West Valley View 02-08-2023

Pizzillo delivers State of the City to Goodyear

BY JOE MCHUGH West Valley View Staff Writer

On Feb. 2, Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo addressed the city of Goodyear in the annual State of the City address.

Headlined by videos of Pizzillo riding his motorcycle across town, he wasted no time getting down to business about the well-being of the city.

“I am happy to report, as the ninth-fastest growing city in the nation, the city of Goodyear experienced a year of tremendous growth in 2022, and 2023 promises to be another year in which our city thrives,” Pizzillo said. “We celebrated some incredible milestones last year, and we are looking forward to continuing that momentum in the coming year.”

The growth period Goodyear has seen has come on the backs of some major projects.

Some of the biggest of the year was the construction of the new city hall and the Civic Square Park. Having opened in August, the Civic Square Park has served as a mainstay of Goodyear, helping bring the community together at a location in the heart of the community.

Pizzillo said the city is also planning to upgrade the amenities and activities that it has to offer to accommodate for the massive influx in people coming to be a part of it. One of these projects is the construction of the new city center, which will bring new businesses that will offer dining, shopping and entertainment to the forefront of the city.

“We are building a complete city, which means that we are focused on bringing the services and amenities that our residents need and want right here in Goodyear,” Pizzillo said. “Having a complete city also means that our residents won’t have to travel to other parts of the Valley to have their needs met.”

Pizzillo was also very proud of other areas that the city found success in. The primary point of pride was the fiscal responsibility and the affordability of Goodyear, in that sales tax collections and property tax in the city present an affordable area to live with

plenty of things to do in it.

“Our finances are stable and growing,

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Buckeye woman found dead in Los Angeles

BY JOE MCHUGH West Valley View Staff Writer

Former Buckeye resident Destiny Sims was one of three women killed in an armed robbery in Beverly Crest, California, on Jan. 29.

The LA Police Department responded to a disturbance call and also found Iyana Hutton from Chicago and Nenah Davis, another Illinois resident, dead in a vehicle.

“Around 2:30 (Saturday) morning, West LA

officers received multiple 911 calls of a shooting with people down at a residence here in the 2700 block of Ellison Drive,” LAPD public information officer Bruce Borihanh said in a press conference at the residence. “When the officers arrived, they found five victims suffering from gunshot wounds.”

Four other victims were transported to local hospitals, two of whom are in critical condition and the other two who were treated and released from medical care.

“The evidence at the scene, there are casings from guns, so we can confirm that this was a gun battle where victims were shot,” Borihanh said.

Formerly of Chicago, Sims had three children. She was in a short-term rental home in the LA area for an album release party for one of her friends. Police had visited the area several times prior, but noth-

Buckeye...continued on page 4

Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo delivered his State of the City speech to the community on Feb. 2. (City of Goodyear/Submitted)

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and we are optimistic about future city revenues,” Pizzillo said. “And because we are a growing city, we are prepared with the infrastructure needed to continue growing. One of the things I’m really proud of is that we have sound financial policies that help us weather through a lot of issues from 2008, the Great Recession, to today.”

Pizzillo also spoke on the issues of water conservation and new development of the city, as these areas were all seeing a large number of complaints that the community wants to be fixed.

“All three of these issues are growing in cities across this Valley and are facing the council,” he said. “And I am committed to reaching the best solutions to address each one.”

Starting with water, there has been a tier two stage declared on the Colorado River. The mayor assured that this would have no direct impact on Goodyear.

“Currently we only deliver about 50% of our water allocation to the residents,” Pizzillo said. “As half is stored in the ground, which amounts to seven years of storage. We have a 100-year assured water supply for any approved development. This means that any new development, whether residential, commercial or industrial, is guaranteed to have access to water.”

Moving into the new development of the city, Goodyear is only 12% built out in its totality, making room for plenty of development to come down the line.

Pizzillo assured that the city would be taking some strides forward on this in the coming year. With the rising prices of the housing market, he said the city has come up with a way to tackle one of their biggest issues — affordable housing.

“We need to offer a variety of housing options for those who are moving here to work and for those who are al-

ready here and need more choices,” he said. “Young professionals, our dedicated military personnel, and seniors looking to downsize all need affordable and low-maintenance options.”

From there, Pizzillo entered into a question-and-answer format mediated by Goodyear Digital Communications Director Tammy Vo, who asked pressing questions to Pizzillo about the well-being of the city and how the future pans out for Goodyear.

One of Pizzillo’s biggest goals, though, is to keep the small-town feel in a city that is expanding so rapidly.

“I think engaging our communities and asking them for some feedback (is important),” he said. “ We survey our residents every two years. … We look to see what services are doing good, what services need improvement, what you are happy with, what you aren’t happy with and we tweak the budget and the services we do based on that.

“And I think that is part of it,” he continued. “It’s trying to keep in tune, getting engagement with your community allows you to keep that small-town feel.”

Looking to the future, Pizzillo was asked what he hopes the coming years

would look like in Goodyear.

“I’m hoping when I close my eyes and we see our new city hall at Bullard, and we see the road coming in, it goes all the way to Bullard,” he said.

“Everything north of that is going to be mixed use, retail, restaurants and commercial. South of that is going to be the same thing.

“Walkable downtown is what I am looking for.”

The question-and-answer portion was concluded and the address ended with the awarding of the Citizen of the Year award and the Corporate Citizen of the Year award, which were awarded to Tim Kelly and Larry Olguin of the CodeBreakers organization and Sheetal Patel, Nicole Fisher and Barb Spitzock of the Helping One Woman organization, respectively.

The city of Goodyear is on the uptick, according to the mayor’s address, but his final message to the city showed his pride toward the community.

“It is not the day to day. It is seeing our citizens coming together to help each other,” Pizzillo said. “That is what I am most proud of, and we’ve got the best out here.”

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ing serious.

According to reports, she enjoyed drawing; doing hair; and spending time with her 1-, 5- and 6-year-old children. LAPD is still investigating, as there are no suspects. Reports show, though, that the incident was premeditated, not random.

NEWS BRIEFS

BY JORDAN ROGERS West Valley View Managing Editor

Avondale Boulevard and Lower Buckeye Road closed

Construction crews working for the city of Avondale are improving the intersection of Avondale Boulevard and Lower Buckeye Road by installing a new traffic signal and making roadway improvements.

The project construction began in December 2022 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of October.

The Beverly Crest area of Beverly Hills has been steadily growing in the short-term rental business, which has caused an uptick of temporary residents.

Destiny Sims’ mother, Donna Howard, did not respond to emails for comment. She started a GoFundMe for funds to transport her daughter’s body to Chicago for a proper funeral and burial.

The GoFundMe is bit.ly/3Y1qliV.

The ongoing work includes relocating and undergrounding SRP facilities. This phase of the work commenced in early December 2022.

Due to weather conditions, the SRP relocation has been impacted. In order to maintain the schedule, the project will require the southbound and northbound lanes to be temporarily closed on weekends on Avondale Boulevard between Lower Buckeye Road and Miami Avenue.

This closure will occur on Friday at 10 p.m. through Sunday at 10 p.m. for the following dates:

• Friday, Feb. 10, to Sunday, Feb. 12.

• Friday, Feb. 17 to Sunday, Feb. 19.

