Greenbelt 88 Project Update + Snapchat Increasing AZ Fentanyl Use

Morning, neighbors! It's me again, Madison Feser, your host of the Scottsdale Daily.

First, today's weather: Today's high of 94 and low of 76 is accompanied by a 40% chance of rain. There is also a Flash Flood warning in affect from 11:00 a.m. today until 5:00 a.m. Thursday. Stay safe Scottsdale!

Here are the top stories in Scottsdale today:

1. The Scottsdale Planning Commission voted 4-3 to recommend that City Council approve a development project near the intersection of Hayden and Osborn roads. The controversial Greenbelt 88 project will add 278 apartments and 25,000 square feet of retail in the current location of Lucky Plaza. Rezoning also allows developers to build up to 4 stories (48 feet) — surpassing the current recommendation of 36 feet. (Scottsdale Progress)
2. Maricopa County schools reportedly had three times the number of COVID-19 outbreaks in August than at the virus' peak last February. Breaking from February trends, is that now one in four current cases occur in children. Cases increased sharply after schools reopened, most with masks, causing concern among health care professionals and front-line workers. Of recent hospitalizations of Maricopa County children, 120 have been hospitalized for a month. (AZ Family)
3. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office provided a total of $106,500 grants to 13 local non-profit organizations. Most of the organizations help at-risk youth, substance abuse prevention, and work with previous offenders to reduce recidivism. (Press Release Desk)
4. Fentanyl is a growing problem across Arizona communities — including those in Maricopa County. Fentanyl accounts for 42% of all overdoses in Arizona, and over the last two years the state has seen an increases of 1610% in counterfeit pill seizures. One way teens obtain Fentanyl is through Snapchat, where dealers off looks at their "menu" and receive "orders" with relative ease of anonymity. (Press Release Desk)

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Today in Scottsdale

• Early Release Day - Horizon High (12:00 AM)
• Class Picture Day - Horizon High (12:00 AM)
• Early Release 12:00 - Teacher PD Day (12:00 AM)
• League of Arizona Cities & Towns Annual Conference (8:00 AM)
• Reading and Writing Tutoring - Desert Canyon Middle School (3:30 PM)
• Boys Golf @ 500 Club - Chaparral High School (4:00 PM)
• Badminton vs. Corona del Sol - Chaparral High School (5:00 PM)
• Planning Commission Meeting - Paradise Valley Town Hall (6:00 PM)
• Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee - Regular - 08-31-2021 (6:00 PM)
• Create a Vision Board for the Jewish New Year (6:00 PM)

Scottsdale Patch Notebook

• Scottsdale Police are requesting community assistance to identify 2 shoplift suspects from the Home Depot at 15499 N Hayden Rd. Please see the Facebook post for a full description of the suspects. (Facebook)
• The Scottsdale Fire Department asks hiker to practice “Rain Refrain” the next few days. Although the Preserve is open from sunrise to sunset, heavy rain leaves trail vulnerable to damage from boots, hooves, and tires. (Facebook)
• The Scottsdale Public Library will be having its first Watch a Great Read this Saturday, September 4 at 2 p.m. in the Civic Center Library auditorium. Get ready for The Wizard of Oz! (Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you soon. If you're loving these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Madison Feser

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Scottsdale Daily? I'm all ears. You can reach me at madison.feser@patch.com.