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War memorabilia collector finds treasure in Gilbert.
BY CECILIA CHAN
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livia Holcomb was 9 when her parents divorced and her life turned topsy-turvy. The Texas girl lived with her mom, who began bringing men home. Holcomb said growing up associating having a man around equated to happiness as she watched her mom swing from being happy to being upset, depending on if she had a man or not. “In the summer of 2018, my mom and I lived with her boyfriend at the time,” she said. “He was abusive and very mean to her.” Both adults drank and Holcomb said she was miserable when the boyfriend would start hurting her mom. “I refused to stay there,” she said. “I ran away.” At 16 and with no money, Holcomb started meeting signi�icantly older men through a dating app. She learned giving sexual favors
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away. Police went through Holcomb’s cellphone and discovered she was a victim of sex traf�icking. Holcomb, who now lives in Chandler, shared her story in a video Jan. 12, at the second annual Night of Hope event, hosted by 19 East Valley churches to bring awareness to sex traf�icking and encourage the public to get involved. The event, attended by Pastors Cheree’ and Dave Wright of Life Link Church in Chandler flanked former over 300 people at Dr. A.J. sex-trafficking victim Olivia Holcomb during an information rally in Downtown Chandler Park, also highChandler last Sunday. (Chris Mortenson/ GSN Staff Photographer) lighted National Human would earn her food, drugs and a place to Traf�icking wareness onth. sleep. “This is a problem that does not know borShe said she met about two dozen men ders,” said Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelwho paid her for sex until police arrested berg, who was at the event representing her after her mom reported her as a run-
Gilbert man faces BY CECILIA CHAN
Times getting even tougher for home buyers.
| GilbertSunNews.com
War on se traf�ic in in Gilbert is ne er en in GSN Managing Editor
No prosecution in Gilbert hot-car death.
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GSN Managing Editor
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umpkin Spice hopped about freely on a rug surrounded by children who eagerly reached out to pet her. In the classroom at Meyer Montessori School in Tempe, the year-old shorthaired bunny found a new home where students take turns cleaning the bedding, providing food and water twice a day and taking her for walks on her harness.
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It’s a far cry from the rusty cramped cage umpkin pice lived in with four to �ive other rabbits some four months ago. They were part of the 165 rabbits rescued in August from horri�ic conditions at a Gilbert home. “I am happy to report 155 of the bunnies were adopted through us or a partner of ours,” said Bretta Nelson, spokeswoman for the Arizona Humane Society. “One of those, Charity, Arizona Humane Society adopted as our education bunny and she attends our
new gym
camps and school programs. Sadly, 11 of the bunnies did not make it.” Jed Randall Judd, 71, of Gilbert faces 10 counts of animal cruelty, according to Gilbert Police. The Gilbert Sun News attempted to reach Judd for comment, leaving a business card with his grandson at the house. Police recommended the charges based on 10 of the rabbits were found to have the
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