One southbound and northbound lane will be opened for normal traffic after 10 p.m. on Sunday until the following Friday at 10 p.m. It is advised to use the alternate routes on 107th Avenue and El Mirage Road.

The city of Avondale asks drivers to remember to slow down and use caution around construction workers and equipment. Motorists are advised to expect delays and to proceed with caution.

For questions or more information, call Project Hotline at 602-235-2896.

Avondale launches Avondale Connect Engagement Platform

The city of Avondale recently rolled out a new online citizen engagement platform, Avondale Connect, as part of its ongoing efforts to build a connected community through citizen engagement and transparent communication.

Accessible via the homepage on the city’s website, Avondale Connect serves as a community engagement space that allows residents to get information, stay updated, provide feedback and share ideas on current projects, programs and initiatives taking place in Avondale.

Avondale Connect launches with four featured projects — the Avondale Aquatic Center, the People’s Choice Leading EDGE Awards, and two developer-initiated planning projects. Future projects will include programs from other departments, including Neighborhood and Family Services and Public Works.

To get started, visit avondaleconnect. org.

Avondale EDGE awarded IEDC accreditation

Avondale EDGE — the Economic Development Office for the city of Avondale — has been recognized as one of 73 economic development organizations accredited by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as an Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO).

The AEDO program is a comprehensive peer-review process that measures economic development organizations against commonly held standards in the profession. The program consists of two phases — a documentation review and an onsite visit.

Each phase is designed to evaluate information about the structure, organization, funding, programs and staff

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Destiny Sims, a former resident of Buckeye, was one of three women who was shot and killed in Beverly Crest, California on Jan. 29. (Submitted)

State Farm Stadium undergoes final preparations

BY BENNETT SILVIN Cronkite News

From fresh green grass to brandnew turf, playing surfaces have been at the forefront of NFL headlines this season, and with all eyes on the biggest game of the year, State Farm Stadium workers have the task of making the field pleasing to viewers while also keeping the players safe.

The NFL’s issue with playing surfaces was highlighted last year during the 2022 Super Bowl when LA Rams star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. went to catch a pass late in the second quarter on SoFi Stadium’s artificial turf and collapsed in a heap of pain as soon as he turned upfield. It was later revealed that the noncontact injury was a torn ACL.

Fellow NFL players flooded Twitter after the incident, voicing their opinions on turf fields along with the message, “I support #FLIPTHETURF.”

Players noticing this difference have validity based on the NFL injury data collected from 2012 to 2018. This data

showed that contact injury rates for lower extremities were higher during practices and games played on artificial turf.

The major difference comes in noncontact lower-extremity injuries with a 28% higher rate of these injuries occur-

Flowers For Valentine's Day

ring on artificial turf. Of those noncontact injuries, there is a 32% increase in the rate of noncontact knee injuries and a 69% increase for noncontact foot/ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.

All this resurfaced during the 2022 NFL season due to multiple noncontact injuries at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants and New York Jets. The stadium’s artificial turf is slit turf, a surface the NFL admitted contributed to an increase in lower-extremity injuries.

The recent outcry is something to watch during the 2023 Super Bowl as the big game moves back to natural grass.

On Super Bowl Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will break in the brand-new field made from grass that was grown locally just outside Phoenix.

“The field started its growth pattern over a year ago for the Super Bowl,” said Ed Mangan, NFL field director. “The field is maintained seven days a week up until this point. We brought out our laser graders and laser level to make everything perfectly smooth.”

The field is rolled into State Farm Stadium in sections that are 3 1/2 feet wide and 40 feet long, weighing in at approximately 1,500 pounds.

“We roll every piece out like a carpet,” Mangan said. “Then make sure everything is smooth and put all the edges together.”

In total it took four days to lay the grass down and a week and a half to

sod the field.

Now the field is in the hands of the grounds crew, a mix of local staff and members brought in from around the country. In total there are around 35 people who work seven days a week to have the game and practice fields in the best condition possible.

One of those members brought in is Nick Pappas, who also worked on the fields in the NFL’s Germany and England games. One advantage of having the field in State Farm Stadium is the rollers that can move the grass outside.

“Being able to move the field in and out gives us the opportunity to do more inside the stadium,” Pappas said. “When the field is outside it gets sunlight and the weather that is needed to be in the best condition possible. At night we can bring the field in as temperature drops or if we want to avoid certain weather patterns, we can bring the field in. It is a huge opportunity for us to provide the best service we can.”

Eleven days before the 2023 Super Bowl and the paint for the essential grid of the field is ready to go.

“We are at 85% at this point with painting the field,” Pappas said. “As the grass grows, the paint dulls out so a lot of the work this week is measuring everything to make sure we get the layout right the first time. We lay down the final coat as game day approaches to make sure the lines, numbers and hashes are clear for the officials with the logos bright for everyone to see.”

Another major attraction for the Super Bowl is the halftime show featuring Rihanna as the performer this year.

“We work hand in hand with that team (halftime show team) to ensure that everything works together and we minimize the impact on the grass itself,” said Eric Finkelstein, NFL senior director of events planning.

Having a new field for the Super Bowl also comes with player health and safety concerns no matter the type of grass.

“We constantly test the field over the next couple of weeks to ensure that it performs at the level we anticipate and expect,” Finkelstein said. “We do everything we can to minimize the

On Super Bowl Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will meet on a playing field made of locally grown, natural grass at State Farm Stadium. (Susan Wong/Cronkite News)

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of the candidate economic development organization.

Earning the AEDO accreditation tells the community and prospects that Avondale EDGE has attained a measure of excellence assuring that their trust is well placed and their business is in good hands. Maintenance of the AEDO status is required every three years and is accomplished through documentation submission and/or onsite visits by a team of the AEDO subcommittee.

For more information on IEDC or the AEDO program, visit IEDC’s website atiedconline.org. Follow Avondale EDGE at @AvondaleEDGE, visit the website AvondaleEDGE.com or call 623-333-1400.

One dead after traffic collision

On Feb. 2, the Avondale Police Department responded to a traffic collision near N. 111th Avenue and W. Van Buren Street just prior to noon.

Two passenger vehicles and one bicyclist were involved in the collision.

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amount of foot traffic and movement on the field because we are sensitive towards making sure that the field is as pristine and performs at the highest possible level.”

While the field must be attractive to fans at State Farm Stadium and for the millions watching the big game on TV, the health of Eagles and Chiefs players come kickoff is the main priority.

“There is nothing like that moment

The bicyclist was pronounced deceased on scene. The drivers of the two passenger vehicles were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Man dead after OIS with Goodyear police

A shooting suspect is dead after being shot and killed by Goodyear officers on Jan. 30.

Just after 1:30 a.m. Jan. 30, Goodyear police responded to a shots-fired call near Estrella Parkway and Van Buren Street. Upon arrival they found an adult male victim with gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

The suspect, who was later identified as 29-year-old James Dopson, fled the scene on foot with a gun. The name of the victim was not released.

Goodyear officers made contact with Dopson walking toward an occupied vehicle at 152nd Drive and Van Buren Street at approximately 1:46 a.m. He did not comply with commands to stop and drop the gun and, at that time, one officer fired their duty weapon.

when the ball is kicked off,” Finkelstein said. “All the work that has gone into that point finally comes together. It is the biggest moment in the lives of these two teams and their fans.

