Mesa Pulse for August 3, 2026: New drone rules pass council, EōS plans two Mesa gyms, school starts Thursday

• 🚁 Council approved limits on commercial drones. New city rules for anyone flying a drone for work in Mesa.
• 🏋️ EōS Fitness plans two Mesa clubs. Part of a five-location Arizona expansion, locations not yet named.
• 🎒 School starts Thursday. Freshman orientations run Wednesday at Mesa High and Westwood.
• 🏠 538 new listings hit the Mesa market last month.
• 🚌 Busing problems are back at EVIT. Trouble returned after the underlying feud was settled.
• 🎤 Around the Valley. Four shows and a ballgame worth the drive this week.

The city council has approved new restrictions on commercial drone operations in Mesa, which changes the rules for anyone flying for a business rather than for fun.

Key facts

• What: city limits on commercial drone flights.
• Who acted: the Mesa city council.
• Reported: August 2, by the Mesa Tribune.

What to watch: the ordinance text and any effective date will post to the council record at mesa.legistar.com. Details.

• 🏋️ EōS Fitness is planning two Mesa clubs. The 24-hour chain has five new Arizona locations in the works, including San Tan Valley, Buckeye, and Phoenix. Mesa addresses have not been announced. Details.
• 🏠 538 new listings came on the Mesa market last month. Details.
• 🚒 Mesa may sue fire truck manufacturers. Council takes up whether to authorize the city attorney to file antitrust claims against fire apparatus makers and hire outside counsel. Study session, August 13. Details.
• 🏗️ The Lehi permit slips to September. Staff recommends continuing the accessory-building request at 521 East Lehi Road, in the 1877 settlement north of the river, to September 2 instead of deciding it Wednesday. Details.
• 💧 Mayor Freeman issued a statement on Mesa's water and the Colorado River. Details.
• 🔔 The system that dispatches fire crews from their stations is up for renewal. A ten-month cooperative purchasing contract for the USDD G2 station alerting system, the equipment that wakes crews and opens bay doors when a call comes in, goes to council August 17. Details.

Monday

• 🚀 Two library STEAM sessions. Catapults at the Mesa Express branch at 3:30 PM (details), space projects at THINKspot at Dobson Ranch at 4 PM for ages 6 to 12 (details).

Tuesday

• 📖 Preschool storytime, 10 AM at the Main library. Details.
• 📊 Intro to Microsoft Excel, 1 PM at THINKspot at Dobson Ranch. Free, and it starts at the beginning: creating, editing, and formatting a spreadsheet. Details.
• 🎨 App Artist, 4:30 PM at THINKspot at Main. Tweens, digital art apps, limited capacity. Details.

Wednesday

• 🧠 Trivia night at On The Green Sports Grill. Free to play, prizes, Wednesday evening. Details.

Thursday

• 🎤 Powerful Voices open mic. Music, comedy, and poetry on one bill. Details.

Friday

• 🎧 slayr, 8 PM at the Nile Theater. Hip-hop at 105 West Main, which is about as downtown as a show gets in this city. Details.

• 🎒 First day of school is Thursday, August 6. Details.
• 🧑‍🎓 Freshman orientations are Wednesday. Mesa High at 9 AM (details), Westwood at noon for 9th graders only (details).
• 🚌 Busing problems are back at EVIT. Transportation trouble has returned for students at the career and tech district, even after the dispute behind it was settled. Details.

• 🎶 Josh Tatofi, Tuesday at 8 PM, Marquee Theatre in Tempe. A Tuesday night at the Marquee usually means a room you can actually move in. Tickets.
• ⚾ Diamondbacks vs. Padres, tonight at 6:40 PM, Chase Field. Air conditioning, a division rival, and a 113-degree Monday. Tickets.
• 🎬 Hedwig 25th anniversary movie tour, tonight at 7 PM, The Van Buren. John Cameron Mitchell is touring the anniversary in person. Tickets.
• 🎸 Passion Pit, Wednesday at 8 PM, The Van Buren. One night downtown on the Pretty Penny tour. Tickets.