We like to keep those who live in DC Ranch, Grayhawk and any other Scottsdale community in the loop about what’s going on in your city.

Here’s the Scottsdale update for March 22, 2012

SCOTTSDALE EVENTS

HEADLINE NEWS
City announces final unofficial Special Election results
Last day for Citrus Drop-Off is Saturday
Final week of Scottsdale spring training features great games and giveaways

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE
Picnic with a Fish this Saturday
Catch “big air” at the Wedge Skate Park Competition Saturday
Check out ongoing activities

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR GOVERNMENT
Still time to donate – Getting in shape can help the shape of our community
Annual Walk for Water Safety takes place March 31

AT YOUR SERVICE — UTILITY SCHEDULE AND MORE
Upcoming brush and bulk pickup schedule
Police Department hosts document shredding March 31
Drop off unwanted items at Household Hazardous Waste event March 31
Water . . . Use it Wisely! Maintain your irrigation system
Scottsdale Sport Complex gets rolled over

PROGRAMS FOR YOU
Two free landscape workshops available
Explore the mission of multicultural education at free programs April 3 and 5
Learn about water saving technologies at April 5 Green Building Lecture
AARP offers free tax assistance for eligible residents
Residents invited to learn about transportation at upcoming Mayor and City Council Breakfast
Ready Scottsdale classes continue
You can be a weather spotter for the National Weather Service
Charity bike ride to benefit homeless children

FUTURE EVENT SCHEDULE
A listing of city events and programs scheduled in the coming weeks

HEADLINE NEWS

City announces final unofficial Special Election results
Final unofficial election results show that Scottsdale voters rejected an update to the city’s General Plan while approving a Southwest Gas franchise agreement and seven city charter amendments. Get detailed election results at http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/News/03-13-2012-News.

Last day for Citrus Drop-Off is Saturday
The season’s final Citrus Drop-off Program is Saturday, March 25, at the Elk’s BPOE Scottsdale Lodge parking lot, 6398 E. Oak St. Participants are encouraged to drop off all viable/edible fruit from 8 a.m. to noon; commercial drop off will be from 8 to 10 a.m. and those wanting to pick up citrus can do so from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more information about this program, residents should contact the Arcadia NEIGHBORtoNEIGHBOR Campaign at 602-273-0435 or www.roofrat.net. To report a rat or for health and safety information, contact Maricopa County Vector Control at 602-506-6616 or visit www.maricopa.gov/envsvc.

Final week of Scottsdale spring training features great games and giveaways
The San Francisco Giants enter their final week of spring training at Scottsdale Stadium with a great lineup of games. The Giants host the American League champ Texas Rangers on Friday and division rival Colorado Rockies on Saturday. The Giants finish the season with another four home games next week. For ticket information, visit http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/stadium/springtraining. You can celebrate the season by picking up a free collectable spring training pin at any of four Downtown Scottsdale locations. Learn more here: www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Events/specialevents#pin. While in Downtown Scottsdale, take a trip along the Cactus League Legacy Trail, a self-guided tour that celebrates the history and culture of spring training baseball. Learn more at: www.scottsdalecvb.com/planning-tools/events/legacy-trail. For more about the Scottsdale spring training experience, visit www.playballinscottsdale.com.
Watch this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg8ONUYF7So&feature=youtu.be

UPCOMING EVENTS

Picnic with a Fish this Saturday
The Soleri Bridge and Plaza on the Scottsdale Waterfront will transform into a one-of-a-kind picnic this Saturday, March 24. The day-long event includes dancing, storytelling, yoga, special offers from local vendors and free family-friendly activities. At sunset, walk west down the canal path to see Amur Serenade, local artist Mary Lucking’s award-winning artwork. Learn more at http://www.scottsdalepublicartblog.org/event-details.html.

Catch “big air” at the Wedge Skate Park Competition this Saturday
You’re invited to watch great athletes demonstrate their best ollie, kickflip and grind Saturday, March 24, at Scottsdale’s 12th Annual Wedge Skate Park Competition. The fun takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Eldorado Park skateboard facility, located east of Miller Road and just north of McDowell Road. Registration is $10 and begins March 4 at the park’s office, 2311 N. Miller Road. Age groups start from 10 and under all the way to 18 and up. There will be a live DJ, giveaways and prizes for winners in each age group. For more information, call 480-312-0217 or email dmiller@ScottsdaleAZ.gov.

