A magazine for Litchfield Park residents From Your Neighbors, For Your Neighbors
Published by Estrella Publishing LLC, PO Box 6962, Goodyear AZ 85338. Additional copies can be obtained for a fee by contacting info@EstrellaPublishing.com
Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor
Talia Uretsky, Assistant Editor Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com
Here’s a hard question many parents dodge: Do I have a favorite? In my case, absolutely. I’ve always been transparent with my children that the position of favorite is there to be earned at any time.
This philosophy tends to raise eyebrows, but I stand by it. Parenting isn’t a democracy; it’s a meritocracy with occasional bouts of benevolent dictatorship. The “favorite child” slot in our household operates like a prestigious but volatile stock—values can rise and fall based on performance, attitude, and whether someone remembered to take out the trash without being asked.
Last month, my youngest child held the coveted title after spending quality time with his grandfather, watching a football match on the internet together. Earlier in the year, one of my daughters reigned supreme after stepping in to help one of her siblings in a thoughtful and meaningful way without being asked.
My oldest claimed the throne recently, when she created a duck scavenger hunt in my house while I was away. Over 150 mini ducks were hidden all round the house and it has been so much fun looking for them. We are still looking for the last 5 ducks...
The beauty of this system is its transparency. There’s no whispering about who mom loves most—it’s announced at dinner like a quarterly earnings report. “Congratulations to Emma, who maintains her position as favorite for a second consecutive week after handling Grandma’s inappropriate comments at Sunday dinner with remarkable grace.”
Critics might suggest this approach fosters unhealthy competition. To them I say: have you seen the world these children are inheriting? Better they learn about performance reviews in the supportive confines of home than be blindsided later. The unexpected benefit? My children have developed an impressive array of skills in their quest for the top spot. One became a surprisingly competent travel agent, another mastered the art of making restaurant-quality pasta.
So yes, I have a favorite child. Check back later to see who holds the title next.
Catherine Uretsky Editor, The Park Magazine info@estrellapublishing.com
623.398.5541
The Doctor Is In
Set Your Intentions: Part 2
As promised, this month, we’re looking at SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound. Let’s unpack that:
A specific goal forces you to hone in on exactly what you’re after and focus your efforts:
• What needs to be accomplished? Be clear about exactly what it’s going to take to achieve your goal by asking yourself what specific steps need to be taken.
• Who is involved? Assess who else might be involved in your goal achievement and what you want or expect from them.
• Why do you want to accomplish this specific thing? Dig in and ask yourself why it’s important in your overall life and happiness to accomplish your goal.
• Where will the work toward your goal take place? Where are the resources you’ll need to reach your goal?
• That which is measured can be improved. Start with an initial evaluation of where you are and create periodic assessments that show your progress toward your goals. Seeing your progress also encourages you to stay the course.
• An achievable goal is a realistic one. Take an honest look at what you can actually accomplish in the time you give yourself, lest you feel discouraged when you miss the mark.
• Your goal must have relevance to your daily life. Make sure your goal is something you truly care about. Ensure that the timing is realistic. If you’re about to leave on vacation, setting a goal to eat healthy, exercise daily or purge your cabinets isn’t realistic. Make sure your goal aligns with your overall life goals and desires.
• A time-bound goal involves a deadline and includes a plan of attack with a timeline. What needs to happen each day or week to help you stay on track toward goal achievement? Deadlines for smaller objectives within a bigger goal make things more manageable, which means less overwhelm.
Use these guidelines to set solid, realistic goals and increase your odds of success. For instance, saying you want to lose 50 pounds this year is very different than looking at what you can specifically do each week in terms of food intake and exercise to break that goal down into a loss of a pound or two per week.
Tune in next month for the final installment in this series. In Part 3, we’ll look at a better setup for success than setting new year’s resolutions.
Submitted by Dr. J. Paweleck-Bellingrodt, Psy.D.
DISCLAIMER: Material is for informational purposes and not intended to be a substitute for evaluation or treatment by a licensed professional. Material is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with written permission of Dr. Bellingrodt.
