Calendar of Events

2022-2023

C ALENDAR OF E VENTS

M ARCH

Florence Music Festival Ernest Talks at McFarland State Historic Park 3rd Friday Rail Three Ranch Rodeo

A PRIL

Road to Country Thunder Florence Farmers Market 3rd Friday

M AY

Taco & Margarita Festival

J ULY

Freedom Fest Casino Night

O CTOBER

Road to Country Thunder 3rd Friday Halloween Fright Fest

N OVEMBER

2nd Chance Prom 3rd Friday 90th Annual Junior Parada

D ECEMBER

Business & Community Excellence Awards Christmas on Main Street Hometown Holidays 3rd Friday Old West Days

Check Out FlorenceAZChamber.com for more information about these events.

Serving Florence & Pinal County for over 125 years.

CHECK OUT THE THURSDAY COUNTY EDITION OF THE CASA GRANDE DISPATCH FOR ALL OF THE LATEST FLORENCE HEADLINES.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2021 PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA Inside

Examiner Coolidge

HOW THE GRINCH BRINGS

CHRISTMAS Cooltown Grinch is ‘cheerleader’ for community. | Examiner, 3B

RETURNING TO JUNIOR

HIGH Former Hohokam Middle School to house seventh- and eighth-graders. | Examiner, 3B

Dispatch PinalCentral @PinalCentral PinalCentral Dispatch SERVING PINAL COUNTY FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY NO. 119 VOL. 110 PinalCentral.com ONE DOLLAR TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5-6, 2021

DECEMBER 16, 2021 PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA PinalCentral.com Inside @PinalCentral

Milk, cookies, books and … Cardinals?COATES ON THE AVOCADO NURSERY Seeds of nursery ownership were planted years ago. Big Red, ex-player visit Toltec Elementary for reading eventNEW BOOK GIVES INSIGHT INTO NOTORIETY | Valley Life, 6A

By FRANK BAJAK and BARBARA ORTUTAY Associated Press

The massive global outage that plunged Facebook, its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms and many people who rely heavily on these services — including Facebook’s own workforce — into chaos Monday is gradually dissipating.

Facebook said late Monday that it’s been working to restore access to its services and is “happy to report they are coming back online now.” The company apologized and thanked its users for bearing with it. But fixing it wasn’t as simple as flipping a proverbial switch. For some users, WhatsApp was working for a time, then not. For others, Instagram was working but not Facebook, and so on.

Facebook did not say what might have caused the outage, which began around 11:40 a.m. ET and was still not fixed more than six hours later.

“This is epic,” said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis for Kentik Inc, a network monitoring and intelligence company. The last major internet

GROWING COUNTY Pinal is experiencing a boom in jobs and homebuilding. |

Tri-Valley Dispatch

outage, which knocked many of the world’s top websites offline in June, lasted less than an hour. The stricken content-delivery company in that case, Fastly, blamed it on a software bug triggered by a

WHO’S NO. 1? We unveil our first Pinal County football power ranking of the season. | Sports, 1B

Facebook, 2 of its popular apps go dark worldwide

Instagram, WhatsApp also part of hourslong outage ONLINE PROTECTION Arizona officially launches and … Cardinals? Seeds of nursery ownership its new cyber command center. | State, 9A were planted — Outage, Page 9A years ago. | Valley Life, 6A Aldosary’s

competency to be tested once again

Pinal is experiencing a boom in jobs and homebuilding. |

Tri-Valley Dispatch

CHRISTMAS Cooltown Grinch is ‘cheerleader’ for community. | Examiner, 3B

RETURNING TO JUNIOR

HIGH Former Hohokam Middle School to house seventh- and eighth-graders. | Examiner, 3B

We unveil our first Pinal County football power ranking of the season. | Sports, 1B outage, which knocked many of the world’s top websites offline in June, lasted less than an hour. The stricken content-delivery company in that case, Fastly, blamed it on a software bug triggered by a

to be tested once again

Decision comes after outburst in courtroom outburst in courtroom

By SUZANNE ADAMS-OCKRASSAy SUZANNE ADAMS-OCKRASSA

Staff Writer

CONSEQUENCES Closure of prison facility might affect prison facility might affect sewer utility. | sewer utility. | Reminder,

12B

Closure of

Reminder, 12B

SCHOOL DISTRICT

Counseling and support coming soon for teachers and students. | Reminder,

13B

The Eloy Enterprise

ROBERTS RETIRES Santa Cruz’s superintendent resigns effective June 30. A search for her replacement is underway. | Enterprise,

7B

Arizona City

HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS

Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus — in Arizona City. |

Independent, 2B COOLIDGE DAM

There were 21,723 acre-feet of water behind Coolidge Dam as of Wednesday morning. Water in storage a year ago was 20,097 acre-feet.

