Scottsdale Update - June 15, 2021

Scottsdale City Hall re-opens at reduced capacity for public meetings. Beginning Tuesday, June 22, Scottsdale will re-open City Council and other meetings to the public at reduced capacity.

To provide physical distance between meeting participants, audience size for meetings in the City Hall Kiva is limited to 34 seats, which will be available on a first come, first served basis. Overflow seating will be available in the adjacent One Civic Center building, where the audience can watch a video live stream of the meeting. People can come into City Hall from the overflow room for public comment and as space becomes available.

While attendance at meetings was restricted, the city developed ways for the public to view meetings live online and comment remotely via telephone. Those options will remain for City Council and board and commission meetings while capacity is reduced. Learn more.

National Weather Service issues excessive heat warning through Friday, June 18. With a potential high of 117 degrees Wednesday, June 16, Scottsdale Fire officials urge you to recognize the signs of heat-related stress and avoid strenuous outdoor activity. Excessive sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea/vomiting and weakness are signs of stress. Vista del Camino serves as a cooling station, as do other locations throughout Maricopa County.

High ozone pollution advisory extended through Friday. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued a high ozone pollution advisory through Friday, June 18. Those with respiratory sensitivities such as asthma and COPD are advised to use caution between noon-6 p.m. if and when outdoors.

Healing the hidden wounds of war - Veterans AZ Episode 3. The latest episode of Veterans AZ features an interview with Chad Arruda and Adam Bigelow, our Arizona Veterans of the Month. Their military service as United States Army combat veterans is laudable - but since then, they have dedicated themselves to helping fellow combat veterans heal the hidden wounds of war through work with the PTSD Foundation of America.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an all-too-common side effect of military service, particularly for our combat veterans. June is National PTSD Awareness Month - an effort to shine a light on issues related to PTSD, reduce the stigma associated with it, and help ensure that those suffering receive proper treatment.

Sign up for the June 29 PTSD Summit. The Phoenix VA PTSD Clinical Team has partnered with the Northern and Southern Arizona VA PTSD Clinical Teams, along with the Arizona Coalition for Military Families, to host the First Annual Arizona Department of Veteran Affairs 'Summit on Post-Traumatic Stress.' It will be held virtually from 9 a.m.-noon Tuesday, June 29. It is free and open to the public. Register here.

Deadline extended a week for Scottsdale Civic Center rebuild input. You now have until Friday, June 18, to provide input on this project which will revamp portions of Scottsdale Civic Center as the community's signature special event and public gathering space. In November 2019 Scottsdale voters approved two bond questions, which included funding to replace aging infrastructure and create public and event spaces in the Civic Center area.

While there is a great deal of lush landscaping, public art and open space in the Civic Center area, they are showing their age, including outdated restrooms, oversized fountains, and other structural and electrical deficiencies. Proposed improvements are based on the community outreach and Civic Center Municipal Use Master Plan the City Council approved in 2018. Provide input and learn more - visit the project website.

Scottsdale's Juneteenth Freedom Celebration is Saturday. The city has partnered with a local group, GenerationBLK, to host a Juneteenth Freedom Celebration from 2-8 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. Juneteenth commemorates the abolition of slavery - more specifically the emancipation of enslaved Africans in Texas, who did not receive the news until two years after abolition.

Expect a relaxed community vibe, a DJ and live music, food from AZ BBQ Shack, snow cones, games, and historical information. Beer permits are available for purchase by calling 480-312-7672 or onsite at the railroad park on the day of the event. Families can bring chairs or a picnic on the lawn. Park amenities feature the Scottsdale Charros merry-go-round and the train ride. Tickets for these rides are $3 per person.

The Arizona Historical Society published this article, which provides an overview and some local knowledge about the history of this celebration in the Valley.

Attend Solstice Park dedication Sunday as part of June Days celebration. The event takes place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, June 20, and features free snow cones, live music, and strolling jugglers and magicians. There will be plenty of shade, misters and water available as guests watch the sun shine through the Soleri pylons. Soleri Park includes the Soleri Bridge and Plaza. Learn more about June Days events.

Monsoon Awareness Week runs through Saturday. Each year, a variety of weather-related dangers affect the Southwest. Official monsoon season starts today, June 15, and runs through Sept. 30. A period of extreme heat is typically ongoing at its onset, followed by daily rounds of thunderstorms that often strike suddenly and with violent force. Lightning strikes, high winds, dust storms, wildfires, tornadoes, flash flooding and extreme heat cause numerous deaths and injuries along with tens of millions of dollars of damage each year. Learn how to protect yourself and your family.

Join the celebration for Scottsdale's 70th anniversary of incorporation. The city is hosting several family-friendly events and invites the public to join in on the fun and learn about Scottsdale's history. Activities include collecting handmade birthday cards; taking a retro ride through seven decades; participating in a Legacy Quest expedition; viewing photos and memorabilia; and helping donate 70 pints of blood in honor of our 70th year. Get all the details!

Scottsdale Airport receives $11 million federal grant for runway rehabilitation. The Federal Aviation Administration issued the grant, the largest federal one the airport has ever received. The rehab project will not increase runway length or weight capacity. It is set to begin Tuesday, July 6, and is expected to take 45 days. The airport will be closed to all operations aside from helicopters operating from the apron area. Scottsdale Airport is one of the busiest single runway general aviation and corporate airports in the nation, and a top corporate jet facility. There were over 195,800 operations in 2020.

Learn about traffic restrictions in and around Scottsdale. Get the list here.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.