Archive for the 'East Valley News' Category
4th of July Fireworks Events in Gilbert
June 24th, 2009
Categories:East Valley News
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Where are the fireworks celebrations this year?
While some places such as MCC have decided to cancel their celebrations this year, we have found several other places that are continuing to invest in celebrating Independence day regardless of today’s economy.
Here’s a list of places to watch the fireworks celebrations in the East Valley along with maps and directions. Read the rest of this entry »
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5 Creative Places to Watch Fireworks and Avoid Crowds
June 23rd, 2009
Categories:East Valley News
Here are 5 creative, different and possibly risky places to watch fireworks and avoid the crowd.
Just a quick disclaimer: If anyone gets arrested trying these ideas out send us an email with your story, but don’t tell the cops we gave you the idea. OK?!
- Safe: Top of parking lots (great idea in Tempe)
- Safe: Rent a high rise condo for the night
- Borderline Risky: Empty builder lots
- Risky: Elevation Chandler building
- Risky: Vacant commercial building rooftops
Idea 1: Top of Parking Lots
- With the fireworks being held at Tempe Town Lake, why not find a parking tower, pull out a lawn chair and enjoy the show. Sure you’ll miss out on the party, but you can bring your own beverages and food.
Idea 2: Rent a High Rise Condo
- its not easy finding tenants these days, there is a good chance you could convince the condo towers to rent out a room for the night. Keeping in mind they aren’t hotels, but they might make an exception for the right price.
Idea 3: Empty Builder Lots
- You might have to do some driving around for this idea, but why not toss some lawn chairs on an empty lot and have some friends join you. The view will be fairly clear since there aren’t any homes nearby (assuming the community is less than 50% built out). I can’t imagine you would get into too much trouble with this idea, but you just never know who might have a problem with a few lawn chairs sitting on a dirt lot. Do keep in mind, builders have to keep the dust down in their communities, so try to keep the trucks off the dirt.
Idea 4: Elevation Chandler building
- For those of you not up for a little risk taking this might not be your cup of tea. Remember the half built building that has been sitting just south of Chandler Fashion Mall, incomplete for years? The building is one of the tallest buildings around and would be a great place to view the fireworks celebrations. Clearly taggers aren’t having any troubles getting to the top of the building.
Idea 5: Vacant Commercial Building Rooftops
- This ties into the elevation chandler building idea. Perhaps there are some other (less risky) buildings you could find access to the roof of and watch the fireworks?
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Gilbert Continues Attempt at Syncing Traffic Lights
May 11th, 2009
Categories:East Valley News
After a decade, $2.2 million Town of Gilbert dollars and $550,000 in federal grants, the Town of Gilbert still struggles to reduce traffic congestion through green-light synchronization. However, after they do expect it to be fixed about 12 months. AZ Republic has more information here.
Why Do We Care?
In the ideal world syncing all the traffic lights would mean the average driver doing 45 miles an hour would hit every green light. This would reduce the incentive for speeders as they would only get to the red light a little faster and have to wait there while everyone caught up. In more simple terms it would dramatically reduce the amount of traffic that builds up on the surface street during the heaviest traffic times.
Those Little White Cameras…
Ever wonder what the little white cameras on top of the traffic lights are all about? Read the rest of this entry »
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Mesa Deploys Goats to Clear Brush
February 1st, 2009
Categories:East Valley News
You have to give the City of Mesa a hand for this idea…
As the newest additions to the City of Mesa, goats are eating up approximately 30 acres of weeds and brush at one of the city’s water reclamation plants. The city is experimenting with the use of goats to perform vegetation control in place of mechanical mowing to utilize a non-polluting method of brush clearance at the Northwest Water Reclamation Plant.
The Utilities Department has approved a contract with Arizona Herdsman Eco Goats to clear the slopes of the water retention ponds for the next six months. On Jan. 5, the first ten of 80 goats were brought to their new grazing sight.
“The traditional use of machines and manpower is difficult due to the design of the retention ponds and the amount of vegetation at the site,” said Utilities Department Water Division Director Bill Haney. “Using goats allows us to use a more sustainable and environmentally responsible form of weed control.” 
While using goats is a non-polluting form of vegetation control, they also produce better results than the use of machinery. Goats possess a unique characteristic that separates them from almost all other types of livestock; they will eat just about anything resembling a plant. They can clear vegetation from hard-to-reach places, and they’ll eat the seeds that pesticides and mowing leave behind, preventing vegetation from coming back next year.
Environmentally, goats reduce the use of motorized vehicles, which in turn reduces air pollution and usage of fossil fuels, involve no toxic chemicals or pesticides and they produce biodegradable waste material that naturally breaks down into the soil. Goats also make better economic sense than utilizing mechanical means which are more costly.
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New DPS Photo Radar Camera Locations
October 14th, 2008
Categories:East Valley News
New DPS photo radar camera locations
by Nicole McGregor – 12 News Today
“Drive slow or you’ll pay!”
DPS has rolled out mobile cameras throughout the state, and they’re now starting to put up stationary cameras too. When finished, there will be a total of 60 stationary cameras and 40 mobile ones throughout Arizona.
If you get a ticket for going 10 miles over the speed limit, you’ll pay $181.
Bear in mind that your trusty radar detector does not work on permanently installed speed cameras; they aren’t radar: the sensors are embedded in the roadway and physically pace you. Your detector will work and give warning of the roadside vans which use actual radar.
Here’s where to be careful – but of course, you’re always careful!
Interstate 10
- Eastbound, I-10, 287th Ave.
- Eastbound, I-10, Miller
- Eastbound, I-10, Watson
- Westbound, I-10, 91st Ave
- East & West, I-10, 75th Ave
- East & West, I-10, 59th Ave
- Eastbound, I-10, 35th Ave
- Eastbound, I-10, 43rd Ave
- Eastbound, I-10, 27th Ave
- East & West, I-10, 15th Ave
- Eastbound, I-10, 16th Street
- Westbound, I-10, Buckeye
- Westbound, I-10, 24th Street
- Westbound, I-10, 40th Street
US 60
- Westbound, US-60, Alma School
- Westbound, US-60, Mesa Drive
- Westbound, US-60, Gilbert Road
- Interstate – 17
- Southbound, I-17, 15th Ave
- Southbound, I-17, 12th Street
- Northbound, I-17, Thunderbird
- Northbound, I-17, Bell Road
State Route – 51
- Southbound, SR-51, Thomas Road
- Southbound, SR-51, Highland Pkwy.
- Southbound, SR-51, Bethany Home Rd.
State Route – 101
- Southbound, SR-101, McDowell Rd
- Southbound, SR-101, Indian School
- Southbound, SR-101, Bethany Home
- North & South, SR-101, Glendale Ave.
- Southbound, SR-101, Olive
- Eastbound, SR-101, 75th Ave
- Eastbound, SR-101, 59th Ave
- Eastbound, SR-101, 35th Ave
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