Glendale’s Community Newspaper
Vol. 76 No. 2
INSIDE
This Week
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Police search for bus stop killer BY TOM SCANLON
Glendale Star Managing Editor
NEWS...............3 Glendale Police track 98 gunshots on New Year’s
NEWS...............4 Christmas tree fire burns Glendale home
SPORTS ........ 14 Ready for baseball? Spring training tickets go on sale
OPINION..................... 10 BUSINESS.................. 12 SPORTS ...................... 14 CALENDAR ................ 16 FEATURES.................. 18 RELIGION ................... 22 YOUTH........................ 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............. 26
January 9, 2020
The new year was not even six hours old when the first homicide of 2020 hit Glendale. According to police, a man shot and killed Jesse William Mitchell, 41, at 5:37 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1. Glendale Police responded to a shooting call near the bus stop at 59th Avenue and Bethany Home Road. “Officers located an adult male with gunshot wounds,” said Tiffany Ngalula, spokeswoman for the Glendale Police. “The fire department treated the victim on scene, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased.” She said witnesses saw the suspect leaving the location on foot westbound. She said the suspect is an African American male in his mid-30s, between 6 feet and 6-foot-3, approximately 300 pounds, with a short beard. He was wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and black beanie hat.
930-3000 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO. “We are not disclosing the number of witnesses at this time,” Ngalula said. Asked if there was a conversation between the suspect and the victim, Ngalula said, “I do not have any information indicating what occurred between the two prior to Left, police released a sketch of the man suspected of killing Jesse William the shooting.” Mitchell, right, on New Year’s Day. (Photo and sketch courtesy Glendale Police) According to court Police released a sketch of the suspect. records, Mitchell’s convictions include ag“Detectives have been working diligent- gravated DUI, car theft and selling stolen ly to identify the suspect involved,” said property. He was released from prison in Ngalula. She asked anyone with infor- 2018, after serving an eight-year sentence. mation regarding the incident or who can In June, Mitchell was sentenced to three identify the suspect in the sketch to contact years of probation and drug abuse treatthe Glendale Police Department at 623- ment.
Federal law raises smoking age to 21 BY OCTAVIO SERRANO Glendale Star Staff
The Food and Drug Administration stunned many in late December when it raised the age to buy tobacco and vaping products to 21. Retailers around the West Valley said they were not anticipating this; however, some understand the benefits the new law can bring. Fawaz Kanan, owner of Planet Zong Smoke Shop in Glendale, said the new regulation will negatively impact his business but might be good for the community.
The Glendale
“It’s good and it’s not good,” Kanan said. “It’s good to control the kids who want to smoke, but it’s not good for our business.” On Dec. 20, Congress passed a bill that raised the legal age to smoke or vape to 21. President Donald Trump signed the law the same day. A week later, the FDA issued a statement: “It is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product — including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes — to anyone under 21.” Kanan said many of his customers were
tar
under 21. Yet he said he is content with the new regulation if it benefits young adults. Planet Zong Smoke Shop has been turning away customers under 21 since the new law went into effect, Kanan said, even though it will impact profits. He said he may be forced to raise his prices to make up for the lost profit. “It’s going to affect my sales, for sure,” Kanan said of the new law. “But at the same time, it can affect the user of whoever wants to buy from me as well because I SEE SMOKE
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