Draft Day
Arizona’s Rising Stars: 2025 NFL Draft Prospects and Their Potential Landing Spots
As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, Arizona’s collegiate football programs have produced an impressive collection of talent. Four standout players from the Grand Canyon State were invited to the NFL Combine this year—three from the University of Arizona and one from Arizona State University.
Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Arizona)
**Projection: 1st Round, Top 15**
McMillan has established himself as one of the premier wide receivers in this year’s draft class. His final collegiate season was nothing short of dominant, amassing 84 receptions, 1,319 yards (equivalent to about 15 city blocks), and 8 touchdowns en route to First Team All-Big 12 honors. Standing at an imposing 6-foot-5, McMillan combines exceptional ball control with precise route-running ability. His size, reliable hands, and skill at winning contested catches make him a defensive coordinator’s nightmare. ESPN’s Matt Miller projects McMillan to be selected ninth overall by the New Orleans Saints, where he could immediately step into a starting role and make an impact.
Jonah Savaiinaea (OL, Arizona)
**Projection: Late 1st Round**
Savaiinaea’s draft stock soared following an impressive performance at the Senior Bowl, where he showcased remarkable versatility along the offensive line. His technical proficiency, powerful base, excellent hand placement, and awareness in pass protection have scouts viewing him as a potential day-one starter. Some analysts predict Savaiinaea could land with the Baltimore Ravens at pick 27, though numerous teams with offensive line needs might be tempted to select this promising prospect. His ability to play multiple positions adds significant value to his draft profile.
Cam Skattebo (RB, Arizona State University)
**Projection: 3rd-4th Round**
Skattebo emerged as one of Arizona’s most electric playmakers during the 2024 season, proving himself to be an elite three-down weapon for the Sun Devils.
His remarkable campaign included 1,711 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 45 receptions for 605 yards (roughly twice the height of the Empire State Building) and 4 additional scores. Despite his proven production and game-changing ability, Skattebo may slide down draft boards due to the current running back market valuation and questions about how his skills will translate to the professional level. Nevertheless, his versatility makes him an intriguing mid-round prospect.
Tyler Loop (K, Arizona)
**Projection: Undrafted Free Agent**
Special teams prospects rarely hear their names called during the draft, but Loop’s versatility could make him an exception. Converting 18 of 23 field goal attempts while averaging 41.8 yards per punt last season demonstrates a flexibility that NFL teams increasingly value. This dual-threat capability could ultimately land him a spot on an active roster, even if he goes undrafted.
With this impressive collection of talent emerging from the desert, Arizona’s collegiate football programs are proving they can develop NFL-caliber prospects capable of making an immediate impact at the next level.
Cook With Zona
Crockpot Chicken Enchilada
I know we all love an easy weeknight meal! This dish is perfect for when you’re craving something tasty but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. The chicken gets slow-cooked to perfection, and the blend of spices gives it just the right amount of flavor.
Once it’s ready, the possibilities are endless! You can top your tacos with jalapeños, sour cream, cilantro, or whatever you love. It’s a totally customizable meal that’s perfect for feeding the family or having a casual get-together with friends. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I do!
Prep time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 6-8 hrs
Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15oz) corn kernels, drained
1 can (10oz) red enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla (for serving)
Sliced jalapenos (for garnish)
Steps:
1. Place the chicken breasts, diced onion, black beans, and corn in the crockpot.
2. Combine red enchilada sauce, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded monterey jack cheese, chili powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
4. Once cooked, shred the chicken using two forks and stir to combine with the sauce and vegetables.
5. Serve the chicken enchilada mix in a tortilla or over a bed of tortilla chips. Garnish with sliced jalapeños.
6. Enjoy!
If you have a recipe you’d like to share with your community email me at ArizonaCooks71@gmail.com to be featured in the magazine!
Matza
The Bread of Humility
Passover is celebrated in early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan (April 12-20, 2025). This eight-day festival commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery, marked by miracles including the Ten Plagues and the Splitting of the Red Sea.