“We want to make sure everything is perfect and ready for that moment, but when you (have) the flash bulbs going off there is no moment like it in sports.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

City of Hope to rebrand CTCA locations

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, recently announced that its subsidiary, Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), will fully transition its clinical locations to City of Hope’s brand. Located in Goodyear, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Phoenix, will be known as City of Hope Phoenix

moving forward.

In addition to the replacement of CTCA branding at clinical facilities, all marketing, advertising, communications and engagement activities supporting these locations will reflect City of Hope’s name.

The move comes as City of Hope approaches the one-year anniversary of its acquisition of CTCA and further solidifies its transformation into

a national cancer research and treatment system with locations across the country. Other integration milestones include CTCA locations now functioning as nonprofit organizations, the ongoing implementation of City of Hope clinical and quality policies across all locations, and joint quality reviews and tumor boards where national experts provide education and insight on complex cases to provide the best care across all locations.

City of Hope has also brought its world-renowned expertise in bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants and CAR T cell therapy to CTCA Phoenix and CTCA Chicago. With the integration of CTCA’s well-established and geographically broad clinical network, City of Hope accelerates its ability to increase community-based access to the most advanced treatments, including its hematology/bone marrow transplantation programs, clinical trials and advanced precision medicine and cellular therapies.

“This past year, we have made tremendous progress to connect more patients, families and communities to our leading-edge research, treatment and care,” said Robert Stone, City of Hope CEO and the Helen and Morgan Chu chief executive officer distinguished chair.

“Through our acquisition of CTCA, City of Hope is now able to share its expertise to benefit a greater number of patients in even more communities, including our bone marrow transplant and immune effector cell therapy programs. By transitioning these locations to the City of Hope brand and bringing together 11,000 team members around one shared mission, we underscore our commitment to delivering a consistent patient experience as ‘one City of Hope’ across our national clinical network.”

To further bolster the value of its national system for patients with cancer, City of Hope has reorganized its leadership structure to help accelerate and more broadly export the organization’s innovative cancer treatment and care.

As part of this process, it was recently announced that Kevin Manemann will join City of Hope as the executive vice president and chief integra-

tion officer for the clinical enterprise. In this newly created role, Manemann will lead clinical enterprise integration initiatives across City of Hope, with a focus on patient access, strategic program development and system integration at the regional and national levels.

Manemann joins City of Hope after 20 years with Providence St. Joseph Health, where he most recently served as the chief executive of the southern division and was responsible for 17 hospitals, a physician organization, surgery centers, immediate care centers, community care agencies, and a health plan with 700,000 lives covered.

Manemann is part of several recent leadership hires reflecting City of Hope’s evolution into a national system, including the hiring of Jo Ann Escasa-Haigh as City of Hope’s chief business officer. As part of her role, Escasa-Haigh will have direct oversight of City of Hope’s financial strategy, mergers and acquisitions, finance operations and managed care.

In September 2022, Philip Okala joined City of Hope as system president with oversight responsibilities for the organization’s portfolio of clinical care and research entities. These new system roles are responsible for setting and aligning the organization’s strategic direction with its mission and vision, ensuring consistency and coordination across all City of Hope entities, and enabling the best patient, research and administrative outcomes.

In recent years, City of Hope has grown substantially with the expansion of its clinical network in Southern California, the addition of genomics leader Translational Genomics Research Institute, the launch of its employer cancer care benefits offering AccessHope, the acquisition of CTCA and the opening of a new cancer center in Orange County.

City of Hope’s system of provider and research entities now serves approximately 134,000 patients each year, with more than 11,000 team members, 600 physicians and more than 1,000 scientists and researchers across a network of locations in California, Arizona, Illinois and Georgia.

Make Valentine’s Day happier with healthy hearts

BY TAMMY QUERREY Abrazo Health Director of Clinical Cardiovascular Care

Between golf and football, there’s a lot going on around the Valley in February.

As a health care professional, Valentine’s Day is near and dear to my heart. Let’s consider what we can do to be with our sweethearts for many Valentine’s Days to come.

February is a good time to remind ourselves that while heart disease is still the leading cause of death in American men and women, it can be managed and, in some cases, prevented altogether.

The traditional risk factors for heart disease — such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity — affect women and men equally. It’s an equal-opportunity condition, which is why annual health checkups and

OUR READERS’

screenings are so important.

The most common forms of heart disease are coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart valve disease and heart failure.

Coronary artery disease is a buildup of plaque in the arteries that can decrease blood supply to the heart that may lead to a heart attack. The most common symptoms of a heart attack are chest pain/pressure or pain that occurs in the shoulders, arms, back, jaw, or it may also present like indigestion. The pain may get worse with activity and decrease at rest.

Arrhythmias, also known as atrial fibrillation (Afib) or irregular heartbeat, are abnormal heart rhythms that occur when the electrical impulses in the heart are not working correctly. Common symptoms may include fluttering in the chest, sweating, fatigue and dizziness.

Heart valve disease is when one of the valves is not working correctly.

V IEWPOINTS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Opinions under attack

Editor:

It has become quite apparent that all opinions are not created equal. For most of my life, people were allowed to have and express their opinions on any number of subjects. Sometimes those opinions were not popular, but individuals had the right to them nonetheless. When there were differences of opinion, there would often be discussion and debate between the opposing sides. But in many cases today, the opinion holders on one side have no respect or tolerance for the people with the opposing opinion. The discussions and debates have been replaced by ridicule and cancel tactics. In a recent example, a young

police officer in Georgia was forced to resign after refusing to retract an opinion he posted on Facebook. He stated his opinion that “there’s no such thing as gay marriage,” based on his Christian beliefs. In this case, one side of the issue has the right to express and fully support their opinion, while the other is canceled for disagreeing. For thousands of years, marriage was defined as the official union of a man and a woman. But this term has been redefined by some to include same-sex unions. My objection is not the concept of a same-sex union, but the notion that one is not allowed to take exception to the redefinition of the term. There are other current examples in the news. The definitions of “man” and “woman” are now under attack,

Symptoms can include shortness of breath with activity, fatigue, swelling in the legs/feet, dizziness or chest pain, and a heart murmur is typically heard. Treatment options for valvular disease include minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or open-heart surgery.

Heart failure is when the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. People may experience shortness of breath with activity, swelling in the legs, rapid weight gain, and increased fatigue, these are often dismissed as being age related or out of shape. This can often be treated with medication or cardiac devices.

Healthy lifestyle choices can make a world of difference for healthy hearts. Stay active and try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week. Follow a healthy diet with more fruits and vegetables and less fast or processed foods, maintain a healthy weight, try to manage your stress, quit

with some denying the binary nature of gender. Anyone expressing the opinion that someone is either a man or a woman by birth receives similar ridicule. Even though criticizing most religions is not tolerated, Christians are generally fair game for any type of criticism. And while there is no denying that the climate changes over time, denying that these changes are man-made also results in loud and angry criticism. These are all topics worthy of debate, and they are not likely to be resolved in the near term, but we are definitely headed in the wrong direction when the freedom to express an opposing opinion is denied. Unfortunately, many who have the opposing opinion usually stay quiet rather than risk being ridiculed, fired, or canceled in some other manner. If we continue to sit quietly when we see actions or policies we don’t agree with, we run the risk of the problem becoming even

smoking, and get your regular health screening and physicals.

