Political Bias In Media Holdings Groups > Times Media Group East Valley Tribune + Arizona Republic

< Nothing more clear than this just-in-time front-page flash image
for an election here in Mesa featuring incumbent Hizzoner John Giles who's in-the-running to get elected to a 2nd term in-office.
TMG CEO Steve Strickbine needs to pump up the hard-copy distribution figures to add 40,000 copies enclosing paid advertising.The target: northeast Mesa, a stronghold of supporters that delivered 74% of the votes cast the last time around 
Strickbine's new gambit is a one-day a week dump of pulp fictipon in the driveways - It's the Sunday Edition, renamed the namesake Mesa Tribune that used to headline THE TRUTH.
That's a different story from Phil Boas . . .
Opinion:
‘The Arizona Republic’ will no longer make candidate endorsements. Here’s why.
Readers have made it clear:
You want to be informed about elections but not told how to vote.
We hear you.

By Phil Boas | The Republic AZ Central 02.26.2020

Our highest calling as a news organization is to bring you important facts quickly and accurately so you can make informed decisions. You need information to understand your community, to seize its opportunities and help solve its problems.

In a democracy, newspapers are your eyes and ears on government, courts, police departments, public schools, anywhere the people’s business is conducted.

The information we bring you is essential to holding your government accountable.

So, today we announce a consequential change; The Arizona Republic will no longer endorse candidates for public office. 

. . . more and more of today’s readers see candidate endorsements as an intrusion on the electoral process.

They tell us our endorsements alienate them and blur the way they read our news stories. They don’t see the sharp line we draw between our news and opinion content. . .

Our pages will continue to weigh in on large policy issues, including ballot initiatives, but will step back from recommending candidates in the more partisan arena of electoral politics. Choosing candidates has sometimes inhibited our ability to further the dialogue, because many readers think our endorsements compromise our analysis.  

We won’t disappear at election time. Our editors and writers are redefining our role as we frame the issues in state and regional elections. We will inform with perspective and opinion about the major races as they unfold and will raise red flags when we see candidates violating traditional norms."

28:54-Minute Mesa City Council Meeting Mon 02 March 2020

Special Opening treat:
Hizzoner summoned 19 kids to use as props in a photo opp saying "someone must have a camera out there" while councilmembers all get summoned to get up from their seats and join. . .watch how they all jostle for position
The rest is "business-as-usual" - and a new Interim City Auditor > Joseph Lisitano III [the 3rd]

How many Public Information Officers and Media Specialists does the City of Mesa employ to present these
'short form productions' from taxpayer-funded Mesa Channel 11??

Screen-grab from 17 Nov 2019
(Looks a lot like the one from Monday, huh?)

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STREAMING VIDEO UPLOAD TO YOUTUBE:
Make sure you take the time


28:54

City Council Meeting - 3/2/2020 - Duration: 28 minutes.

• No views
• 18 hours ago

Pioneer Park Comes Alive > Our Shared Cultures Transform A Public Space

MaskAlive!

Festival of Mask celebrates the diverse cultures that make up our neighborhoods
Come experience an artistic engagement family-gathering featuring giant puppets, mask performers and music, celebrating the cultural diversity of our inclusive community
Free and open to all ages

Local dance, music and theater companies will demonstrate the power of the Mask to transform the actors, as well as the audience.

Performances will include:
- Chinese Lion dancers
- Mexican folklórico dancers and Mariachis,
- African music and dancers
- Japanese Taiko and Brazilian Capoeira drummers.

Kids Art Activities, vendors and food trucks will be on site!
Bring your whole family for an afternoon you won't forget!! www.culturalcoalition.com

 

REVERSE ONLINE AUCTION < Pilot Presentation for Land Sales @ Mesa City Council Study Session

07:30 AM Tomorrow. Final Agenda made available per usual about one day ahead-of-time
NOTE:
This is the third "NO-Study"
Study Session in a row after 23 Feb
________________________________________________

Flow Chart
for readers to use as a perspective on the Agenda Setting Process:
For some reason - no explanation given -
City officials want to test a pilot version for online bidding to auction-off two parcels of land:
> one located at the northwest corner of Adobe and Recker Roads (2.1 acres)
> one located at the northwest corner of McDowell Road and 92nd Street (1.3 acres)

_________________________________________________________________________

LINK > click or tap here
__________________________________________________________________________________
AGENDA
7:30 AM Council Chambers - Lower Level Thu 05 March 2020

Roll Call (City Council members participate in person or by telephone conference call.)

