Good morning, Gilbert. Highs near 107 today, lows around 87, with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms by afternoon.
- 🚁 Gilbert is writing rules for commercial drones. The proposal is moving through the town's planning commission.
- 🎖️ Council plans to salute a Gilbert teen. Royal Cothrun is being recognized for a life-saving act.
- ☕ 7 Brew Coffee is planning a Gilbert shop. The drive-thru chain has a location coming at Baseline and Gilbert roads.
- 🌾 Agritopia runs a farm tour Tuesday. A staff-led walk through the working acres at Higley and Ray.
- 🎭 The Little Mermaid opens Wednesday. Curtain at 6:30 PM.
- 🎓 Curriculum nights Thursday at Highland and Mesquite. Both start in the early evening.
The town is drafting drone rules
Gilbert is moving to regulate commercial drone operations inside town limits, a category that barely existed the last time the zoning code got a serious look.
Key facts:
- The rules target commercial drone deliveries, not hobbyist flying.
- The proposal is working through the Gilbert Planning Commission, the body that reviews land-use and code changes before they reach the town council.
- The Gilbert Sun News reported the effort on Aug 9.
This is the kind of item that sounds procedural and then shows up over a backyard. Delivery drones need launch and landing sites, and those sites are land uses, which is the part a town can actually write rules about. Where those pads can go, how close to homes, and under what conditions is the whole question.
What to watch: whether the planning commission forwards a draft to the town council, and what the setback and location limits look like when it does. Details.
Around Gilbert
🎖️ Council is set to salute Royal Cothrun. The Gilbert teen is being recognized for a life-saving act, with Gilbert Fire and Rescue part of the honor. The town council's next regular meeting is Tuesday at 6:30 PM. Details.
🏛️ Town council meets Tuesday at 6:30 PM. The agenda and full packet are posted. If the drone item interests you, this is the venue where a planning commission recommendation would eventually land. Details.
☕ 7 Brew Coffee is coming to Baseline and Gilbert roads. The drive-thru beverage chain continues its East Valley run with a shop at the north end of town, a corner already thick with quick-service traffic. No opening date announced. Details.
🏠 A 2014-built home in the Whitewing at Germann Estates area sold for $2,800,000. Figures come from Maricopa County Assessor public records and are approximate. Details.
The week ahead
Monday
- 📚 Monday morning fiction book discussion. Perry Library, 10:30 AM, adults. Details.
- 🐉 Sci-fi and fantasy book club takes on Storm Front. Jim Butcher's first Dresden novel. Southeast Regional Library, 2 PM, registration required. Details.
- 🧬 Two genealogy workshops back to back. A writing session at 4 PM, then research at 5:30 PM. Southeast Regional Library, registration required. Details.
Tuesday
- 🌾 Agritopia farm tour. A staff-led walk through the working acres at Higley and Ray, covering the history of the land and how the seasons shape what gets planted. This is the Johnston family farm that the rest of Agritopia was built around in 2000. Details.
- 🏫 GPS governing board policy committee, work study, and brief business meeting. Gilbert Public Schools, 140 S Gilbert Rd, 5 PM. Details.
- 🏛️ Town council regular meeting. 6:30 PM, agenda and packet posted. Details.
Wednesday
- 🎭 The Little Mermaid. Wednesday, Aug 12, 6:30 PM. Check the ticket page for the venue before you head out. Details.
- 🎹 High Key Wednesdays at Backyard Gilbert. Cactus Keys takes over with a dueling pianos set. Details.
- 🍺 Beer Barn Bingo, 7 PM. Bingo with Leslie, every Wednesday. Details.
- 🎬 Movie night at Arizona Wilderness Brewing. Gilbert Brewhub tasting room, 7 PM, every Wednesday. Details.
Thursday
Friday
From the schools
🎓 Curriculum night at Highland High School, Thursday at 5:30 PM. The Gilbert Public Schools (GPS) high school runs its parent walkthrough of the year's coursework. Details.
🎓 Curriculum night at Mesquite High School, Thursday at 6 PM. Same format, half an hour later, so families with students at both campuses have a tight window. Details.
🏫 GPS governing board meets Tuesday at 5 PM. A policy committee session, work study, and brief board business, at 140 S Gilbert Rd. Details.
Around the Valley
A few picks worth leaving town for this week.
⚾ Diamondbacks vs. Rockies, Chase Field. Monday night, 6:40 PM, first of a homestand series. A division game on a 107-degree Monday is a strong argument for a roof and cheap upper-deck seats. Tickets.
🎤 T.I., The King Succession Tour, The Van Buren. Monday, 8 PM, downtown Phoenix. One night only, in a room small enough that the back wall still feels close. Tickets.
🎸 TOTO with Christopher Cross and The Romantics, Arizona Financial Theatre. Tuesday, 6:45 PM. Three bands, one night, and a setlist you already know every word to. Tickets.
🪕 Megan Moroney, Desert Diamond Arena. Tuesday, 7 PM, in Glendale. The longest drive on this list by a wide margin, so make a night of it. Tickets.