The good news is that there are many treatment options for heart disease that not only allow patients to live longer, but also improve their quality of life.

Don’t hesitate to call 911 if you’re experiencing symptoms described above. Regular checkups with your doctor can help identify your risks and, if needed, treatment for heart disease. Being proactive about your health can help you enjoy time with your valentine year after year.

Abrazo Arrowhead Campus is hosting a free cardiovascular screening event on Wednesday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the hospital lobby. We hope to see you there!

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Tammy Querrey, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC, is director of clinical cardiovascular care for Abrazo Health. For more information about Abrazo Health hospitals, take a free heart health risk assessment or to find a doctor, visit abrazohealth.com.

worse. When you have an opinion, don’t be afraid to share it. You may not have that option much longer.

Craig Bennett Litchfield Park

State universities must halt their new ‘pledge’

BY J.D. HAYWORTH West Valley View Columnist

You could say it before you could spell it. And even now — years later — you can recite the words with ease.

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of

the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Yes, the Pledge has been amended… most notably in the 1950’s, when the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, led a public campaign to add the words “under God.” On June 14, 1954 —

Flag Day — President Eisenhower signed a bill into law adding that phrase to the Pledge.

Might someone mount a similar effort today?

If so, who… and what changes would they want to make?

It’s not a wild leap of imagination to conclude that the “woke” among us might offer the following alterations:

“I choose to express my conditional support for this flag, which represents the People, who can freely change what it stands for, through their collective will, based on their genuine feelings. While haters promote division, we the enlightened embrace a future of diversity, equity and inclusion for all.”

Don’t laugh.

It’s already happening.

What amounts to a “pledge” to uphold DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — is in statewide circulation.

No, it’s not occurring in elementary schools.

Granted, it is not performed as a public recitation.

Instead, Arizona’s taxpayer supported universities are getting it in writing… and while it does not focus on the flag, a leading public policy organization has quite properly “flagged” it.

The Goldwater Institute released a report last month that most assuredly will not be the last word on the longterm leftist goal of redefining indoctrination as education.

The January study is entitled “The New Loyalty Oaths: How Arizona’s Public Universities Compel Job Applicants to Endorse Progressive Politics.”

The Goldwater scholars and researchers took to Twitter to reveal the report’s disturbing conclusion:

“Arizona’s public universities FORCE job applicants to provide MANDATORY ‘diversity statements.’

It’s a full-frontal attack on free expression and equal opportunity for ALL…”

If you’re scoring at home — or, more importantly, if your hard-earned money is being used to pay tuition at one of our three state-supported universities — it’s only fair to ask: “Just how wide-

spread is this mandated ‘profession of faith’ in DEI?”

ASU (USA spelled backward) leads the way, making such statements mandatory in 81% of its job postings; NAU requires the same in 73% of its job applications; and the U of A lags far behind at a surprisingly low 28%.

Unsurprisingly, the Goldwater Institute advises that all of this nonsense should stop. “The Arizona Board of Regents and/or state lawmakers must prohibit this practice.”

Such a prohibition would “restore the ideological neutrality of taxpayer-funded universities and restore compliance with the state constitution’s ban on political tests.”

The not-so-funny thing is that the way in which DEI is utilized in “woke” constructs. It clearly fails the contextual requirements needed for passing the most elemental of freshman vocabulary tests. “Diversity” is not “uniformity,” “equity” is not “equality,” and “inclusion” does not promote “exclusion.”

Then again, “War is Peace… Freedom is Slavery… Ignorance is Strength,” reads the official motto of the fictional nation of Oceania in George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece “1984.”

The administrative “educrats” in charge of our three public universities are so collectively comatose that they are choosing to restrict the rights guaranteed in our Constitution. And, in so doing, they are helping establish a real-life American dystopia.

It seems the least they could do is rearrange the order of the acronym to which they pledge their allegiance.

Sure, “diversity, equity and inclusion” are not arranged alphabetically… but it would more accurately reflect the fate these so-called intellectual elites would insure for our Republic.

It would D-I-E.

That’s easy to spell.

J.D. Hayworth represented Arizona in the U.S. House from 1995-2007. He authored and sponsored the Enforcement First Act, legislation that would have mandated enforcement of Federal Immigration Law in the 109th Congress.

Around the Bluhmin’ Town

Let them eat cake

BY JUDY BLUHM West Valley View Columnist

How do you celebrate your birthday? My girlfriend, Carol, has a big birthday coming up. She is thinking about going skydiving to celebrate. She wondered if I might like to join her. I told her there wasn’t enough alcohol in the world to get me to jump out of a moving plane. That’s when she said three mean, heartless, sad little words, “You are boring.” Oh, come on.

If aging isn’t bad enough, so is the pressure to do something “exciting” to celebrate the passing of time. We are encouraged to make bucket lists with lots of places we should go and things we should do. You know, like going to Pamplona, Spain, to run with the bulls (terrifying). Zipline through the jun-

gle in Costa Rica (nope). Swim with the dolphins (Possibly). Well, I am not having any of it! I don’t have a bucket list!

Carol also suggested that I go to France with her and a few other friends, so we can take cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu. She said it would be a “delicious” way to enhance our cooking skills plus have fun. When I mentioned this to my husband, Doug, he just looked at me and laughed, “But you have a Julia Child cookbook.” So true. You see, it is not “normal” (in my world) to go flying off to Paris to learn how to make coq au vin. Although I would like to wear a white apron and chef’s hat for a day.

I may not take a French cooking class, but I do know how to make a birthday cake. In Western cultures, particularly in the Unites States, we eat lots of cake. The American Institute of Baking estimates Americans eat about

100 million cakes per year! This started out as a German tradition centuries ago and carried over from early Roman times when birthdays were celebrated with a gathering (for men only). Then candles were added by the ancient Greeks to make the cakes glow like the moon in honor of the goddess Artemis.

Today, birthday parties, balloons, cards, and singing “Happy birthday to you” are as American as apple pie. And aside from greeting cards and gifts, we also like to give (kids) birthday spankings. Well, in Brazil they pull earlobes (ouch), in Ireland they like to give bumps (kicks) and in Venezuela they like to push the lucky person’s face into their own birthday cake (yum).

My granddaughter just turned 7, and after doing cartwheels at her party, she announced that her birthday “is the happiest day of my life.” My mother said the same thing when she turned 90. How we celebrate is less important

than the fact that we are joyful to have a birthday.

I made my friend, Carol, a birthday cake and gave her a small decorative bucket with a notepad and pen so she could make her “list” in style.

For your next birthday, dear readers, eat the cake and blow out the candles. Avoid spankings. Try doing a cartwheel (let me know how that works out). Celebrate the “happiest day of your life!” No parachute required.

Bluhm is a writer and local Realtor. Have a story or a comment? Email Judy at judy@ judybluhm.com.

Judy

Conspiracy theories hide a simple truth

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ West Valley View Columnist

Minutes after the conclusion of the AFC Championship Game, won 23-20 by the Kansas City Chiefs — courtesy of a number of controversial plays culminating in a game-deciding late-hit penalty against the Cincinnati Bengals — the phrase #NFLrigged began trending on Twitter.

Because, gee, why wouldn’t it?

The theory, in a nutshell: The powers that be in the National Football League wanted the Kansas City Chiefs to advance to the Super Bowl, thus the referees failed to call several penalties against the Chiefs late in the game meanwhile flagging Bengals defender Joseph Ossai for a late hit that advanced the Chiefs into field goal range with three seconds left.

