THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON
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INSIDE
This Week
NEWS .............. 8 PebbleCreek Rotary does community service
SPORTS ........ 17 DEHS freshmen play in bowl game over break
9 DAYS ......... 19 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
LETTERS ........................11 BUSINESS..................... 14 SPORTS ..........................17 NEIGHBORHOOD......26 FEATURES .....................21 SCHOOLS .....................27 OBITUARIES .................29 CLASSIFIEDS................32 SOUTH
Buckeye Days brings back Wild West The Voice of the West Valley for 32 years
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January 24, 2018
Buckeye resident named agriculturist of the year By Joyce Lobeck Steven Bales Jr. has deep roots in Arizona agriculture, extending back to the late 1800s and his great-great grandfather. Today, he carries on the family’s farming legacy of more than a century in the Buckeye area, modestly attributing his success to those who came before him and believing firmly in giving back to the industry and a community that have been good to him and his family. For his contributions to the farming industry, his commitment to community service and his support of the FFA program, Bales has been selected the 2017 Agriculturist of the Year, an award given by the Arizona Agricultural Education/FFA Foundation each year. “Steven is an active leader in our community whom others look to for advice,” stated his nomination by Melissa Veo, Buckeye FFA adviser. “He spends tireless hours advocating for agriculture to our state and government leaders, protecting the rights of agriculturists, and protecting a business he sees so much value in, especially when it comes to water issues.” The nomination continued: “As you can see, Steven is an all-around agriculturist. One that every community hopes to have, and one that Buckeye FFA is proud to call its own. His longstanding ties to the community and Arizona agriculture make him an outstanding candidate for the Arizona FFA Agriculturist of the Year award.” The Agriculturalist of the Year award is
Local agriculturist Steven Bales is a member of Way of Grace Church in Buckeye, where he serves as an elder and children’s Sunday school teacher. (Photo courtesy Arizona Agricultural Education/FFA Foundation)
given annually to a member of the agriculture community who has a strong spirit of leadership and who has made significant
contributions to Arizona agriculture and the community. The award was first given
Agriculture...continued on page 3
Litchfield Park introduces new city manager By Juan Escobedo
The new city manager, a City Center update and the upcoming significance of commercial development were among the topics the Litchfield Park mayor addressed January 20 during his State of the City address. Mayor Tom Schoaf introduced the new city manager, William Stephens, who
accepted the offer in early January. The city manager of Benson, Stephens is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel. He grew up in the Tolleson and Maryvale areas. Stephens earned a bachelor’s degree from ASU and a master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
“We had a very stringent list of requirements for what would be the minimum requirements for applicants, in terms of education and experience,” Schoaf said. The six-month process yielded 55
Manager...continued on page 10