1 Presentation/Action Item:

1-a File #20-0285
Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on the sale of City-owned properties through an online auction process, and proposing the properties located at

• the northwest corner of Adobe and Recker Roads (2.1 acres), and
• the northwest corner of McDowell Road and 92nd Street (1.3 acres)

To be used as a pilot in the online auction process.

2 Current events summary including meetings and conferences attended.

 

3 Scheduling of meetings.

_________________________________________________________________________
MEETING DETAILS

Meeting Name:

City Council Study Session

Agenda status:

Final

Meeting date/time:

3/5/2020 7:30 AM

Attachments:

File #: 20-0285    Type: Presentation Status: Agenda Ready In control: City Council Study Session On agenda: 3/5/2020 Title: Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on the sale of City-owned properties through an online auction process, and proposing the properties located at the northwest corner of Adobe and Recker Roads (2.1 acres), and the northwest corner of McDowell Road and 92nd Street (1.3 acres) be used as a pilot in the online auction process. Attachments: 1. Presentation

SALE OF CITY PROPERTY

• Kim Fallbeck, Real Estate Services Administrator

• Scott Patterson, EasiBuy

(Chief Operating Officer at EASiBuy LLC , Ohio

About EASiBuy LLC

Website: https://www.eauctionservices.com/

---

BLOGGER NOTE: Any reasonable person might ask if this presentation is related to damping-down any questions or issues arising from the controversial land auction by city officials to sell off a parcel in northeast Mesa that was promised for years as a public park south of the Nammo Talley arms and munitions manufacturing facility.
__________________________________________________________________________

EASi provides full service reverse auction services to public and private entities via our web-based platform

We work with our customers to implement reverse auction as a best practice tool to ensure that they are receiving the most competitive bidding environment and prices when they take purchases out to bid.

We specialize in reverse auctions; however, we can help you do a lot more.
Some of the services we offer include supplier sourcing, industry market research, RFP management, and vendor management.

_________________________________________________________________________
ONLINE BID PLATFORM

• Can set opening amount 
• Can reveal lead bid or all bids 
• Auction has a specific start time with overtime periods 
• Bidder will know their price, rank and lead bidder amount 
• Platform is very dynamic, and all configurations can be modified to accommodate the City's goals

Republicans in Oregon want to join Idaho - REASONS WHY?

1,485 views

•Mar 3, 2020

The Greater Idaho movement by some Republicans in eastern Oregon seeks to change the state’s borders so they can join Idaho, because they feel like their politics don’t fit in the very Democratic state. Chris Cillizza explains big picture of what the Oregon/Idaho drama tells us about polarization in the country. SOURCES AND FURTHER READING: Greater Idaho: Rural conservatives in Oregon look to join Idaho https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/18/politi.... Oregon Presidential Race Results: Hillary Clinton Wins https://www.nytimes.com/elections/201.... Legal Information Institute https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitut.... How do the US states change their borders? Who is in charge of this? https://www.quora.com/How-do-the-US-s.... Geography Timeline: 13 Key Moments That Changed U.S. Boundaries https://www.thoughtco.com/moments-tha.... VEXIT: West Virginia extends 158-year-old invitation for unhappy Virginians to join state https://wset.com/news/local/vexit-wes.... On the day after, Republicans face a blue Virginia https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/.... West Virginia enters the Union https://www.history.com/this-day-in-h.... 8. Partisan animosity, personal politics, views of Trump https://www.people-press.org/2017/10/.... About me: I was named "best dressed" in 7th grade. That, along with being CNN's editor at large and author of the daily "Point" newsletter are my proudest achievements. Look for me here every Tuesday and Thursday to find out what’s really going down in politics. CREDITS Writer: Chris Cillizza The Point team: Leigh Munsil and Allison Gordon Editor: Steven Sevilla Producer: Arielle Sacks Follow Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cillizzac/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cillizzacnn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.cillizza/ Subscribe to The Point newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cnn/dvgb325pfm This video has been updated #CNN #Cillizza #GreaterIdaho

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News & Politics

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Short Form Media Studies @ Mesa City Council Study Session Mon 02 March 2020 > Brother Mark & Brother John