Chiefs kicker Harrsion Butker converted the 45-yard kick. Let the accusations

of a massive conspiracy commence.

Normally, I would ignore such silliness, except conspiracies, cover-ups and illogical reasoning have never been more rampant.

Back in the day, you used to hear the occasional doozy — the CIA assassinated President Kennedy; Roswell is the site of an alien landing; Sept. 11 never happened.

Now everything is fixed, fake, or staged by a powerful cabal intent on screwing the rest of us.

There’s the 2020 election, which according to President Donald Trump was “rigged.” Or, as he put it, absent any evidence: “It’s about poll watchers who were not allowed to watch. So illegal. It’s about ballots that poured in and nobody but a few knew where they came from. … It’s about machinery that was defective, machinery that was stopped.”

Not to be outdone, losing Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake has continued to assert that she, too, was the victim of outright theft — again, absent a scintilla of evidence that her loss was due to votes not counted or fraudulently counted.

As Lake told her supporters at yet another fraud-fest rally last week: “Our experts actually testified, with 99.999% accuracy and certainty, that a minimum of 140,000 fraudulent mail-in ballots with bad signatures were counted in our election. It’s outrageous. Bogus signatures.”

There’s a word for that claim. It rhymes with, uh, “bull twit.”

Already, Lake’s case has been tossed out of court for lack of evidence, but so long as she can continue to raise money claiming fraud — $2.5 million and counting since Election Day, according to campaign finance reports — she will continue to spew falsehoods.

Lest you believe I think only the political right is capable of bad logic and fantasy, let me assure you that’s not the case. I’m equally tired of the political left and its ability to take one incident or a string of incidents and use it to damn an entire swath of humanity.

An example? The recent awful beating death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five Memphis police officers has been used to advance the notion that

all police officers are thugs, racists and violent predators.

Currently, there are 670,000 sworn men and women in law enforcement in this country. Nichols’ death, while absolutely tragic, says little to nothing about any cop who wasn’t present that night, in exactly the same way that a crime committed by one member of a race or religion says nothing exact about every other member of that group.

As a devoted subscriber to Occam’s Razor, my predisposition is to believe in the simplest explanation possible.

The refs, fallible humans, blew calls in Kansas City. Trump and Lake lost in elections marked by a few anomalies, not widespread fraud. And five cops in Memphis who deserve to be prosecuted for homicide do not mean an entire profession is evil.

Call me overly simplistic if you’d like. But in 2023, the same old saying remains viable: What you see is still exactly what you get.

David Leibowitz has called the Valley home since 1995. Contact david@leibowitzsolo.com

Diamondback Healthcare offers compassionate care

BY ALISON STANTON West Valley View Contributing Writer

Diamondback Healthcare Center opened its doors in May 2022 with one key mission in mind — to provide not only high-acuity care but also distinctively high-quality care to patients in a private, peaceful and upscale environment.

As Catherine Goss, director of marketing and business development, explained, Diamondback is a “super SNF (skilled nursing facility)” that has two separate sections: a 70-bed post-acute rehabilitation and a memory care pavilion scheduled to open in February.

“In the rehabilitation areas, we offer a number of services for patients following a hospital stay,” Goss said, adding that they generally work with elderly patients whose typical recovery stay is around two weeks, although often younger patients are seen who have suffered injuries.

“For example, patients who need rehabilitation and observation after an injury, surgery or orthopedic fracture can get the 24/7 skilled nursing care they need at Diamondback Healthcare. We have a broad range of therapies and our physical, occupational, speech and recreational therapies are already exceeding average Medicare outcomes by more than 40%.

“We can also serve patients who

have ventilators and tracheostomies in our respiratory wing, which is a unique distinction to our location compared to many other skilled nursing facilities. Additionally, in March we will open our ‘dialysis den’ in partnership with DaVita, a nationally known provider of kidney services. Patients in need of dialysis and rehab will have only to go down the hall for their treatments, as opposed to a potentially exhausting trip to another location.”

Chief Executive Officer Rod Bailey, LNHA, MSW, PhD, RHP, is leading the operations and development of services at the center. With more than 30

years in senior living and health care services, Bailey said he is passionate about the comprehensive nature of the services available and the way in which they are delivered.

“My view of the scope is a continuum which encompasses the medications, the treatments and the food, all of which lead to positive outcomes,” Bailey said.

“The fourth quadrant, however, is environment. And that’s more than just a beautiful building. It’s the ‘us’ in the equation and how we make patients and residents feel welcome, important, safe and cared for in an extraordinary way. I sincerely believe that’s very palpable medicine and as important as any of the other three.”

The 10,000-squarefoot memory care “Pavilion” will provide moderate to advanced, around-the-clock memory care for 24 to 26 residents, Goss said.

It will also offer longterm nursing in private, generously sized studio and one-bedroom apart-

ments, complete with a large outdoor, shaded recreational areas, a Snoezelen multisensory therapy room, a dementia-friend library, family gathering room and a full-service salon.

“We also offer respite care in both sections of the center, and we are located right off the 101 across from Banner Estrella Medical Center, so we are easy to find and have excellent access to many other medical services, if needed,” Goss said.

Diamondback Healthcare is currently working on solidifying several insurance contracts, Goss said. Currently, they take Medicare, Aetna Medicare Advantage, Aetna HMO, United Healthcare Medicare Advantage, United Healthcare HMO, America’s Choice, Banner University, Gold Kidney Health Plan, Imperial Health, LifePrint, Prime Health Services, Human and Molina.

Even though Diamondback has been open for less than a year, Goss said the response from patients and their families has been very positive.

“We are proud to provide this high-level care in a setting that shows we are about comfort and value each individual patient and resident,” Goss said.

Diamondback Healthcare Center is located at 3000 N. 91st Avenue, Phoenix. For more information, call 623-3032882 or visit diamondbackhealth.com.

Diamondback Healthcare aims for a private, peaceful and upscale environment. (Diamondback Healthcare Center/Submitted)

Business Briefcase

BY JORDAN ROGERS West Valley View Managing Editor

The West Valley is constantly growing, and restaurants and businesses are choosing to flock here to continue to open their doors to the thousands of people that call it home. This week, the Business Briefcase is breaking down two restaurants expanding its presences in the Valley and a storage company adding a wellknown label to its arsenal.

Tacos Chilango

Location: 19425 W. Indian School Road, Buckeye

Tacos Chilango, an authentic Mexico City-style taqueria in Avondale, has opened a second location on the southeast corner of Indian School and Jackrabbit Trail in Buckeye. It sits next to Ebb & Flow Coffee in Verrado.

According to Tacos Chilango’s website, the restaurant is family-owned and strives to serve the authentic and emotive food of Mexico City while delivering outstanding quality and hospitality.

“We believe in the pleasure of street food, and in the power that it has to connect and transport every guest that comes through our doors to our beloved hometown,” the website said.

“We bring you Mexico City specialties such as campechano, suadero and al pastor, as well as classics like carnitas and carne asada grilled over mesquite wood and stuffed into warm artisanal corn or flour tortillas. We look forward

to serving you!”

The menu features tacos, “machetes,” quesadillas, burros, tortas, churros, aguas frescas, margaritas and bottled beer.