Check out these ongoing activities:
** Spring training baseball – Watch the San Francisco Giants play other teams from the Cactus League, through March. www.sfgiants.com.
** Cactus League Legacy Trail – Celebrate spring training’s colorful history of baseball
Trail, through March. www.ExperienceScottsdale.com/LegacyTrail.
** ArtBridge Thursdays – Arizona-based talent to exhibit, demonstrate and sell their products and services in a festive atmosphere, 6 to 10 p.m. every Thursday through May, SouthBridge on the Canal, Downtown Scottsdale. www.artisanmarketsaz.com.
** ArtWalk – Visit many of the more than 100 art galleries in Downtown Scottsdale, 7 to 9 p.m. every Thursday, Scottsdale Arts District, just west of Scottsdale Road along Main Street and on Marshall Way north of Indian School Road to Fifth Avenue. www.scottsdalegalleries.com.
** Thursday Tunes at ArtWalk – Live music, Downtown Scottsdale next to the Method Art Gallery on Marshall Way, 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays. www.scottsdalegalleries.com.
** Old Town Farmers Market – 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, First Street and Brown Avenue. 623-848-1234.
** Stagecoach rides – Free, 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays through March, Fifth Avenue and Southbridge area of Downtown.
** Singing Cowboy Gary Sprague & Trusty Steed Dusty – 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays, through May, Downtown Scottsdale.
** Saturday Sounds – 1 to 3 p.m., Saturdays, northwest corner of Main Street and Scottsdale Road. www.scottsdalegalleries.com.
** SouthBridge Sundays – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays through May, SouthBridge on the Canal, Downtown Scottsdale. www.artisanmarketsaz.com.
** Downtown Cultural Trolley Tours – 10:30 a.m. second Saturday of the month, Old Adobe Mission – Downtown Scottsdale. 480-634-6850, www.ultimatearttours.com.
** WestWorld hosts various horseshows and other events. www.Scottsdaleaz.gov/events.
** Celebration of Fine Art – More than 100 artists set up working studios, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through March 25, southwest of Hayden Road and the Loop 101. 480-443-7695, www.celebrateart.com.
** Native Trails – Experience the music and culture of Arizona’s original residents, noon to 1:30 p.m. most Thursdays and Saturdays through April 14, Scottsdale Civic Center Mall. www.ScottsdaleNativeTrails.com.
** Sunday A’Fair – Free afternoon mini-festival, noon to 4 p.m. most Sundays through April, Civic Center Mall. 480-994-ARTS, www.scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
Watch eTicket for information about more events: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/eTicket.

GET INVOLVED: PARTICIPATE IN YOUR GOVERNMENT

Still time to donate – Getting in shape can help the shape of our community
Scottsdale Curves, the 30-minute fitness centers, wants to help you get in shape while helping stock our food bank. During March, you can bring in a bag of food or make a $30 donation to the Vista del Camino food bank and Curves will waive your enrollment fee. Curves centers have donated more than 61 million pounds of food in the United States and Canada since 2004. For more information about the food drive, visit www.curves.com or call Vista del Camino at (480) 312-2323.

Annual Walk for Water Safety takes place March 31
Scottsdale Fire Department is partnering with Cardon Children’s Medical Center and other valley fire departments for the 2012 Annual Walk for Water Safety from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 31. This year’s goal is for volunteers to visit 60,000 Valleywide to distribute water safety information. Those interested in volunteering can contact Fire Public Education Coordinator Lori Schmidt at 480-312-1817 or lschmidt@ScottsdaleAZ.gov.

AT YOUR SERVICE

Upcoming brush and bulk pickup schedule
The city provides monthly brush and bulk item collection, offering residents a convenient way to dispose of items too large for refuse containers. Residents are asked to have brush and bulk items out for pick up by 5 a.m. on Monday the week of scheduled service.
Here’s the upcoming schedule:
** Service Area #4 – Thomas Road to McKellips Road; and Pinnacle Peak Road to Thunderbird Road: Week of March 26.
** Service Area #1 – Thunderbird Road to Indian Bend Road, east of the 101 Freeway; and Dynamite Boulevard to northern city limits: Week of April 2.
** Service Area #2 – Thunderbird Road to Indian Bend Road, west of the 101 Freeway; and Dynamite Boulevard to Happy Valley Road: Week of April 9.
** Service Area #3 – Indian Bend Road to Thomas Road; and Happy Valley Road to Pinnacle Peak Road: Week of April 16.
For more information, contact Solid Waste Management Division 480-312-5600 or visit http://www.ScottsdaleAZ.gov/recycle.

