In this issue of Gilbert Local Pulse

🌤️ Gilbert, AZ Local Weather

 📅 Gilbert, AZ and Surrounding Area Events

 🤑 Double check your lottery tickets! Winning Mega Millions ticket was sold in Scottsdale

 🏬 Gilbert brothers opening toy store here

👮‍♂️ There have been no arrests after an assault led to the death of a Queen Creek teenager

 🎅 Get ready now for breakfast with Santa

 👀 Higley dress code again under fire

 📖 Higley teen in China for language competition

 🏫 Gilbert Christian opens 4th Gilbert campus

 🚰 Gilbert may join Phoenix toilet-to-tap study

 🏐 Arizona State Digest: Volleyball players earn weekly Pac-12 honors

 🏈Arizona State finds out its opponents for inaugural football season in Big 12

Upcoming Events in Gilbert and Surrounding Areas

November 3rd

• ART ON THE AVENUE

• Fountain Hills Farmers Market

• Enchant Christmas

• The Gospel at Colonus

• AZ Kidz Bouse Offroad Jamboree

• Artists of the Superstitions Fall Studio Tour

• Holidaze Craft Faire at Willowbrook UMC, Sun City, November 3-4

• Open House - ASU Fashion and Popular Music

• Thich Nhat Hanh and Thomas Merton: Guides for a Life of Prayer and Peace with Tom Stella and Jerry B

• CRAFT Walk

• Annual American Lebanese Festival

• The Story of Foster Care

• Beethoven’s Fifth & Magnificent Mendelssohn

• Dueling Pianos at Wicked Brews Bites and Spirits

• FREE Comedy Show in Gilbert (National Touring Comedian and Friends Show)- Reservation Required

• Nuance Jazz featuring Jackie Lopez @ Pa'La Downtown

November 4th

• AZ Kidz Bouse Offroad Jamboree

• Holidaze Craft Faire at Willowbrook UMC, Sun City, November 3-4

• ART ON THE AVENUE

• Fountain Hills Farmers Market

• Enchant Christmas

• The Gospel at Colonus

• Annual American Lebanese Festival

• Rugged Maniac 9AM - 2PM Camelback Ranch

• Terroir Festival Celebration of beer and wine @ Agritopia 2-6PM

November 5th

• AZ Kidz Bouse Offroad Jamboree

• Annual American Lebanese Festival

• ART ON THE AVENUE

• Fountain Hills Farmers Market

• Enchant Christmas

• The Gospel at Colonus

Double check your lottery tickets! Winning Mega Millions ticket was sold in Scottsdale

A Mega Millions ticket sold in Scottsdale won $30,000. It matched four out of five white balls and the Mega Ball. The prize was increased by a purchased "megaplier" option. The winning ticket was sold at Convenient Corner Market near 92nd Street and Cactus Road.

Gilbert brothers opening toy store here

Gilbert locals Blair Phillips and Dylan McDougal, both graduates of Highland High, are fulfilling their dream by opening Play Planet Toys on November 4 at 522 N. Gilbert Road. The toy store will feature a wide variety of toys, games, and candy with many budget-friendly options under $5 and almost everything under $40, although some items like electric bikes will be higher priced. They started in the wholesale toy business in 2011, and now they are venturing into retail with unique items including a product similar to Legos and a bubble bazooka. With no employees currently, they are running the store full-time and plan promotions for the grand opening, which will feature free cotton candy, popcorn, and Christmas bracelets. The store's hours will be 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, they can be contacted at 602-696-9125 or through their website playplanettoys.com.

There have been no arrests after an assault led to the death of a Queen Creek teenager

Preston Lord, a Combs High School student from San Tan Valley, tragically passed away on Monday following an assault at a Halloween party in Queen Creek over the weekend. His death has led to a wave of community support online.

While no suspects have been confirmed, authorities report making significant progress with 76 tips received from the community by Wednesday noon. There is some confusion due to multiple parties that evening, with irrelevant tips pointing to other events. The police are specifically looking for video evidence from the area around Ocotillo and Chandler Heights roads, and between Sossaman and Hawes roads, taken between 6-10 p.m. on Saturday. They urge the public not to post videos on social media to avoid compromising the investigation or causing wrongful identification, and to send any footage directly to the police.

Get ready now for breakfast with Santa

HD SOUTH is hosting its "Breakfast with Santa" on Dec. 2 from 8:30-11 a.m. Early bird tickets are $15 until Nov. 15, then $20. Children under 2 attend for free. Advance purchase is required, with no door sales. Event includes breakfast, a Santa meet-and-greet, and holiday activities.