For more information, visit tacoschilango.com.

New Penny Café

Location: 735 N. 114th Avenue, Avondale

New Penny Cafe, a cross between a coffee shop and a gastropub, has softopened near the southeast corner of I-10 and Avondale Boulevard in Avondale. It’s a joint venture by the owners of Saddle Mountain Brewing and Enroute Coffee & Tea House.

According to New Penny Café’s website, online ordering will become available Tuesday, Aug. 1. The restaurant’s menu features biscuits and gravy, sandwiches, bagels, salads, numerous breakfast classics and Boylan soda products.

For more information, visit toasttab. com/new-penny-cafe-735-n-114thave/v3.

Storage King Litchfield

Location: 6030 N. Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park Storage King Litchfield recently signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Litchfield Park community.

Storage King will offer essential services like U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, moving supplies, and in-store pickup for boxes.

U-Haul has teamed with independent dealers to offer rental equipment to do-it-yourself movers since 1945. During these challenging times for small businesses, more than 21,000 dealers across the United States and Canada are generating supplemental income through their U-Haul affiliation. When custom-

ers rent from a U-Haul dealer, they are directly supporting an independent small business in their community.

Because no financial investment is required to be a dealer, these local affiliates are not U-Haul franchises. They are simply small businesses that have committed a portion of their lot space for U-Haul equipment, and a portion of their time to help meet the mobility needs of their neighbors.

Learn more about the dealer program and how to join by visiting uhaul. com/dealer.

Storage King Litchfield’s hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday. The location is closed Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information, visit storagekingusa.com.

The tacos are authentic at Tacos Chilango. (Tacos Chilango/Submitted)

Storage King Litchfield will now offer essential U-Haul services. (Storage King/Submitted)

Super Bowl LVII teams are set, and so are betting lines, ticket prices

BY SPENCER GUSTAFSON Cronkite News

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles officially have a date with destiny.

Each team punched its ticket to Super Bowl LVII on Sunday when the Eagles drubbed a wounded San Francisco 49ers team 31-7, and Kansas City won in the final seconds against the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, thanks to a late unnecessary roughness penalty that put the Chiefs in game-winning field goal position.

After 26 weeks of training camp, preseason, regular season and playoff games, the stage has finally been set for the fourth Arizona Super Bowl in NFL history, with State Farm Stadium in Glendale hosting the first matchup of No. 1 seeds from each conference since 2017.

The high-profile matchup is setting up exorbitant ticket prices. The average cost for the lowest-priced single ticket

Jan. 30 afternoon among Ticketmaster, SeatGeek and StubHub was $5,152.

Gamblers are also paying close attention to this game. Most sportsbooks consider the Eagles a slight favorite, suggesting the likelihood of a close contest — and lots of betting.

“You’ve got two rabid fan bases in (Kansas City) and (Philadelphia). In the case of Kansas City, their home market, Missouri, does not have legal sports betting, so this is the next best thing,” said Christopher Boan of BetArizona.com.

This is also a Super Bowl of firsts.

Several things that have never happened in the history of the Super Bowl will transpire on Sunday, Feb. 12, in Glendale.

First, in the first 56 editions of the Super Bowl, no two brothers have ever been on opposite sides of the field as players. In 2013, John and Jim Harbaugh coached against one another in Super Bowl XLVII between John’s

Ravens and Jim’s 49ers, with the older brother’s Baltimore securing the championship. More recently in 2019, Jason and Devin McCourty lined up in the same defensive backfield for the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams.

Travis Kelce, star tight end of the Chiefs, and Jason Kelce, All-Pro center of the Eagles, will break the Super Bowl brother barrier for the first time. They have combined to play in 320 career games winning two Super Bowl rings and receiving 14 Pro Bowl selections and winning All-Pro honors nine times with 27 playoff starts.

Now, they’re guaranteed to add another ring to the Kelce family collection. The only question is which brother’s name will be engraved on it after the confetti comes down.

Super Bowl LVII also marks the first time the title game will feature two Black starting quarterbacks, fitting perhaps during Black History Month.

Several Black quarterbacks have won Super Bowls in the past, including Washington’s Doug Williams, Seattle’s Russell Wilson and, most recently, Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes. In some classic Super Bowl games, Black quarterbacks including Tennessee’s Steve McNair, Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb and San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick came up just short of a championship.

It’s no secret that Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Chiefs’ Mahomes have put up Most Valuable Player-caliber seasons, with both leading their respective teams to the No. 1 seed in their conferences and, now, the Super Bowl.

In an age when the quarterback position requires a different level of athletic ability than ever before, there may not be a more perfect matchup in terms of dynamic playmaking and clutch performances.

Look for some firsts beyond the

State Farm Stadium is getting dressed up for Super Bowl LVII, which will feature a meeting between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. The popular matchup is expected to send ticket prices soaring. (Dylan Nichols/Cronkite News)

playing field.

State Farm Stadium’s crowd for Super Bowl LVII will be the first to experience an on-site sportsbook for the game. The BetMGM Sportsbook opened directly across North 95th Avenue in September and was the first sports betting facility to open at an NFL stadium.

With two passionate groups of fans coming from different parts of the country for the biggest sporting event of the year, look for as much action at the betting windows as there is on the stadium’s roll-away turf.

Last February alone, Arizona residents placed just under $500 million in wagers on sporting events, the Arizona Department of Gaming reported.

“It’s very likely that we’ll see higher levels of wagering this February as the industry continues to grow,” said Max Hartgraves, public information officer for the ADG.

Even with the sportsbook on-site, “retail wagering is less than 5% of the entire market. The vast majority of wagers are placed in the online format,” Hartgraves said.

“No one has done it before, so we’ll

learn a lot after Sunday afternoon,” Boan said.

Fans will be able to place their wagers on the Eagles (-2) or the Chiefs (+130) to win, or they can spice it up by betting on Travis Kelce (+650) or Miles Sanders (+800) to score the first touchdown of the game.

Of course, it’s also a safe bet that those odds will change before kickoff.

After injury reports are released throughout the next two weeks, which Boan described as “an eternity in sports betting,” or any stories come out about players or coaches participating in the game, the numbers can move quickly.

“As the news line moves, so does the betting line,” Boan said. “The spread isn’t necessarily where the (sportsbooks) think the game is going to end up, it’s where they think they’re going to get the most people to bet so they have the best shot at making money.”

If a fan is lucky enough to cash in a $6,000 bet at the game, they might be able to make back the money spent for their single Super Bowl ticket. Even at $5,100 for the cheapest tickets, prices are lower than the average low in

Los Angeles of $5,823. However, club seats and other better seating options could be selling for more than $40,000.

Needless to say, fans are putting a lot of money on the line regardless of the outcome.

However, it isn’t just fans investing a lot of time, money and effort in the big game. Nicki Ewell, senior director of events for the Super Bowl, said that planning an event of this size can take years to coordinate.

From the Super Bowl Experience presented by Lowe’s, which is an interactive football theme park for fans to enjoy throughout the week with games, player appearances and more to getting together with the FBI and Homeland Security to ensure everyone’s safety at many events, it’s the staff’s job to get it all done in time for the biggest Sunday of the year.

“It takes hundreds and hundreds of people, a huge village of people, to come together — from the vendors to production partners to local labor — everybody here,” Ewell said. “It’s working, putting the trust structures together.”