RUINS VISITORS

Last week: 838 Year to date: 39,922

Index Arizona City .......................2B Coolidge ........................ 3-6B Eloy ....................................7B Florence ......................12-14B Public notices ............. 8-12B Tri-Valley Dispatch ......Inside

A CGVNI publication By DAVID CHURCH Staff Writer

ELOY — Students at Toltec Elementary School received a surprise guest Thursday morning as the kids were greeted by the Arizona Cardinals organization for their Milk and Cookies reading event.

The Cardinals have teamed up with Salt River Project and Safeway to create a program that encourages and promotes the importance of reading and literacy for grade school kids. The students were able to enjoy milk and cookies, interact with Cardinals mascot Big Red and hear stories read by former Cardinals player Michael Bankston.

Bankston played in the NFL for nine years, with his rookie year coming in 1992 with the Cardinals, and ending his career in 2000 with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bankston said that it was a pleasure to come out to the school and meet the kids, mentioning how he enjoys opportunities like this.

“I loved reading to the kids, and I love answering their questions, it lets them come out of their shell,” Bankston said. “It was a blessing, to see the smiles on the kids’ faces, the enjoyment and the excitement, it really is a blessing.”

After his time in the NFL, Bankston started working with juveniles and tried to help them build a foundation for their adult life. Bankston stressed to the kids the importance of going to college so that they can be successful in their adult lives.

“It is important for them to understand the importance of getting a high school diploma and going on to college,” Bankston said. “The significance for them to have a sustainable future and a solid foundation is critical.”

Interim Principal at Toltec Elementary Nicole Hall was delighted that the Cardinals organization came out to both entertain and educate the kids, saying that she is happy that the organization explained the importance of reading and literacy as much as she has as the principal.

“We feel so honored to have them here, our students don’t get a lot of opportunities like this, so when they reached out to us, we were thrilled,” Hall said. “It is such a great opportuni-

Oscar Perez/PinalCentral photos

Above left, Arizona Cardinals retired player Michael Bankston reads to students to promote literacy on Thursday at Toltec Elementary

School. Above right, Arizona Cardinals mascot Big Red visits students. Michael Bankston signs autographs for Toltec Elementary students.

ty for our students, for such a big organization to come out and to talk to our students about the rest of the world means so much to us.” Hall also gave Bankston praise for his presentation and giving the kids life lessons. “I am so grateful that (Bankston) incorporated that into his reading,” Hall said. “We promote that here at our school, so him talking about literacy and college, that means a lot to us. It is so important, it is important in education, and is important as students grow and learn.”

By MELISSA ST. AUDE Staff Writer

SUPERIOR — The Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior is featured in a new video by a popular wildlife educator with 19 million subscribers on YouTube.

Nathaniel “Coyote” Peterson’s latest Wild Field Trip video was uploaded Wednesday on the Brave Wilderness YouTube channel.

It features 6-year-old Tucson resident Cooper Labanow as a guest, exploring the arboretum along with Peterson as the sun sets and desert-dwelling creatures emerge.

“I’m brave and I’m wild,” the 6-yearold tells Peterson in the video before the two go in search of venomous and poisonous nocturnal creatures at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

“As the hot desert sun sets, Peterson and Cooper turn on their flashlights and explore the remarkable grounds of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, a desert oasis for all kinds of creepy crawlies. The two quickly make their way up the dan-

Wild life after dark

Popular YouTuber visits Boyce Thompson Arboretum for a desert-at-night video

Bravewilderness.com Coyote Peterson is a wildlife educator.

gerous ladder of species, from hairy tarantulas, glowing scorpions and on to the most dangerous of all, the rattlesnake,” a description about the video said. About three minutes into the 23-minute video, the pair spot their first critter, a desert blond tarantula, resting on a rock. Among the other critters spotted by the pair are a giant desert hairy scorpion, a Sonoran desert toad and a black-tailed

— Arboretum, Page 2B Vets group seeks Pinal partnership By MARK COWLING Staff Writer

FLORENCE — Be Connected, a statewide partnership designed to equip and connect veterans with their community, resources and employment, wishes to formalize its collaboration with Pinal County and programs that assist veterans, a spokeswoman told the Board of Supervisors Wednesday.