Higley dress code again under fire

The Higley Unified School Governing Board meeting last week focused on the controversial changes to the school dress policy. The board had previously approved the revised policy with a close 3-2 vote, which removed a "modesty clause" that some parents feel is too permissive. Critics argue the change could distract students and degrade the academic environment, invoking memories of "Sadie Hawkins Day" to illustrate potential decorum issues. Supporters, however, believe the decision was made with common sense. The board, which cannot respond to the issue due to legal constraints since it wasn't on the meeting's agenda, also discussed the process for hiring a new superintendent, with a contract expected to be offered in February 2024. Concerns were raised about the board not listening to parents' input on the dress code and the importance of not frequently adjusting the hiring timeline due to the high number of superintendent vacancies in the state.

Higley teen in China for language competition

Higley High School senior Mitsu Navarro from Gilbert, Arizona, has made remarkable achievements in learning Mandarin, earning a spot to compete in the prestigious 16th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Secondary School Students in China. The competition, which is considered an "Olympics" for Mandarin speakers, has gathered 110 students from around 100 countries. Navarro, who already speaks Spanish and Japanese, took on the challenge of learning Mandarin due to its global significance and has since attained high proficiency. The competition includes a speech, a talent show, and a computer test on Chinese history and culture. Navarro has prepared for this event with the help of his Mandarin teacher, Panna Leatherby, and has learned much about discipline and work ethic through this journey. He is now up against contestants who have studied Mandarin from an early age and is a shining example of the success of Higley Unified School District's Mandarin Immersion Program. With aspirations to major in engineering at a top university, Navarro sees Mandarin as an invaluable asset for his future career. He encourages public support through voting for him in the competition, which concludes on October 31.

Gilbert Christian opens 4th Gilbert campus

Gilbert Christian Schools has recently inaugurated its new Val Vista Campus, marking the opening of the institution's fourth location and introducing 500 students to the facility. The project, completed by Willmeng Construction, faced a challenging timeline and succeeded with significant support from local leadership and the Town of Gilbert. Located at 22201 S. Val Vista Drive, the campus was designed by MRT Design and is described as a state-of-the-art educational center for grades PreK-8. It features a main building with 33 classrooms, additional spaces for special education, music, art, computer learning, two science labs, and a conference room. Additionally, the campus includes an 11,310-square-foot gymnasium, a cafeteria, an outdoor basketball court, playgrounds, a football field, courtyards, ample parking, and support facilities. This is the second Gilbert Christian Schools project for Willmeng Construction, which has a history of accolades including being named ENR Southwest General Contractor of the Year and NAIOP Arizona General Contractor of the Year. The Val Vista Campus joins three other Gilbert Christian Schools campuses in the area.

Gilbert may join Phoenix toilet-to-tap study

Phoenix is progressing with a project to convert wastewater into drinkable water by 2030, and Gilbert, Arizona, is considering joining this initiative. The Gilbert Town Council will review a memorandum of understanding with Phoenix to explore the possibility of creating a regional advanced water purification facility. The agreement would facilitate the planning and funding required for this facility. As a proactive measure against the drought impacting the Colorado River—a major water source for Gilbert and other Arizona cities—the town acknowledges the need for such a project. Although entering the agreement doesn't financially bind Gilbert, nor does it assure water allocation from the project, it allows the town to withdraw with notice. The memorandum of understanding is a step toward a future cost-sharing agreement and is part of broader regional efforts to secure water supplies amidst ongoing shortages in the Colorado River Basin, which is crucial for agriculture and municipal water for millions of people across several states. Gilbert has already initiated the first phase of its Water Supply Reduction Management Plan to encourage water conservation in anticipation of a future with reduced Colorado River water availability.

Arizona State Digest: Volleyball players earn weekly Pac-12 honors

Arizona State volleyball celebrated a notable achievement with Marta Levinska and Mary Shroll both receiving Pac-12 weekly honors, marking a historic moment for the team as it's the first instance they've had both an offensive and defensive player of the week simultaneously. Levinska, now a three-time Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week this season and a record holder with five such accolades in her career, led the Sun Devils in kills during their impressive victories over Cal and No. 3 Stanford. Shroll, earning her first Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honor, was pivotal in ASU's defense, contributing significantly to the team's undefeated home streak and the lowest hitting percentage for Stanford this season. The Sun Devils' sweep over Stanford was their first since 1993 and their 21 wins mark the most in this century for the team, tying for the most three-set wins in a season with the 2013 squad.

Arizona State finds out its opponents for inaugural football season in Big 12

The Big 12 released its football scheduling model for 2024, which includes Arizona State moving to the Big 12 along with Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Arizona State's coach, Kenny Dillingham, learned about this just before practice and is focused on the upcoming game against Utah. In the new model, ASU will play each of the 15 Big 12 members at least twice over four years, with a consistent matchup against Arizona. Home games include matchups against Brigham Young, Utah, Kansas, and Central Florida, while away games feature contests against Arizona, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and Cincinnati. An anticipated game against Colorado, led by Deion Sanders, isn't on the schedule. Dillingham is excited about the new challenges and opportunities this move brings, urging fans to embrace new traditions. The exact dates for the games will be released later, with non-conference games including matches against Wyoming, Mississippi State, and Texas State.