North Scottsdale Gas Leak + 'Coughing Woman' Update + Toxic Toads

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

Are you a local business owner or marketer in Scottsdale? Our premium local sponsorships will keep you at the top of inboxes around town every morning. Contact us here for the lowdown.

First, your weekend weather:

• Friday: An Air Quality Alert is in effect until 9:00 p.m. tonight. High: 107 Low: 86.
• Saturday: Sunny with a few clouds. High: 105 Low: 85.
• Sunday: Excessive Heat Warning in effect from 10:00 a.m. today until 8:00 p.m. Monday night. High: 108 Low: 85.

Here are the top stories today in Scottsdale:

1. UPDATE: Janene Hoskovec, a Scottsdale resident, lost her at SAP after a video of her went viral. The video shows Hoskovec repeatedly, and deliberately, coughing on a mother and daughter at a grocery store in Lincoln, Nebraska. Hoskovec also mocked the pair for wearing masks — despite that Lincoln has a mask mandate in place. SAP confirmed in a tweet that they investigated the incident, and Hoskovec is no longer employed with them. (12news.com KPNX)
2. As many as 20 homes in the area of McDowell Mountain Ranch Road and Paradise Lane evacuated yesterday because of a reported gas leak underground. The Scottsdale Fire Department said that multiple hazardous materials teams, and over 200 firefighters, arrived to investigate what became a third-alarm hazmat incident. There are no reported injuries, but as of last night 22 homes were without gas, and 11 were still evacuated. (ABC15 Arizona)
3. A Scottsdale woman wins AZFamily's Pay It Forward award. Rosemary "Rosie" Brown recruited friends from her Pickleball group to pick up unsold flowers, or bouquets from offices that would be thrown away prematurely, and deliver them to hospitals and retirement homes. Brown's flower delivery program has brought smiles and joy for nearly four years. Trader Joes helps the program by providing their own flowers each day. (AZFamily)
4. The School of Rock Scottsdale is thrilled to announce their end-of-summer show. Manager Michelle Worley says the show is a "landmark" for the school's students. So come out to the Revelry in Mesa on September 11-12 and September 18-19 to see what three hours a week of practice over the past four months has brought to these young artists of rock ‘n’ roll. (Scottsdale Progress)

Today's Scottsdale Daily is brought to you by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Scottsdale!

This weekend in Scottsdale:

Friday, September 10

• New Family BBQ - Sequoya Elementary School (All Day)
• Pima Elementary: Quarter 1 Progress Reports Sent Home (All Day)
• Varsity Football @ Desert Mountain - Chaparral High School (8:00 PM)

Saturday, September 11

• 1st Quarter Athletics Festival - Cocopah Middle School (All Day)
• Middle School Sports Festival - Desert Canyon Middle School (All Day)
• Sports Festival - Mountainside Middle School (All Day)
• Midland Radio Jeep Pop-Up At The Phoenix Off-Road Expo (10:00 AM)
• Transformational Kinesiology is a specialized form of Kinesiology that uses the bio-feedback tool of muscle checking to uncover beliefs and energy blocks that prevent us from manifesting our dreams, goals, and desires. Event led by Shiranda Deerwoman, M.A.: Natural Energy Healing (10:00 AM)
• Kitten Popup at Scottsdale Quarter: Arizona Animal Welfare League and Scottsdale Quarter are teaming up for their annual Kitten Pop-Up shops this summer. (10:00 AM)
• Scottsdale 9/11 Special Ceremony (Reading of Names) (2:00 PM)
• Scottsdale 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony (4:00 PM)
• Eat See AZ: an outdoor cinema experience for everyone that features Arizona's top food trucks, music, and a film under the stars. (6:00 PM)
• Jazz Lounge: Sherry Roberson - Scottdale Center for the Perfoming Arts (7:30 PM)

Sunday, September 12

• Bug Club for Kids - Butterfly Wonderland (12:00 PM)

Scottsdale Patch Notebook

• After years underground, the Sonoran Desert toad, or Colorado River toad, have returned to Phoenix — to the dismay of poison centers and relief of herpetologistsis. The toads are found across the Southwest, but have not been seen in awhile, prompting concerns of climate change impact to the species. Be cautious and avoid these little hopper, they have glands with psychoactive toxins strong enough to kill a dog. (Phoenix New Times)
• The Scottsdale Police Department seized $2900 in cash, 1,500 fentanyl pills ($15k street value), and 2.5 oz of meth. The arrest also yielded a handgun stolen in a vehicle burglary in Scottsdale from May 2021. (Facebook)
• Starting Sunday, September 12, the Scottsdale Public Library will be expanding building hours for Civic Center and Arabian Library. (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Add your business here

Events:

• Beginner Spanish classes for 9-12 year olds (September 13)
• Add your event

Gigs & services:

• Get Paid to Test New Technology (U$30 per hour) (Details)
• Add your gig or service

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around. If you're into these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to follow along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Madison Feser

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Scottsdale Daily? Reach out anytime to madison.feser@patch.com.