Queen Creek Beat

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors is urging all county residents to head to the polls on Sept. 2 with proper ID in hand.
Everyone who comes to a polling place can vote, but to ensure you can vote a regular ballot, voters must be registered in that precinct and have proper ID which includes a valid Arizona’s drivers license, tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification, U.S. federal, state or local government issued identification.
If none of these are available two forms without photo but with voter’s name and address are required. Those forms include utility bills or bank statements less than 90 days old, vehicle registration, Indian Census Card, vehicle insurance card and property tax statement.
For more information call the citizen contact center at (520) 509-3555 or (888) 431-1311.

Salt River Project is having an open house on routes for a high-voltage power line planned for the Queen Creek area.

A third open house will be held from 5-7 p.m., Wednesday at Payne Junior High School, 7655 S. Higley Road in Queen Creek.

The open house gives area residents an opportunity to comment on the Abel-Moody project, 20-mile, 230,000 kilovolt transmission line. SRP officials said the line is needed to supply power to the growing area.

The Queen Creek Town Council will receive a presentation on how the town’s trial period of a four-day work week is working out for the town at its meeting Wednesday.
The council will decide if the revised hours of operation, which extended hours Monday through Thursday and closed the town for business on Fridays, should continue through the fiscal year.
The Town Council meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Town Hall, 22350 S. Ellsworth Road.
To view the council agenda or to get more information visit www.queencreek.org.

Queen Creek has posted the following traffic alerts for Aug. 21-28:

1. Ocotillo Road: Hawes to Ellsworth Loop roads - Crews continue widening the north half of Ocotillo Road. Traffic will remain shifted to the south side of Ocotillo Road until paving operations are completed on the new portion of the road, and traffic can be shifted north so that crews can continue the necessary work on the south side of the street.
2. Ellsworth Loop & Queen Creek roads: Crews will have the northbound right lane closed so that work can be completed in a manhole in the intersection.
3. Ellsworth Road: Chandler Heights to Cloud roads - Crews will be working throughout this area on the widening of Ellsworth Road. Expect lane shifts, flaggers and off-duty police officers controlling traffic.
4. Hawes Road: Ocotillo to Queen Creek roads - Hawes Road will remain closed as crews continue work on the Gilbert CAP Waterline project.

The Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Encanterra Country Club for the sixth annual chamber golf event and first annual chamber Golf-A-Thon.
The event is from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 6.
Tournament information is available on the chamber’s Web site www.queencreekchamber.org.
The chamber is actively seeking a title sponsor for this event; other sponsorship packages are also available.
Spaces are limited. To register, sponsor or donate contact the chamber at (480) 888-1709.

Queen Creek’s Apple Dumpling Café is continuing to collect canned food items for local food assistance programs that are in need.

Café owner Sue Bailey started the food drive in May after reading a story in the East Valley Tribune about struggling local charities during the tough economy. She said they have already collected a lot of food but are continuing the food drive for Pan de Vida, which provides a local food box assistance program for families. Bailey said anyone bringing in a non-perishable food item will get a free ice cream cone during their visit.

The Apple Dumpling Café is located on the southwest corner of Power and Chandler Heights roads in Queen Creek. For more information on the Apple Dumpling Cafe food drive, call Bailey at (480) 279-3879.

Queen Creek’s General Plan, the guiding document for growth and development, is subject to three major amendments. Open houses will be held on Aug. 27 and Sept. 24 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Town Hall for residents to comment and ask questions related to the proposed requests.
The General Plan Amendment process allows property owners to apply for major amendments to the Town’s existing General Plan once a year on June 15.
For specific information on the three requests being put forward visit www.queencreek.org.
Residents who are unable to attend may comment by calling (480) 358-3003.

Hawes Road will be closed between Queen Creek and Ocotillo roads starting next week.
The closure will start at 5 a.m., Aug. 19 and is scheduled to be reopened at 3 p.m., Sept. 4.
The road is being closed for the completion of the Gilbert Central Arizona Project Waterline Project. Local traffic to the residential neighborhoods north of Ocotillo Road and west of Hawes Road will have access from Ocotillo Road only. Local access will not be maintained from the north. Traffic traveling on Rittenhouse Road will still be able to access Queen Creek Road to travel west during the closure.
For more information call the Queen Creek Traffic Hotline at (480) 358-3132 or e-mail traffic@queencreek.org.

Here’s a list of traffic alerts from Queen Creek for Aug. 14-21:

1. Hawes Road @ Queen Creek & Ocotillo roads: Hawes Road may be closed from Tuesday, Aug. 20 to Thursday, Sept. 4 as crews continue to work on the Gilbert CAP Waterline project. Traffic will not be able to access Queen Creek Road from Ocotillo Road or the neighborhoods south of Queen Creek Road. Access to Queen Creek Road will be maintained from Rittenhouse Road during the closure.
2. Ocotillo Road - Ellsworth Loop to Hawes roads: Ocotillo Road construction continues and traffic remains shifted onto the south side of the street as crews continue operations to widen the north half of the street.
3. Queen Creek & Crismon roads: Westbound traffic just west of Crismon Road will be shifted south for a short distance as crews finish up work on this segment of the Gilbert CAP Waterline.
4. Ellsworth Loop & N. Rittenhouse roads: Crews will have the northbound and southbound right lanes closed while work is occurring on the shoulders.
5. Ellsworth Loop & Queen Creek roads: Crews will have the northbound right lane closed to complete work on a manhole just south of Queen Creek Road. During the day, expect both the right and center lanes to be closed for several hours while crews access a manhole in the intersection.
6. Cloud Road - Ellsworth to Crismon roads: Crews continue to work on the new sewer line installation on Cloud Road. Drivers should expect to encounter flaggers and/or off-duty police officers controlling traffic during working hours. Traffic will be shifted to the south during nonworking hours.
7. Ellsworth Road - Cloud to Chandler Heights roads: Crews continue work on Ellsworth Road to complete the widening of Ellsworth Road. Drivers should expect lane shifts as well as flaggers and off-duty police officers controlling traffic.

The Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the opening of two Queen Creek businesses soon. Here’s the information on two ribbon-cutting ceremonies in town:

Grand Opening - Sport Chalet - 8:30 a.m., Aug. 15
Sport Chalet will have their grand opening celebration at 8:30 a.m., Aug. 15. About 20 minutes prior to the ceremony a tour of the new store will be given along with free refreshments. The store is located in the Queen Creek Marketplace at the corner of Ellsworth Loop Rd. and Victoria Lane. For more information call the Chamber at (480) 888-1709.

Grand Opening - Hickory Ridge - 11 a.m., Aug. 16
Hickory Ridge BBQ will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., Aug. 16. For more information call (480) 888-1709.