Scottsdale Update - April 16, 2021

COVID-19 by the numbers. Maricopa County has been tracking COVID-19 cases since Jan. 22, 2020. Review the latest numbers here.

Remember, a healthy Scottsdale starts with you. Stay home when you can, practice physical distancing and wash your hands frequently. Find downloadable graphics for social media and request a poster pack for your business or organization.

Volunteer and get vaccinated at WestWorld beginning April 22. The city is partnering with the Arizona Department of Health Services and Cigna to open a large-scale vaccination distribution site at WestWorld beginning Thursday, April 22. When it opens, the indoor site will operate from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, offering 3,000-4,000 daily appointments to the public.

About 140 volunteers per day are needed to work alongside Cigna’s health care professionals. Volunteers will get breakfast, lunch and snacks. In addition, those who haven’t received the vaccine and would like to, can get it at the end of their shift. This site will likely provide the Pfizer vaccine. Schedule your volunteer shift here.

Companies can support vaccine efforts with “Business Partner for a Day/Week Program” at WestWorld site. Support efforts to get not only your employees vaccinated, but the Arizona community at-large. Your company can bring up to 50 non-clinical volunteers per day to support this vaccine site.

Important information:

• Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.

• Two shifts are available: 6 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Food and beverage will be provided during shift.

• Most volunteer positions require standing the majority of the shift.

Those interested can contact Cigna Community Engagement Lead Michele Berg at 480-809-5945.

Nearly 975,000 Maricopa County residents are fully vaccinated. The latest countywide vaccination data shows that 974,893 Maricopa County residents have been fully vaccinated with either two doses of Pfizer/Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson. So far, 1,387,436 residents have been vaccinated with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccination progress by age:

• 78.8 percent of adults 75+

• 75.9 percent of adults 65-74

• 55.1 percent of adults 55-64

• 37.1 percent of adults 45-54 

• 32.7 percent of adults 35-44

• 25.9 percent of adults 25-34

• 18 percent of people 15-24

Still need your vaccine? Find a vaccination site near you.

Those 65 and older make up a smaller percentage of new COVID-19 cases. This means vaccination efforts are having a positive impact on that group. That said, the majority of our community is still not vaccinated. It’s important for everyone, especially those who have not been vaccinated, to keep doing what works to reduce the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19. Learn more.

More about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. As you've likely heard, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending a temporary pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccinations out of an abundance of caution.

Per CDC guidance, people who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.

You have options if you’re scheduled to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine:

• Wait for further guidance. Arizona Department of Health Services and the CDC Advisory Council on Immunization Practices may have more guidance soon.

• Schedule an appointment for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine (and be sure to cancel your previous Johnson & Johnson appointment).

Get Johnson & Johnson updates here. Find a list of vaccination sites and search by vaccine type at Maricopa.gov/COVID19VaccineLocations.

You can help researchers learn more about how the body responds to COVID-19 vaccines. The V-Safe program through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a smartphone-based, after-vaccination health checker for people who receive COVID-19 vaccines. If you enroll, you will receive regular text messages directing you to brief surveys where you can report any reactions you have after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. This information can help the CDC identify any patterns that may exist among recipients.

The city’s COVID-19 page contains information about the city’s emergency orders, facilities and operations. Learn more here.

Follow us on Twitter @ScottsdaleAZgov and Facebook fb.me/ScottsdaleAZgov for city COVID-19 updates and other city information.

The city Call Center is available 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays to assist residents via phone – call 480-312-3111.

Visit ScottsdaleAZ.gov to access city services online.

Cycle the Arts: Celebrate Valley Bike Month with a self-guided public art tour. This year, Cycle the Arts is a self-guided bike tour of public art pieces from the city’s permanent collection. Sign the waiver and get the route map. Content is available through the Hoverlay App, available on your mobile device. If you don’t want to download the app, you can find out more about each stop by clicking the links provided for each artwork here. Send a photo of yourself on your bike at one of the stops and earn a chance to win a Cycle the Arts t-shirt. Email pictures to Susan Conklu at sconklu@ScottsdaleAZ.gov.

Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 18-24 is in Scottsdale. Each year, we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week in Scottsdale to coincide with National Volunteer Week. Mayor David Ortega presented a proclamation and announced this celebration of our volunteers at the April 13 City Council meeting. In pre-pandemic days, we invited the recent William P. Schrader Volunteer Impact Award honorees to join in the presentation. The 2020 William P. Schrader Volunteer Impact Award went to “The Core Four” - Tony Coates, David Murphy, Jill Kanalos and Roger Lurie. Learn more about the Core Four and the city’s Volunteer Program.

