More people to watch

The Republic has put together a list of 10 people in Mesa to watch in 2010 (though the online version appears to have only 9). The list has a lot of good people on it, but we have to say that there are several that they have missed. We understand why they stuck with 10, it being "2010" and all, but here are 10 more people who should be on the list:

Mayor Scott Smith
We are all still getting used to the idea of a Mayor from Mesa making name for himself nationally and locally as a strong leader. Following a year of changing the way Mesa does business, he has an opportunity to shape the city for many years to come.

Senator Russell Pearce
Senator Pearce will be front and center in the state budget battle as appropriations chairman and he continues to push his reforms for illegal immigration. Ever the controversial figure, it is not clear if he will face a heated election like the one he weathered in 2008.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio
While the Sheriff is not a Mesa resident, he continues to take special interest in our fair city. Will there be more raids? Has he really made peace with the Mayor? With several fights brewing on the county level, will Mesa slip from his radar?

Representative Rich Crandall
With Senator Chuck Gray deciding not to run for re-election, Representative Crandall appears to be the heir-apparent for the LD 19 Senate seat. While a Gray vs. Crandall head-to-head has been avoided, will the district face a bloody primary battle?

The Matta Family
Matta's Riverview is underway and you can follow their progress at Got Mattas? They are supposed to be using decorations and other things from the old restaurant. If the restaurant actually does open this year, expect the Matta family and their Mesa tradition to get a lot of attention.

James Tevault
If you don't know James by name, you certainly know his tweets over at @VisitMesa. He remains one of the best users of twitter in the Valley, keeping people up to date with what is going on in Mesa. He is truly a model for other tourism representatives across the state, a fact that we hope Mesa CVB is well aware of.

Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh
Kavanaugh has been leading the charge for the renewal of the Fiesta District and has made his voice heard on the Mesa City Council. While his domestic partner registry appears to be on the back burner, we expect that he will continue to make his presence known on the council this year.

Tribune Publishers
The Tribune has announced that they will continue to publish beyond their December 31, 2009 original deadline. Will they finalize a deal with a new buyer? With names like Scott Bordow leaving, will they still have the independent flavor that many of us have grown to love and respect? We hope Le Templar sticks around, however our offer to him to blog on Mesa Issues whenever he wants still stands.

Rex Griswold
He is still an interesting guy. Rumors of him running for another office appear to have cooled, but we still wouldn't be surprised if he threw his hat back in the political ring. With openings in LD 19 and at other levels of government, we expect that we will hear from him (and his smiling campaign signs) again.

Mesa Voters
As we mentioned in our 2010 preview, the voters will decide on city council members and new legislative representation this year. However, if any of the past few years have taught us, there may be several other local issues that could show up on the ballot - a Cubs referendum perhaps?