They’re tasked with converting

“people into being NFL fans,” Ewell said, while embracing all 32 teams from around the league. The celebration invites the next generation of fans to participate, letting kids 12 and under into the festivities free of charge all week long.

Gregory Trent Jr., a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan, intends on being there with his family.

Trent Jr. was watching the Chiefs-Bengals game at Pub Rock, a favorite bar of local Chiefs followers in Scottsdale, where he grabbed a reporter’s microphone and yelled, “Third generation Chiefs fan! My parents are from Kansas City! My grandma is from Kansas City! And my daughter will be a Chiefs fan as well for generations!”

Not every fan is as passionate as Trent Jr., though. The casual fans are the ones that the NFL, Ewel and his staff are trying to reach.

“We really want to showcase this event as the crown jewel of our calendar and really give something back to the fans,” Ewell said.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

e West Valley View publishes on Wednesday. e weekly calendar — a listing of entertainment events such as concerts, theatrical performances, events for schools, churches, county parks and nonpro t groups — runs every issue.

Events must be open to the public to be considered and generally must be held within the View’s coverage area, which is south of Northern Avenue, west of Loop 101, plus all of Tolleson, extending to Estrella in the south and Tonopah in the west. Events such as concerts and theatrical performances that fall outside the View’s circulation area will be considered because there are no concert halls or theater venues within our boundaries.

Weekly calendar items print on a space-available basis. e only way to guarantee that an item will print is to purchase an advertisement.

Submissions must reach our o ce by 4 p.m. Wednesday to be considered for the following Wednesday publication. Submissions must be in writing and may be emailed to Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, christina@TimesLocalMedia.com

Buckeye Valley Museum Open

WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS

The Buckeye Valley Museum is a place with a passion for local history, holding an impressive collection of pre-Columbian pottery, artifacts from Buckeye’s earliest days, and a number of historical photographs detailing how the Buckeye Valley came to be what it is today. Visit the open on Wednesdays and Fridays for thrilling looks into the past.

Buckeye Valley Museum, 116 E. MC 85, Buckeye, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 623-349-6315, buckeyeaz.gov/residents/buckeye-valley-museum

Ecstatic Dance

SUNDAYS

Dance like nobody’s watching with an uninstructed freestyle dance session. There are no steps to follow and no guidebooks to use. People of all age groups and skill levels are encouraged to simply do what they feel and enjoy a judgment-free environment of love and inclusivity.

Turtle Park, 675 N. Villa Nueva Drive, Litchfield Park, 2 p.m., $20, soulshealinghumanity.com/ events

German Prisoners of War in Arizona during World War II Presentation

FEB. 8

Yoga Nidra and Sound Bath

SATURDAYS

Treat yourself with a nourishing yoga nidra and sound bath session. Lie on your yoga mat, do nothing, and restore your mind and body. A sound bath is a nurturing listening experience that uses sound to invite gentle and natural restorative processes in the body.

206 N. Florence Avenue, Litchfield Park, 2 p.m., $20, soulshealinghumanity.com/ events

Learn more about the German prisoners of war held captive in Arizona from WWII authority Steve Hoza. Figure out more about the many individuals he has interviewed, and see a number of historical artifacts that bring this period of Arizona history to life.

The Church at Litchfield Park, 300 N. Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park, 6 p.m., free, churchatlitchfieldpark.org

Goodyear Business Networking

FEB. 8

Oftentimes in business it’s not what you

know, it’s who you know. Regardless of intentions for the future, networking is a valuable part of being an entrepreneur or a business owner. Come to the Palm Valley Golf Club to forge alliances, connect with referral partners, and experience an important global support system.

Palm Valley Golf Club, 2211 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear, 9 to 10 a.m., free, palmvalleygolf.com

their musical talent to help end the night on a high note.

The Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park, 6 to 9 p.m., free admission, wigwamarizona.com

resort with special meals prepared just for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy specials such as a four-course meal with foie gras, champagne sorbet, shrimp puttanesca, coq au vin and cedar filet.

The Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park, all day, free admission, wigwamarizona. com

Buckeye Air Fair

FEB. 17 TO FEB. 19

Party With a Purpose

FEB. 14

Genealogy Workshop

FEB. 11

Dive into the study of family trees and ancestry and figure out details about the past. Get an overview on what tools are needed to study genealogy, as well as what techniques are used to figure out family trees. Share tips and experiences with other people interested in family history, and figure out how to use Ancestry Library Edition.

Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, Avondale, 3 to 4 p.m., free, avondalelibrary.org

The Fabulous Keen Brothers at Wigwam Bar

FEB. 11

The Fabulous Keen Brothers perform on the Wigwam patio, gracing patrons with

Helping Others Together is a charity organization which seeks to improve life all through the West Valley. Come to the ballroom and enjoy a grand charity party out on the town to learn more about the Sugar Plum Fairies program, which seeks to give to those in need during the holiday seasons.

Tuscany Ballroom, 16222 Clubhouse Drive, Goodyear, 5 to 10 p.m., free admission, hotcommunityfoundation.org

Over 30,000 spectators have kept their eyes on the skies for the Buckeye Air Fair in years past, and this one promises to be the biggest yet. Check out a grand airshow, military vintage aircraft, AZ SciTech exhibitions, and a grand fly-in from AOPA. Buckeye Airport, 3000 S. Palo Verde Road, Buckeye, 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, free general admission, jthompson@buckeyeaz.gov, buckeyeaz.gov

Visit

Valentine’s Day at The Wigwam

FEB. 14

Enjoy a romantic stay at The Wigwam

West Valley View Dining

Jimmy Eat World promises a ‘super’ party

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI West Valley View Executive Editor

Hometown heroes Jimmy Eat World are determined to bring the party to Super Bowl LVII Experience presented by Lowe’s at Hance Park.

Known for their song “The Middle,” Jimmy Eat World will kick off the festivities with a free show on Thursday, February 9.

“It should be pretty wild,” drummer Zach Lind said. “I think, for us, being it’s a hometown gig and a fun outdoor celebration, we’re probably just going to bring the hits and make it a party.”

Singer Jim Adkins adds the people watching is key to Super Bowl LVII Experience presented by Lowe’s.

“I’m interested to see what kind of people show up,” he said. “I imagine it’ll be a lot of local people who know who we are. I’m also expecting out-oftown fans who are there for the Super Bowl, not necessarily to come see us play.

“We get the added bonus of having a core group of people who will respond to what we’re doing and hopefully they influence the people who don’t know, and they trick them into thinking they’re having much more of a good time than they are.”

Jimmy Eat World plays Arizona sparingly, even though they hail from the East Valley. However, they last hit local stages on Oct. 28 and are back already.

“It’s interesting because we spent such a long time not doing many shows in Phoenix,” Lind said. “We’ve had a show in October and this one. We’re making up for lost time.”

This year, Jimmy Eat World has big plans. They’re knocking out the last of the 2020 rescheduled dates, including those supporting My Chemical Romance in Australia.

“That was the first thing we were going to do before quarantine happened around the world,” Adkins said.

“We’re getting some closure there. And, later on in the year, we’re going to be celebrating our 30 years as a band, which is pretty wild. We’re going to have a big giant bowling party, and everyone is invited.”

Looking back on those three decades, Atkins fondly thinks of Jimmy Eat World’s early years.