Ayla Linder told the board the group would return with a proposed agreement at a later date. Linder said Pinal is home to more than 35,000 veterans, and including their families, they represent approximately 20% of the county’s population.

An Air Force veteran and business owner, Linder said veterans often face barriers to employment. Retired veterans used to want a simple job where they could relax, but that is not true for most of them today, she said.

“The veterans of this era are very different than the ones 20 years ago. We see a lot more looking for a second career.” The problem is often translating their skills

— Be Connected, Page 2B Watch a video online at www.PinalCentral.com.

SIMPLE OR NOT KITCHEN

Cornbread-stuffed apples are an easy and interesting holiday meal side dish. |

Food, 7A

BE COOL A new private hookah club in Casa Grande has a list of rules, but according to the manager, there is only one true requirement. | Business, 8A

Today’s weather

A t-storm in spots

High Low 89 65

State, national forecast, 10B Index Business ............................8A Classified ................... TVD7-9 Comics ...............................7B Comment ...........................4A County & State ..................5A Crossword .........................7B Food ...................................7A Lottery numbers ...............3B Obituaries ..........................2A Sports .............................1-4B Valley Life ..........................6A By DIANNIE CHAVEZ Cronkite News

PinalCentral WASHINGTON — Duane Garvais-Lawrence pulled into Washington, D.C., Friday, ending his second annual coast-to-coast trip to @PinalCentral bring attention to the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women — a trip he hopes @PinalCentral he does not have to make again. “The blood on this RV … is on America’s conscience,” Garvais-Lawrence said of the red names of victims written on the side of the vehicle. “Enough is enough.” Garvais-Lawrence left Washington state on July 18 and has spent the months since driving from reservation to reservation as part of his MMIW Bike Run USA. At each stop along the The Dispatch uses way, he and others who joined him on the trek recycled paper and would bike, run and pray to raise awareness of soy-based ink. the issue — and at each stop, they would add names of victims to the side of the motor home in red ink. Included in those names were Dande S. Parks and Tashing Shepherd of Arizona. “There are probably few American Indians that haven’t been touched by MMIW,” said Patricia Hibbeler, chief executive officer for the Phoenix Indian Center and a member of the state’s Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“If it’s not somebody in our family, we know of someone — or relative of someone — that sadly has been murdered or missing,” she said.

Arizonans hopeful that focus on missing Indigenous persons puts end to violence

The committee Hibbeler served on was created by lawmakers in 2019 to “conduct a comprehensive study to determine how this state can reduce and end violence against indigenous women and girls.” It painted a grim picture of the situation. More than 80% of Native American women, or more than 1.5 million people, have experienced violence in their lifetimes and 56% suffered sexual violence, the report said. One in three had experienced violence in the past three years. Indigenous women were 1.2 times more likeDiannie Chavez/Cronkite News ly than non-Hispanic white women to experiDuane Garvais-Lawrence stands next to the ence violence in their lifetimes and 1.7 times motor home that carried him cross country more likely to have experienced it in the preon a trek to draw attention to the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women. vious year. But the first problem for advocates is that no one is exactly sure how large the problem is. “There are a lot of problems with the data,” said Hibbeler, adding that missing indigenous people are underrepresented and underreported by law enforcement and government agencies across the country.

FLORENCE — The mental capacity of a Coolidge man to stand trial for the 2012 death of a Casa Grande man is being questioned again. Abdullatif Aldosary, 56, is accused of killing Orlando Requena, 26, from Casa Grande in Maricopa on Nov. 27, 2012. He is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault and misconduct with weapons. He was also charged with the bombing of the Casa Grande Social Security office a few days after the death of Requena; those charges have been dismissed. Attorneys for Aldosary requested that Aldosary’s mental competency be re-evaluated in early September. As he was being led into the courtroom for a hearing on the matter, Aldosary yelled an obscenity at Pinal County Superior Court Judge Delia Neal and called her derogatory names several times before being immediately led out of the courtroom by Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies. By MELISSA ST. AUDE Neal agreed to allow two doctors to re-evalStaff Writer uate Aldosary’s mental competency over the next couple of weeks with the hope that they

CASA GRANDE — Life hasn’t always would have a report finished before the start of been easy for Casa Grande resident Lynda Aldosary’s trial on Nov. 30. Williams. Aldosary’s attorney stated that she wasn’t

And with her new book, “A Lost Child- able to tell the court if he wanted to attend his hood,” she talks about the abuse she suffered trial in-person or by video or if he wanted to as a child and growing up in a family known testify in his trial or if he was even aware that for criminal activity. his trial had been set for Nov. 30. She hasn’t

