the US-Mexico border to be given back to the earth in a prayerful remembrance for those who have passed while making the journey.

Overall, the National Endowment for the Arts has approved 1,187 grants totaling $27.3 million in the first round of fiscal year 2020 funding to support arts projects in every state in the nation, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  

“We are so proud to bring together extraordinary visiting and local artists to explore this important and timely topic. We invite the community to get involved and to contribute a bead to the project, giving them a connection to the human cost of our border issues and the vast divides they represent. This project can help participants and visitors reflect upon our shared humanity,” said Cindy Ornstein, Executive Director of Mesa Arts Center and Director of Arts and Culture for the City of Mesa.

The Art Works funding category supports 
  • projects that focus on public engagement with, and access to, various forms of excellent art across the nation; 
  • the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence; learning in the arts at all stages of life; and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life.



“The arts are at the heart of our communities, connecting people through shared experiences and artistic expression,” said Arts Endowment chairman Mary Anne Carter. “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support projects like Passage.”

The exhibition will be honored with a free opening reception on Friday, May 8, 7-10 p.m. along with three other exhibitions, featuring work by the Fortoul Brothers, Rodrigo de Toledo and works from Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum’s Permanent Collection.

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum is located at Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85201. Admission to the Museum is always free.

END

About Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum at Mesa Arts Center
Mesa Arts Center’s (MAC) mission is to invite all people to create and discover entertaining, challenging and diverse art and arts experiences within joyous, dynamic and welcoming environments. As part of Mesa Arts Center, Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (MCA Museum) showcases the best in Contemporary Art by emerging, nationally and internationally recognized artists. MCA Museum provides support and advancement to artists through solo, group and juried exhibitions. MCA Museum’s free admission and strong engagement programs provide visitors with free school and public tours, a robust docent program and free artist talks. Mesa Arts Center is part of the City of Mesa’s Department of Arts and Culture.

MAC Logo
Casey Blake 
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Office: 480.644.6620 Cell: 480.390.1258
Casey.Blake@mesaartscenter.com
MesaArtsCenter.com

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MIGRATION REPORT >> New Apartment List Data: 22% of Phoenix renters are looking to move elsewhere (EMBARGOED)

Thanks to Sania Tran for sending this preview of new information yesterday that is embargoed until Wed 22 Jan 2020:
"Hey Tim,
In 2019, Apartment List published our Renter Migration Report, analyzing the metros people are looking to call their new home. We've now updated the report for 2020 and found some interesting trends."
The 2020 Migration Report--available to preview here--is under embargo until next Wednesday 1/22.  
This interactive mapping tool uses unique, proprietary data from our user searches to examine where people are looking to make their next move. This data sheds new light on migration patterns that will reshape cities around the country. 
Some key insights include:
  • 22.4% of apartment hunters currently living in Phoenix are looking to move elsewhere, while 33.5% of those looking for a place to live in Phoenix are searching from outside the metro.
  • Among renters looking to move away from the Phoenix metro, the most popular destinations are Los Angeles, CA (27.9%), Tucson, AZ (15.9%), or Prescott, AZ (3.8%).
  • Renters looking to move to the Phoenix metro from elsewhere are most likely to be searching from Los Angeles, CA (33.2%), Riverside, CA (4.6%), or Chicago, IL (4.0%).

Check out the full report for more detailed data and to explore trends for major metro areas around the country. 


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Trump Impeachment Trial > Wall-To-Wall News Coverage Could Be Shut-Down

WASHINGTON — "Americans tuning in to witness electrifying exchanges in the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump might be in for a shock themselves:
Lawmakers could pull the C-Span plug and go into closed session at critical moments of debate over the conduct of the trial and the fate of the president.
While it seems anachronistic today given the expectation of wall-to-wall news coverage and an emphasis on government transparency, impeachment rules and precedent allow the Senate to clear the chamber of journalists and spectators and bar the doors so senators can talk privately among themselves for hours on end."
HEADLINE STORY FROM NEW YORK TIMES
Trump on trial

An Impeachment Trial That Could Unfold Out of Public View

President Trump’s trial will feature bitter debates and intense legal wrangling. Much of it is likely to unfold behind closed doors
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