After the final plague, Pharaoh urgently sent the Israelites away. They left so hastily that their bread didn’t have time to rise. This is why, during Passover, Jewish tradition prohibits eating leavened bread and instead requires eating Matza – a flat, cracker-like bread made by quickly baking a simple mixture of flour and water without allowing it to rise.
Throughout Passover, Jewish homes are thoroughly cleaned of all leavened products and crumbs. This practice carries deep symbolic meaning: leavened bread, with its height and expansion, represents ego and pride, while the flat, humble Matza symbolizes humility. Jewish tradition refers to Matza as “the bread of faith” because pride leaves little room for higher truths or faith in one’s life, whereas humility creates openness to spiritual growth.
If Matza represents such virtue, why isn’t it eaten year-round? Both leavened and unleavened bread symbolize necessary qualities for a meaningful life. Self-confidence is essential for creating positive change, but excessive pride prevents growth beyond one’s comfort zone.
The Passover Seder, a fifteen-step traditional feast held on the first two evenings, includes several important elements:
• Eating Matza
• Consuming bitter herbs to remember the harshness of slavery
• Drinking four cups of wine or grape juice to celebrate freedom
• Reciting the Haggadah, which tells the Exodus story
This annual practice balances our year-round confidence with a season of humility, teaching us the paradoxical wisdom of both strength and openness in our development as human beings.
Happy and Kosher Passover! Submitted by Rabbi Z
The Bug Guy
The Battle of April: Phoenix Valley’s War on Pests
As temperatures in the West Valley climb faster than property values, April marks the unofficial kickoff of the annual human-versus-pest Olympics. While winter visitors pack up their RVs and head north, local critters are unpacking their tiny suitcases and preparing for their summer invasion.
First on the scene are the scorpions, nature’s proof that evolution occasionally has a dark sense of humor. These prehistoric pincer-wielding nightmares glow under blacklight, creating what pest control veteran Bob Killinsect calls “the world’s least enjoyable rave.” Locals know the drill: shake out shoes, check toilet paper rolls, and maintain a blood pressure-raising vigilance that would impress military commanders.
CONCERNED
By mid-April, the ant colonies begin their strategic operations. These industrious insects somehow communicate across vast distances to share the breaking news that you’ve dropped a single crumb in your kitchen. “They move with military precision,” explains entomologist Dr. Maria Bugsworth. “One minute your counter is clean, the next it’s hosting the ant version of Woodstock.”
Not to be outdone, rats—the Valley’s unwanted gentrification experts—begin their springtime search for real estate. These rodents prefer high-end accommodations, often selecting homes in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. “They have expensive taste,” jokes local exterminator Vince Vermin. “They go for the citrus trees and swimming pools—basically looking for the same amenities as California transplants.”
April also welcomes the mosquito season, as these tiny vampires emerge from hibernation with the enthusiastic hunger of tourists at a casino buffet. Swimming pools left uncleaned transform into mosquito maternity wards faster than you can say “West Nile Virus.”
Meanwhile, cockroaches maintain their year-round presence with the persistence of political campaign ads. These survivalists could outlast nuclear winter but somehow can’t resist the deadly allure of a roach
Valley residents adapt with a distinctive pest control shuffle: the scorpion stomp, the frantic arm-wave mosquito dance, and the universal “something’scrawling-on-me” full-body shudder.
So as April unfolds in the West Valley, remember you’re not just a homeowner—you’re a defender of your domain in the desert’s ancient battle between humans and the creatures that refuse to acknowledge property lines.
Submitted by Larry Cash, of Estrella Mountain Pest Control
Puzzle Time
This samurai sudoku puzzle is a great way to engage the brain and help develop logic skills. To solve this Samurai puzzle use standard sudoku rules for every 9x9 grid: each digit from 1 to 9 can only appear once in every row, column and 3x3 box. Solutions are on our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com Difficulty: Easy
Kids Competition
Calling all artists! Take out your crayons, pencils and paints and make this the most beautiful duck you have ever seen. Have your parents post a picture of your art on our Facebook group, Litchfield Park Matters. One winner will be chosen at random for 2 free tickets to the Wildlife World Zoo and their art will be published in our magazine next month. Good Luck!
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