Share an eco-friendly idea and get a chance to win a tree. The city has partnered with Green Living Magazine to share 30 simple eco-friendly solutions this month along with a fun social media contest. To enter, all you have to do is post a photo or video on social media sharing what actions you are taking to be more eco-friendly and use the hashtag #ScottsdaleSimpleSolutions. Some examples of simple solutions you can tell us about are ways you are conserving water and/or electricity, reducing waste, using a reusable grocery bag or water bottle, or planting trees to fight climate change.

The 1-gallon native mesquite tree will be available for pick up at the Old Town Farmers Market Saturday, April 24.

Safely dump your drugs at the Prescription Drug Take-Back, April 24. Stop by two Scottsdale locations from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 24, to properly dispose of unwanted, unneeded or expired prescription drugs. Bring items to the Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Road, or the Foothills District Police Station in the Market Street Plaza at DC Ranch, 20363 N. Pima Road.

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and health issue. According to a recent survey, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019. The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

Summer class registration is right around the corner! Registration for Parks and Recreation summer classes begins at 8 a.m. Monday, April 26, for residents and 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 27, for non-residents. Learn more.

“Riots, Racism and Reconciliation” – understanding our shared experiences. Join us for a virtual dialogue hosted by the Scottsdale Human Relations Commission at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 28. This conversation will review the 2020 Scottsdale riot, local media coverage involving hate crimes and solicit audience stories and conversation so we can better understand these important shared experiences as we continue working toward a Scottsdale for all people. This discussion, moderated by Dr. Joel Martin, will feature content from a TedTalk by Baratunde Thurston to help us explore and better understand the racialized experiences people may have. Register here.

Veg out Saturdays at the Old Town Farmers Market. The market features more than 100 local growers and specialty food producers. Find a variety of organic and pesticide-free produce, seasonal specialties, flowers, natural meats and free-range eggs from Arizona growers. You’ll also find cheese, freshly baked artisan breads, jams, tamales, and so much more. The market runs from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through May, in the public parking lot at 3806 N. Brown Ave.

Volunteer Adopt-a-Road Program on hold; April event not taking place due to the pandemic. This annual cleanup event, usually held in April around Earth Day, is canceled due to the pandemic. All volunteer programs in Scottsdale have been put on hold until we are in “moderate community spread.” Scottsdale is still in “substantial community spread.” We will let you know when the program reopens.

Six Scottsdale police officers will ride in the 2021 Police Unity Tour in May. The mission of the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness nationwide of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. The ride starts in Tallahassee and ends at the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum in Titusville. Each rider is required to raise $1,750 to ride. Help support the fundraising efforts of Scottsdale's riders by making a donation or purchasing raffle tickets. The group is hosting an online raffle with more than $14,000 in prizes. Visit the raffle website by midnight Saturday, April 17, to buy tickets and select your preferred prize package/s. You can also support the cause by purchasing Police Unity Tour merchandise.   

2021 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships are approaching. College golf’s best are gearing up for their journey to Scottsdale’s Grayhawk Golf Course May 21-June 2. It will be the second time ASU has hosted an NCAA Golf Championship since the women’s team held it in 1992. It is also the third time either the men’s or women’s championship has been hosted in the Southwest since 2012 for the men’s and 2008 for the women’s tournament. The NCAA Golf Championships will be held in Scottsdale the next three years, and as approved by City Council are partially funded by the city through the Tourism Development Fund.

Get hooked on fishing. The Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks  Chaparral Lake and Eldorado's North Lake with catfish twice a month during the cooler weather. It also periodically stocks sunfish . Kids 9 and younger do not need a fishing license. Others can purchase them at AZ Game & Fish or sporting good stores, or call 602-942-3000. Learn more.

City upgrades Comanche Park playground. This project, funded through Scottsdale’s capital project budget, includes new playground equipment and wood fibers to replace the sand. Comanche is one of three neighborhood parks the city updated. We installed new playground equipment at Zuni Park in March, and construction will begin soon at Shoshone Park. Learn more about city parks and how we invest in our Scottsdale through capital improvement projects.

This week's traffic restrictions in and around Scottsdale.  .