June 13, 2018 • Vol. 16, No. 28
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
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ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Anthem | Black Canyon City | Carefree | Cave Creek | Desert Hills | New River| North Phoenix | Tramonto | Vistancia
Peoria City Council selects name for its third community park PEORIA – After soliciting public input, the city of Peoria announced on Tuesday the third community park, located in north Peoria, will be named “Paloma Community Park.” The park will be located east of Lake Pleasant Parkway, just south of the Loop 303. Construction is set to begin in the fall 2018 with a target completion date of spring 2020. “Parks serve as gathering spaces for families and friends, help to create a shared sense of identity, and build memories Pictured: The aerial view of Paloma Park that will be located in North Peoria. Construction will begin this fall.
Image courtesy of the City of Peoria
PALOMA PARK continued on page 6
Court rules against Carefree’s term limits TARA ALATORRE
CAREFREE – A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled last week that the Town of Carefree violated the state constitution by imposing term limits through a voter passed initiative in 2011. The lawsuit was brought to a judge in April by Carefree’s Vice Mayor John Crane after town officials informed him they would reject his nominating petitions that would qualify him to run in the upcoming primary election in August. Carefree cited the town’s term limit ordinance as the reason for rejecting his bid for re-
election, according to a town press release. “In April 2018, I was collecting signatures and the Town intended to enforce the ordinance,” Vice Mayor Crane stated in a letter to The Foothills Focus. “I was confident that I had standing to challenge the ordinance.” According to Crane, informal discussions with an attorney at the League of Cities and Towns reinforced his opinion that the term limits imposed by the Carefree were unenforceable CAREFREE TERM LIMITS continued on page 7
Maricopa County Parks Three bears killed for posing public safety threats in Arizona urbanized areas prohibits smoking, vaping as part of annual fire ban TARA ALATORRE STAFF
MARICOPA COUNTY – Due to extremely dry conditions and as part of its annual fire ban Maricopa County Parks has decided to prohibit smoking, which includes vaping in its parks; the smoking restrictions officially went into effect on June 8. The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department implemented its annual fire ban on May 1 this year and decided to take additional steps in protecting its parks by increasing the fire restrictions to include a smoking/vaping ban. “Since there are so many
EMILY RICHARDSON AND JENNIFER MAGANA CRONKITE NEWS
different types of vaping elements out there, it would be difficult to identify which ones are/are not acceptable, so we treat them like cigarettes,” stated an email from Dawna Taylor, a spokesperson for the parks. Smoking or vaping will be allowed in enclosed vehicles or at developed recreation sites such as parking lots, picnic ramadas or campsites, according to a press release from the parks department. “Individuals who smoke in the designated areas are also being SMOKING BAN
continued on page 10
PHOENIX – Hungry, thirsty black bears are making their way from the wilderness into the city, and it hasn’t gone well for the animals. In the past week, the Arizona Game & Fish Department has put down three bears that posed threats to public safety. State wildlife officials are patrolling Show Low, Yarnell, Pinetop and towns along the southern Arizona-Mexico border for bears, which seek human environments for quick meals and accessible water. Black bears are leaving the wilderness for urban areas, from Payson to the Arizona-Mexico border.
Photo by Arizona Game & Fish Department
MARICOPA COUNTY:
NORTERRA:
ARIZONA:
Try Greenwood Brewing’s
EPCOR water company
Herstory beer at Pita Jungle
receives awards for safety
Proposed county budget, public comment period open
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THREE BEARS KILLED continued on page 10
OTHER : • Bluhm Column
6
• Service Directory
15
• Classified Ads
18