It takes 12 minutes of your time and starts right off-the-bat 01:45 on a streaming video of yesterday's 'study session' after the presiding officer Hizzoner John Giles makes the roll call asking the first of three times if Kevin Thompson is on-the-phone. Yes we can hear him.
There's a review of the items on the session's Final Agenda for less than two minutes, followed by repeated no responses from any of the six elected councilmembers if they want to make comments or ask any questions on the Consent Agenda - It is becoming clearer by the day that the transparency required to protect the taxpayers is woefully lacking. . . so let's have fun about the what was brought up in those recent meetings or events councilmembers attended

OK. When readers of this blog click or tap the insert of the streaming video, please make sure you turn-on the CLOSED CAPTION TOOL.
Right before your eyes, you'll hear anything they have to say: from Asian Nights where Hizzoner had trouble finding a parking space, where David Luna mentions what he did with "Franky" referring to District 3 Councilmember Frank Heredia, then more from Hizzoner - and the very best comments of all are spoken by District 1 Councilmember Mark Freeman about "The Rodeo" taking place at Lehi Crossing that attracts over 3,000. Freeman then rattles off all kinds of stuff and contests, and getting on horseback, snipe-hunts, etc.
. . . and then there's Jen Duff who got "the screen-grab" in the streaming video:

______________________________________________________________________________
MEETING DETAILS FOR THE REGULAR MEETING HALF-AN-HOUR LATER
NOTE: A contract dollar limit increase of $95,000 for the agreement from $9,010,000 to $9,105,000 annually

File #:

20-0250

Type:

Contract

Status:

Agenda Ready

In control:

City Council

On agenda:

3/2/2020

Title:

Amendment and Contract Value Increase to the Term Contracts for Solid Waste Disposal, Recyclable Material Processing, and Vegetative Waste Processing Services as requested by the Environmental Management and Sustainability Department (Citywide) The contract value increase is necessary due to the new terms required by United Fibers, LLC under the contract. The price increase under the contract was based on the increase in processing fees, decrease in allowable contamination and decrease in acceptable materials. The Environmental Management and Sustainability Department and Purchasing recommend authorizing a contract amendment with United Fibers, LLC; and a contract dollar limit increase of $95,000 for the agreement (includes all vendors and covers all Solid Waste Disposal, Recyclable Material Processing, and Vegetative Waste Processing Services); from $9,010,000 to $9,105,000 annually, based on estimated usage.

Attachments:

1. Council Report

Meeting Name:

City Council

Agenda status:

Final

Meeting date/time:

3/2/2020 5:45 PM

Attachments:  Item *6-b on Consent Agenda

File #:

20-0269

Type:

Contract

Status:

Agenda Ready

In control:

City Council

On agenda:

3/2/2020

Title:

Three-Year Lease for the City’s Data Center Space for the Information Technology Department (Sole Source) (Citywide) The Evoque Data Center, located in Mesa, is the City’s primary data center and houses the City’s IT infrastructure for all on-premise business applications and databases. This data center features enterprise-grade cooling, power management, and connectivity to support the provision of City IT services. The Information Technology Department and Purchasing recommend awarding the contract to the sole source vendor, Evoque Data Center Solutions, at $262,000 annually, based on estimated usage, with an annual increase allowance of up to 5%, based on the agreement.

Attachments:

1. Council Report

Municipal officials are using eminent domain to take private property for recreational uses

The Wall Street Journal

Some states passed laws restricting eminent domain for economic development. But as local governments, park systems and state agencies become bolder about seizing property for recreational use, don’t be surprised if the next eminent-domain case with national significance involves a bike path in your backyard.

_________________________________________________________________________We’re from the government and we’re here to build a bike path
Op-ed by Steven Malanga, includes 

“The practice of government taking land for recreational uses—typically bike lanes, hiking paths and fashionable ‘rail trails’ and ‘greenways’—is spreading across the country, marking a sharp and troubling expansion of eminent domain. … Over the years, the Supreme Court has consistently expanded what is considered a ‘public good’ to justify government seizures. …”

The Takings Clause of the Constitution’s Fifth Amendment grants government the authority to seize property to be used for the public good, as long as government pays “just compensation” to the owner. Over the years, the Supreme Court has consistently expanded what is considered a “public good” to justify government seizures. In 2005, for instance, the high court upheld the taking of Susette Kelo’s waterfront home by the city of New London, Conn., so that a local development corporation could build high-end condos and a hotel. The redevelopment was intended to boost property values and increase municipal tax revenues.