Police Department hosts document shredding event March 31
Don’t be the victim of identity theft! Bring documents you no longer need to a shredding event from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday, March 31, at the Walmart parking lot, 15355 N. Northsight. There is a suggested $3 per box donation. For more information, contact Officer Craig Abernethy at 480-312-2894 or cabernethy@Scottsdaleaz.gov.

Drop off unwanted items at the upcoming Household Hazardous Waste event March 31
Rid your home of household hazardous wastes by bringing them to Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 31, at the city Corporation Yard, 9191 E. San Salvador. This event is held three times a year to help Scottsdale residents maintain a clean and healthy city and keep dangerous chemicals out of the landfill. For a list of accepted items, visit www.ScottsdaleAZ.gov/recycle or call 480-312-5600.

Water . . . Use it Wisely! Maintain your irrigation system
Do some preventative maintenance on your irrigation system now to avoid repairs in the hot summer months. Check out our “mini morning audit” at www.ScottsdaleAZ.gov/Water/Conservation.

Scottsdale Sport Complex gets rolled over
The Scottsdale Sports Complex is getting back to “business as usual.” Besides providing a public recreation destination and retention basin for stormwater runoff, the complex also serves as auxiliary parking for large-scale events. This January, 25,000 cars parked at the complex during the Barrett-Jackson car auction and the Waste Management Phoenix Open. In conjunction with the golf tournament, the complex served as host for the “Bird’s Nest” — a temporary indoor arena for entertainment and festivities. Over 20,000 golf and music fans attended the 2012 Bird’s Nest.

PROGRAMS FOR YOU

Two free landscape workshops available
Scottsdale residents can help get their garden off to a good start by attending a Water Conservation Spring 2012 Landscape Workshops. Two workshops are available this month. Both will be at the Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Road:
** 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 27: Program Your Irrigation Controller – Take control of your landscape watering with step-by-step instructions and hands-on practice setting and adjusting the timer.
** 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 31: Irrigation Maintenance, Troubleshooting & Repair – Get the basics on good maintenance practices, advice on problem solving and techniques you can use to keep your landscape irrigation system running smoothly.
Advanced registration is required and can be made online at http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Water/Conservation/workshops or by calling 480-312-5690. Confirmations will be provided. For more water conservation tips or information on the free landscape workshops visit www.ScottsdaleAZ.gov/Water/Conservation.

Explore the mission of multicultural education at free programs April 3 and 5
What role do cultural values play in self concept and academic achievement? We’ll discuss that question in “The Crayon Box: The Mission of Multicultural Education,” the next program in Scottsdale’s Cross Cultural Communications series. Two free sessions are planned:
** Noon, Tuesday, April 3, at Mustang Library Auditorium, 10101 N. 90th St.
** 6 p.m., Thursday, April 5, at Civic Center Library Auditorium, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
Both sessions will examine the relationship of cultural values to the formation of self concept and academic achievement. We’ll also discuss current demographic trends in the United States and Arizona as they relate to educational politics and implications. For more information or to register, call 480-312-7738 or visit www.scottsdaleaz.gov/HR/diversity/events/CrossCulturalSeries.
Get a preview of the program: http://scottsdale.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=44&clip_id=4214

Learn about water saving technologies at April 5 Green Building Lecture
In a residential setting, up to 70 percent of city-supplied potable water is used primarily for landscape irrigation and 30 percent of the remainder is used for flushing toilets. Learn about EPA’s WaterSense products and irrigation technologies that can reduce your water consumption by 20 to 30 percent. The free program is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, at the Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Road.
Speakers include:
** Larry Acker, CEO, Advanced Conservation Technology, Inc.
** Bill Casenhiser, Water Conservation Specialist, City of Scottsdale
** Tom McNeil, Principal, Bobier Sales/Plumbing Manufacturers Representative
For more information, call 480-312-3111 or visit www.scottsdaleaz.gov/greenbuilding/lectures.

