East Valley briefs

GILBERT

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Sizzling Sisters fundraiser Saturday

The Sizzling Sisters Spring Fling 2008, a social and educational event featuring a women’s health symposium, brunch, raffle, live music and performances by Irish dancers, is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Shenandoah Mill, 1359 S. Gilbert Road, Gilbert.

The event, hosted by Today’s Women’s Health Specialists and the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence, is held in memory of Bea Ochoa, a member of Arizona’s health community and a victim of domestic violence.

Funds raised through admission and raffle ticket sales will benefit the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Admission is $15 paid in advance. Space is limited to 150 participants. To participate, call (480) 963-7900.

Staff report, (480) 898-6848

MESA

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Open house tours set for Saturday

Historic Open House Tours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday starting at 616 N. Grand. Free event includes tours and raffles. Information: (480) 621-6356.

Earth Active Day on ‘green’ farm

Superstition Farm will get “green” with Earth Active Day 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the farm, 3440 S. Hawes Road.

Families can see a working dairy farm, solar cooking, permaculture, the Desert Open Space Garden, green projects, xeriscape design, children’s musicals, a petting zoo, farm tours, vendors, arts and crafts, and a demonstration on how civilization can support itself through reducing, reusing and recycling. Cost is $10 per family. Information: www.superstitionfarm.com.

QUEEN CREEK

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District board will discuss salaries

The Queen Creek Unified School District governing board will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. today at the district office, 20740 S. Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek. The board will discuss and possibly approve next school year’s salary schedules for new teachers and support staff. Information: (480) 987-5935.

Hayley Ringle, (480) 898-6301

Queenland Manor plans Safety Day

Queen Creek’s Queenland Manor community will sponsor Safety Day from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday at the neighborhood park between Saddle Way and Stirrup Street. The Queen Creek Fire Department will have a firetruck there and will offer information on pool safety. There will also be a bounce house, snow cones and other safety information. For information, call (480) 231-8959.

Sarah J. Boggan, (480) 898-6574

SCOTTSDALE

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Get shredding, VIN etching free

The Scottsdale Police Department’s Crime Prevention and Auto Crime units are sponsoring a “Shredding and VIN Etching” event.

Open to any Maricopa County resident, the event will be 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Road.

Up to four boxes of personal documents will be shredded free. VIN etching, a process that acid-etches a vehicle’s number on each window of the vehicle, will also be available.

Representatives of the city’s Solid Waste, Code Enforcement, Fire Department, Police Cyber Crimes and Financial Crimes Unit and the state attorney general’s office will be on hand to answer questions.

Marge Purcell, (480) 970-2328

3 dance groups to perform at SCC

Scottsdale Community College Dance Department presents “Vigorous Attempts” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the SCC Performing Arts Center, 9000 E. Chaparral Road.

The concert is a collaborative dance event by the three resident companies from the SCC Dance Program: Instinct Dancecorps, SCC Moving Company, and S.A.J.E.

Tickets are $10 general admission, $5 students and seniors. For tickets, call (480) 423-6600.

Marge Purcell, (480) 970-2328

Pianist booked for concert

The music of Mozart, Liszt and Rachmaninov featuring pianist Walter Cosand will be performed by the Scottsdale Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Grace Chapel, 8524 E. Thomas Road, Scottsdale.

Tickets are $20 and will be on sale before each performance. For information or advance tickets, call (480) 945-8071 or e-mail sso@scotsymph.org.

Marge Purcell, (480) 970-2328

TEMPE

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Food drive aids animal shelter

Annual Pet Food and Supply Drive is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 3 at the Lakes Beach and Tennis Club, 5501 S. Lakeshore Drive. The Lakes Women’s Club will host the drive to benefit the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control Shelter.

Funds go to help feed, shelter, provide medical assistance and support animal adoption programs. Information: (480) 456-8696.

EAST VALLEY

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Earth fissure maps of areas now available

The first detailed maps of earth fissures have been released for the Chandler Heights/Queen Creek area and Apache Junction. The maps are available online at http://azmap.org/fissures, as well as free PDF downloads through the Arizona Geological Survey’s earth fissure center at www.azgs.az.gov/efmaps.html.

Earth fissures are caused when groundwater is harvested faster than it is replenished. Three-quarters of the state’s earth fissures are in Pinal County, state geologists have said.

The Chandler Heights/Queen Creek area and Apache Junction were chosen as the first mapping areas because of their high growth rates and the high number of known fissures there, state geologist Todd Shipman said.

The maps come after legislation passed in 2006 as a way to help mitigate fissures and inform the public about the geological hazards. The maps are beneficial to residents and developers because the first step in mitigating fissures is knowing where they’re located, Shipman said.

Read more about the mapping project and try interactive features on earth fissures on Sunday at www.evtrib.com.

Sarah J. Boggan, (480) 898-6574