She hopes her story helps others over- been able to discuss the case with him because come trauma and hardship. he has been refusing to meet with her in-person

“Writing this book is something I’ve or over video while he has been in the county wanted to do for a long time. It’s something jail and he has refused all of his mail. I feel I had to do,” she said. Williams grew up in Casa Grande and has lived in the area much of her life. But she said that while many people knew she was the daughter of R.C. Tison and the sister of Gary Tison, most didn’t realize the extent of the abuse and trauma she experienced at home as a child. “I don’t talk much about my childhood,” she said. “Even people I’ve known all my life don’t know what my life was like.” Books have been written and movies made about Gary Tison’s crime spree. When the latest movie, “The Last Rampage,” was

Oscar Perez/PinalCentral Lynda Williams displays a copy of the cover of her book “A Lost Childhood” on a computer screen Monday at her home in Casa Grande. Tison sister writes about overcoming Aldosary family’s troubles

Brother known for 1978 crime spree

— New book, Page 9A — Aldosary, Page 9A

of Wednesday morning. Water in storage a year ago was 20,097 acre-feet.

RUINS VISITORS

Last week: 838 — Missing, Page 9A Year to date: 39,922

.......................2B Coolidge ........................ 3-6B ....................................7B

ture and a solid foundation is critical.” Interim Principal at Toltec Elementary Nicole Hall was delighted that the Cardinals organization came out to both entertain and educate the kids, saying that she is happy that the organization explained the importance of reading and literacy as much as she has as the principal. “We feel so honored to have them here, our students don’t get a lot of opportunities like this, so when they reached out to us, we were thrilled,” Hall said. “It is such a great opportuniNathaniel “Coyote” Peterson’s latest Wild Field Trip video was uploaded Wednesday on the Brave Wilderness YouTube channel. It features 6-year-old Tucson resident Cooper Labanow as a guest, exploring the arboretum along with Peterson as the sun sets and desert-dwelling creatures emerge. “I’m brave and I’m wild,” the 6-yearold tells Peterson in the video before the two go in search of venomous and poisonous nocturnal creatures at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. “As the hot desert sun sets, Peterson

Arboretum for a desert-at-night video rantulas, glowing scorpions and on to the most dangerous of all, the rattlesnake,” a www.PinalCentral.com. description about the video said. About three minutes into the 23-minute video, the pair spot their first critter, a desert blond tarantula, resting on a rock.

are an easy and interesting hookah club in Casa Grande according to the manager,

Business, 8A ............................8A Classified ................... TVD7-9 Comics ...............................7B Comment ...........................4A County & State ..................5A Crossword .........................7B Food ...................................7A Lottery numbers ...............3B Obituaries ..........................2A Sports .............................1-4B Valley Life ..........................6A y DIANNIE CHAVEZ

PinalCentral rence pulled into Washington, D.C., Friday, ending his second annual coast-to-coast trip to bring attention to the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women — a trip he hopes @PinalCentral he does not have to make again. “The blood on this RV … is on America’s conscience,” Garvais-Lawrence said of the red names of victims written on the side of the vehicle. “Enough is enough.” Garvais-Lawrence left Washington state on July 18 and has spent the months since driving from reservation to reservation as part of his MMIW Bike Run USA. At each stop along the The Dispatch uses way, he and others who joined him on the trek recycled paper and would bike, run and pray to raise awareness of soy-based ink. the issue — and at each stop, they would add names of victims to the side of the motor home in red ink. Included in those names were Dande S. Parks and Tashing Shepherd of Arizona. “There are probably few American Indians that haven’t been touched by MMIW,” said Patricia Hibbeler, chief executive officer for the Phoenix Indian Center and a member of the state’s Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“If it’s not somebody in our family, we know of someone — or relative of someone — that sadly has been murdered or missing,” she said.

The committee Hibbeler served on was created by lawmakers in 2019 to “conduct a comprehensive study to determine how this state can reduce and end violence against indigenous women and girls.” It painted a grim picture of the situation.

More than 80% of Native American women, or more than 1.5 million people, have experienced violence in their lifetimes and 56% suffered sexual violence, the report said. One in three had experienced violence in the past three years.