AARP offers free tax assistance for eligible residents
The AARP Tax-Aide program is available to help individuals, families and elderly taxpayers of low to moderate income prepare and file their income tax returns – free of charge. Electronic filing is available at each site:
** Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Road, 480-312-1700
** Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, 480-312-5810
** Paiute Neighborhood Center, 6535 E. Osborn Road, 480-312-2529

Residents invited to learn about transportation at upcoming Mayor and City Council Breakfast
You’re invited to learn about the city’s commitment to transportation planning at an upcoming Mayor and City Council Breakfast. The free program is from 8 to 9 a.m. Thursday, April 12, at Indian School Park, 4289 N. Hayden Road, Ramada 7. Scottsdale is focused on providing alternatives means of transportation – come learn more about riding the trolleys, transit network and our bikeways system. We’ll also hear from four ambitious women about their amazing cross country bicycle trek benefiting bicycle safety advocacy efforts and safe routes. RSVPs are not needed, but you can call 480-312-7977 for more information.

Ready Scottsdale classes continue
These free, one-hour programs address such potentially life-saving skills as preparing a family disaster plan, compiling a list of safety and health resources and creating a disaster supply kit. To register for a free Ready Scottsdale class, call (480) 312-8000 or visit www.scottsdaleaz.gov/emergencies and click on “Training Opportunities.” For more information or to schedule a group presentation, contact John Moede at (480) 312-1832 or EMHS@ScottsdaleAZ.gov. Here’s the schedule for upcoming Ready Scottsdale classes:
** 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. April 12, Mustang Library auditorium
** 2:30 p.m. May 19, Appaloosa Library, Room 1
** 7:30 p.m. June 19, Granite Reef Senior Center, Room 11

You can be a weather spotter for the National Weather Service
Learn how to properly identify and report significant weather phenomena to the National Weather Service. Even with sophisticated technology like radar and satellites, the service still needs information from trained on-the-ground weather spotters. The free class is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at Scottsdale Police & Fire Headquarters, 8401 E. Indian School Road. Participants will learn how:
** thunderstorms work
** to identify cloud features associated with microbursts and tornadoes,
** to visually estimate wind speeds
** your reports tie in to warnings and advisories issued by the National Weather Service.
Register online at http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/emergencies/EMHSTraining.
For more information, contact John Moede at 480-312-1832 or jmoede@ScottsdaleAZ.gov.

Charity bike ride to benefit homeless children
Residents are invited to participate in The Real Gift Foundation’s annual Charity Bike Ride on Saturday, May 5. This 65-, 25- or 10-mile bicycle ride gives participants of all abilities the chance to help the more than 15,000 homeless children attending schools in Maricopa County. Check-in is at 7 a.m. and the ride begins at 8 a.m. at Horizon High School, 5601 E. Greenway Road. Cost through March 31 is $50 per person and $25 for children 12 and younger. Register at www.rideforthechildren.com. For more information, contact Leslie Todd at 602-482-5800 or info@rideforthechildren.com.

FUTURE EVENTS

Cycle the Arts, Sunday April 1
Join this free, family-friendly bike ride and get a personal look at several pieces of Scottsdale’s public art at the Seventh Annual Cycle the Arts on Sunday, April 1. Learn fun and interesting facts about each public art piece as you ride through Downtown Scottsdale and the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. The ride begins at 9 a.m. and finishes at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. For your safety, helmets are required. Enjoy free admission to the museum following your ride! Afterward, stay for the Sunday A’Fair in the Scottsdale Civic Center for music and dance performances. For more information, visit http://www.scottsdalepublicartblog.org/cycle-the-arts.html.

Desert Dog Regional Police K-9 Trials take place April 14-15
Watch a lively police dog competition featuring police K-9 teams from around the Southwest. The Desert Dog Regional Police K-9 Trials take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 14-15, at Scottsdale Stadium. A $1 donation is requested. The event includes vendor booths and displays along with raffles and giveaways. No private dogs will be allowed in the stadium, which is located on the northeast corner of Osborn Road and Drinkwater Boulevard. For more information, visit www.desertdogk9trials.com or call (602) 509-2498.

For a complete list of Scottsdale events and public meetings, visit www.ScottsdaleAZ.gov/events.

For Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts events, visit http://tickets.scottsdaleperformingarts.org/tickets/calendar.aspx or call 480-994-ARTS.

For Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Arts events, visit http://www.smoca.org/ or call 480-874-4682.