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  • 🏛️ Gilbert's Year of Trials: 👶 Consistency in Cuteness: Arizona's Enduring Love 💔 Highway Heartbreak: Gilbert Community Mourns and more...

🏛️ Gilbert's Year of Trials: 👶 Consistency in Cuteness: Arizona's Enduring Love 💔 Highway Heartbreak: Gilbert Community Mourns and more...

Gilbert Local Pulse | Issue #052

In this issue of Gilbert Local Pulse

🌤️ Gilbert, AZ Local Weather

 📅 Gilbert, AZ and Surrounding Area Events

 🏛️ Gilbert's Year of Trials: From Council Ethics to Community Safety Concerns

 👶 Consistency in Cuteness: Arizona's Enduring Love for Olivia and Liam

 💔 Highway Heartbreak: Gilbert Community Mourns Loss of Young Couple

 🍝 From Food Truck to Marketplace: Little Joe’s Brings Italian Flavors to Gilbert

 🏀 Host Gilbert holds off Window Rock, large visiting crowd to win New Years Tourney

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Gilbert's Year of Trials: From Council Ethics to Community Safety Concerns

Gilbert, known as "Kindness USA," encountered a year filled with trials and tribulations in 2023 despite its title. As America's largest town, with a population of 281,169, Gilbert faced a series of challenges and notable events throughout the year. Here are the rewritten accounts of the top stories:

Ethical Dilemmas in Town Council: Gilbert's town council dealt with a series of ethics complaints, often seen as political tools. A new complaint process was introduced in June, requiring mediation before formal proceedings. However, before this new system took effect in August, seven complaints were lodged against various council members. Most were dismissed or ignored, though Mayor Brigette Peterson was instructed to undergo additional training.

Community Safety Concerns: Despite being named the second safest large city in America, Gilbert experienced unsettling violence, including two murders on Father’s Day and the killing of a youth from a neighboring community. These incidents stirred fear among residents and linked a group of local youths to several assaults over the year.

Economic Challenges with Construction and Utilities: The town's ambitious "City of the Future" initiative, aimed at keeping infrastructure robust and accommodating growth, faced setbacks due to nationwide post-pandemic construction inflation. This financial strain was further compounded by utility rate hikes in services like wastewater and stormwater, with significant future increases anticipated.

School Funding Setbacks: Gilbert Public Schools confronted a substantial backlog in maintenance needs. Efforts to address this through a $100 million bond package and a maintenance override were defeated by voters, signaling a challenging road ahead for school infrastructure and operations.

Contentious Development Resolved: A proposed industrial development known as The Ranch, adjacent to Morrison Ranch, sparked widespread community protest. After considerable negotiation, a compromise plan was developed and eventually approved, mixing industrial, commercial, and residential uses.

Budget and Taxation Debates: Gilbert's budget crossed the $2 billion mark, causing concern among some residents and council members. Discussions around the budget and a slight decrease in property tax rate highlighted the ongoing debate over fiscal management and community priorities.

Turmoil in the Higley Unified School District: New board members brought intense scrutiny and debate to the district's operations, leading to superintendent resignation and community uproar over administrative changes. These issues underscored the tensions and challenges within the educational system.

Academic Achievements: In a positive light, Gilbert's school districts all received A ratings from the Arizona Department of Education, reflecting a commitment to maintaining high educational standards amidst the other challenges.

Centennial Celebration: Gilbert Fire and Rescue marked its 100th anniversary with celebrations and milestones, including the introduction of an electric pumper truck, signaling a blend of tradition and innovation in community services.

These stories reflect a year of significant challenges and changes for Gilbert, painting a picture of a community grappling with growth, safety, and governance amidst its aspirations to live up to its nickname, "Kindness USA."

Consistency in Cuteness: Arizona's Enduring Love for Olivia and Liam

In Arizona, the preference for baby names remains steadfast, with Olivia and Liam leading for the fourth consecutive year. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Liam has been the top choice for a decade. The list of favored names shows consistency, with the top 10 for both girls and boys seeing little change over recent years. Notably, the popularity of these names extends beyond state lines, mirroring national trends. While the current favorites are enduring, a retrospective glance reveals a shift from the preferred names 30 years ago, indicating evolving tastes in baby naming over the generations.

Highway Heartbreak: Gilbert Community Mourns Loss of Young Couple

Chloe and Parker Stott, graduates of Gilbert Highland High School, were just starting their life together, described by Chloe's sister, Peri Eggertsen, as "inseparable" and "magnetic." Their love story, rooted in Utah, was filled with joy and laughter, as echoed by Chloe's mother, Kit Cook. Tragically, their journey was abruptly cut short. While traveling to Gilbert to visit family for the holidays, their pickup truck collided head-on with a semi-truck on U.S. Highway 93. The accident marked a devastating end to a young couple's life full of promise and affection.

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From Food Truck to Marketplace: Little Joe’s Brings Italian Flavors to Gilbert

Little Joe’s, a new Italian marketplace and deli, is set to open its doors in mid-January at 81 S. McQueen Road, Suite 105, in Gilbert. This establishment aims to offer a unique shopping experience, providing a variety of Italian delicacies and goods. The owner, who also operates a food truck specializing in wedding catering, is expanding their culinary reach with this separate venture. Little Joe’s is expected to become a local go-to for Italian flavors and a community hub for food enthusiasts.

Host Gilbert holds off Window Rock, large visiting crowd to win New Years Tourney

In a thrilling display of high school basketball prowess, the Gilbert Tigers, led by sophomore Aspen McClees, triumphed over the Window Rock team in a closely contested match that ended with a 40-37 victory for Gilbert. The Epic New Years Tournament held at one of Arizona's largest high school gymnasiums saw the Tigers rise to the occasion on their home court, despite facing not only a skilled opponent but also a massive crowd of Window Rock supporters who traveled 280 miles to cheer on their team.

McClees was instrumental in the win, scoring 18 points and helping the team take control in the second half. The match was a testament to the team's resilience and strategy, as they entered the game fully aware of the overwhelming support their opponents would have, thanks to the foresight of their coach, Colton Walker. The victory was a collective effort, with Meisha Cesario contributing significantly, especially with her back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter, pushing the Tigers to a decisive 10-point lead.

Window Rock's team, though on the losing side, showcased their talent with Melicia Nelson leading their scorecard with 16 points and notable contributions from Jada Brown and Devae Willie. Coach Walker, reflecting on the match, expressed admiration for the team's ability to contend with the intense atmosphere created by one of the largest crowds he's ever witnessed.

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