Indigenous women were 1.2 times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to experi-

motor home that carried him cross country on a trek to draw attention to the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

of a Casa Grande man is being questioned again. Abdullatif Aldosary, 56, is accused of killing Orlando Requena, 26, from Casa Grande in Maricopa on Nov. 27, 2012. He is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault and misconduct with weapons. He was also charged with the bombing of the Casa Grande Social Security office a few days after the death of Requena; those charges have been dismissed. Attorneys for Aldosary requested that Aldosary’s mental competency be re-evaluated in early September. As he was being led into the courtroom for a hearing on the matter, Aldosary yelled an obscenity at Pinal County Superior Court Judge Delia Neal and called her derogatory names several times before being immediately led out of the courtroom by Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies. y MELISSA ST. AUDE Neal agreed to allow two doctors to re-evaluate Aldosary’s mental competency over the next couple of weeks with the hope that they would have a report finished before the start of been easy for Casa Grande resident Lynda Aldosary’s trial on Nov. 30. Williams. Aldosary’s attorney stated that she wasn’t

And with her new book, “A Lost Child- able to tell the court if he wanted to attend his hood,” she talks about the abuse she suffered trial in-person or by video or if he wanted to as a child and growing up in a family known testify in his trial or if he was even aware that for criminal activity. his trial had been set for Nov. 30. She hasn’t

She hopes her story helps others over- been able to discuss the case with him because come trauma and hardship. he has been refusing to meet with her in-person

“Writing this book is something I’ve or over video while he has been in the county wanted to do for a long time. It’s something jail and he has refused all of his mail. I feel I had to do,” she said.

holiday meal side dish. |

Food, 7A School. Above right, Arizona Cardinals mascot Big Red visits students. computer screen Monday at her home in Casa Grande.

BE COOL A new private has a list of rules, but there is only one true requirement. | Williams grew up in Casa Grande and has Low lived in the area much of her life. But she said that while many people knew she was 65 the daughter of R.C. Tison and the sister of Gary Tison, most didn’t realize the extent of the abuse and trauma she experienced at home as a child. Michael Bankston signs autographs for Toltec Elementary students. “I don’t talk much about my childhood,” she said. “Even people I’ve known all my life don’t know what my life was like.” Books have been written and movies made about Gary Tison’s crime spree. When the latest movie, “The Last Rampage,” was

— Aldosary, Page 9A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS

Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus — in Arizona City. |

Independent, 2B

ROBERTS RETIRES

Cruz’s superintendent resigns effective June 30. A search for her replacement is underway. |

7B

and the excitement, it really is a blessing.”

After his time in the NFL, Bankston started working with juveniles and tried to help them build a foundation for their adult life. Bankston stressed to the kids the importance of going to college so that they can be successful in their

“It is important for them to understand the importance of getting a high school diploma and going on to college,” Bankston said. “The significance for them to have a sustainable funew video by a popular wildlife educator with 19 million subscribers on YouTube.

DAVID CHURCH

ry School received a surprise guest Thursday morning as the kids were greeted by the Arizona Cardinals organization for their Milk and Cookies reading event. The Cardinals have teamed up with Salt River Project and Safeway to create a program that encourages and promotes the importance of reading and literacy for grade school kids. The students were able to enjoy milk and cookies, interact with Cardinals mascot Big Red and hear stories read by former Cardinals player Bankston played in the NFL for nine years, with his rookie year coming in 1992 with the Cardinals, and ending his career in 2000 with Bankston said that it was a pleasure to come Santa out to the school and meet the kids, mentioning how he enjoys opportunities like this. “I loved reading to the kids, and I love answering their questions, it lets them come out of Enterprise, their shell,” Bankston said. “It was a blessing, to see the smiles on the kids’ faces, the enjoyment adult lives.

and students. |

13B

Michael Bankston. the Cincinnati Bengals.

Reminder, y

y MELISSA ST. AUDE 2022-2023 Florence Street Map florenceazchamber.org Greater CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ence violence in their lifetimes and 1.7 times more likely to have experienced it in the previous year. But the first problem for advocates is that no one is exactly sure how large the problem is. “There are a lot of problems with the data,” said Hibbeler, adding that missing indigenous people are underrepresented and underreported by law enforcement and government agencies Florence Community Services Activity Guide across the country. — Missing, Page 9AWinter 2021 - 2022

wintEr 2021 – 2022

Old ElEmEntary SchOOl nOw a ‘Buzzing’ cEntEr fOr Innovation

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Publishers of the 2022-2023 Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Visitors Guide & Business Directory and the 2022-2023 Florence Street Map Photo: Michael Joseph Baca/Casa de Baca Studios of the Historic Clarke House, home of the Florence Reminder & Blade-Tribune