“I see the very beginnings of our band, where we are now and where we’re going,” he said. “I still remember rehearsing in Zach’s parents’ garage, playing around town in clubs and quasi-legal art spaces. Those moments sort of jump out at me. We’ve done a lot of awesome stuff. We were on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ at festivals in other countries.”

On the flipside, Lind said Jimmy Eat World’s formative years are a blur.

“A lot of it is a haze now,” he added with a laugh. “But I do remember playing local shows around town, hitting these benchmarks we were never expected to do. We opened for bands we really loved.

“What sticks out to me is, last year, in the summer, we played a show in London and there was something interesting about it and its vibe.”

He’s referring to a gig at Brixton Academy, where “fans were singing so loud.”

“I could barely hear the band,” he said. “I felt a sense of patting ourselves on our backs. To be this far down the line in our career and having a show that sticks out in our memory is amazing. A lot of them blend together. Entire tours vacate the memory.”

So, let’s get down to brass tacks. Who did Lind hope would make it to the Super Bowl? The Cincinnati Bengals.

“I have a soft spot for Joe Burrow,” he said. “I hope that they make it back to the Super Bowl. The reality of it is there are so many good teams left. I think whoever it is will be a great matchup.”

If You Go...

WHAT: Super Bowl LVII Experience presented by Lowe’s at Hance Park.

WHEN: Various times Thursday, Feb. 9, to Sunday, Feb. 12

WHERE: Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 W. Culver Street, Phoenix

COST: Free

INFO: superbowl.com

Jimmy Eat World usually plays here sparingly but returned in October and is now back again. (Jim Giannatti/Submitted)

Don’t let the big game give you a coronary

BY KEITH JONES West Valley View Contributing Writer

What a coincidence it is that the big game at State Farm Stadium comes smack dab in the middle of American Heart Month.

Doctors from Abrazo Health note that stress from watching a close, exciting game could be harmful to those with and without known heart conditions.

Sporting events, especially when your team is losing, can have a definite impact on heart health, according to studies cited by the National Institutes of Health. Your body reacts to stress with increased heart rate and narrowing blood vessels which, over time, can add up to damaging the heart.

Research shows that chronic stress can make many of us more likely to get heart disease and have a heart attack.

We might be preoccupied with the game and all the events leading up to it, but there’s no better time to take control of our cardiac health than Heart Month. The American Heart Association says that cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined.

Many of us don’t even consider themselves at risk for heart disease. But the fact is nearly half of all Americans (47%) have at least one of three key risk factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or smoking.

“Heart disease can lead to severe disability that can negatively impact quality of life for its victims and their loved ones,” said Dr. Gopi Cherukuri, an interventional cardiologist at Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital.

According to the American Heart Association, a majority of Americans believe that heart attacks are preventable but aren’t motivated to change unhealthy lifestyles associated with heart disease.

Research has shown that men are more likely to suffer heart attacks than women, but women are more likely to die from heart attacks than men. To complicate matters, women may ex-

FESTIVAL OF FINE ART FESTIVAL OF FINE ART

perience different symptoms of heart attack than their male counterparts.

“One of the issues is that women perceive pain differently. Women may not complain of chest pain as often as men,” Cherukuri said. “And while men most commonly experience chest pain when having a heart attack, women can experience a wide array of symptoms that often overshadow the classic sudden chest pain experienced by men.”

Heart attack symptoms regardless of gender can include, but are not limited to, tingling or discomfort in one or both arms, back, shoulder, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, cold sweat, unusual tiredness, heartburn-like feeling, nausea or vomiting, sudden dizziness and fainting.

So, enjoy the game, but if you or someone you know is experiencing any of those symptoms, call 911.

“Don’t get so stressed out or excited over the game you end up in the ER,” Cherukuri said. “But if you do have a health emergency, don’t delay your care. Delaying care puts you at greater risk for complications or secondary health issues.”

For more information about Abrazo Health hospitals, take a free heart health risk assessment or to find a doctor, visit abrazohealth.com.

Featuring 125 accomplished fine artists and craftsmen from around the nation, the three-day event guarantees its patrons an unparalleled cultural experience. Amenities include daily music, performance art, and trendy food, wine and beer concessions. The resort also offers upscale restaurants and patio dining.

Free Admission and Parking.

Valet parking is available.

Held on the majestic grounds of the Wigwam Resort, a short drive from the Phoenix Metro area. The festival is a life-size picture postcard framed by towering palms, lush green lawns, and flowering gardens—creating a stunning outdoor gallery. www.vermillionpromotions.com

Dr. Gopi Cherukuri is an interventional cardiologist at Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital. (Abrazo Health/Submitted)

300 E. WIGWAM BLVD • LITCHFIELD PARK, AZ

“August Rain” by Kim Seyesnem Obrzut 15.5”H x 5.5”W x 5”D

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at these places

BY KAILYNN QUENGA AND CHRISTIAN COPUS-SALLAS West Valley View Staff Writers

For the couples who are trying to decide how to spend their Valentine’s Day, we have you covered. From bear making and Valentine’s Day-specific menus to pottery and a 5K run, the West Valley is chock-full of options for a fun date night.

As You Wish – Pottery

Enjoy your Valentine’s Day making a gift that will last a lifetime and have fun painting pottery with your partner.

Westgate Entertainment District

9410 W. Hanna Drive, Suite A-109, Glendale

All day Tuesday, Feb. 14 623-772-5403, asyouwishpottery.com

Build-a-Bear

Shop for special Valentine’s Day-exclusive bears, clothes and accessories like the Red Roses Bear. Another exclusive includes the Valentine’s Day

heart box filled with various themes and items to send to your lover. Applies to all stores.

buildabear.com

Prices range from $44 to $85

Carrabbas

Spend your night with a four-course dinner for both you and your special someone at Carrabbas have your pick from an appetizer to share a soup and entrée each along with your choice of dessert to split.

9920 W. McDowell Road, Avondale 623-936-0597, carrabbas.com

Thursday, Feb. 9, through Sunday, Feb. 19

Four course meal for two: $68

Galentine’s Day 2023 Desserts

Book a reservation at The Pink Door Tea House with a special Valentine’s Day menu. Event recommends reservations. The Pink Door Tea House 7153 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11

480-223-0872, thepinkdoorteahouse.com

Invent for Two – Valentine’s Weekend (BYOB)

Commemorate Valentine’s Day with an evening of candle making with your partner. Containing the creation of your 8 oz. candle, chocolates and a polaroid picture. Additionally, this event includes BYOB hours where participants have the freedom to bring their own alcohol and enjoy the night to the fullest.

Candle Chemistry

9780 W. Northern Avenue, Suite 1160, Peoria

Friday, Feb. 10, through Tuesday, Feb. 14

Times vary based on reservations Regular event: $55 per couple

BYOB: $60 per couple

Kate Spade

Kate Spade is bringing back its Valentine’s Day collections this season featuring gifts for those you hold dear. Additionally, gain up to 15% off on

certain items in store.

Tanger Westgate 6800 N. 95th Avenue, Glendale 623-872-0046, katespade.com

Celebrate...continued on page 28

PDP plan with a Medicare contract and is an approved Part D Sponsor. Our D-SNP plans have a contract with the state Medicaid program. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. Washington residents: Health Net Life Insurance Company is contracted with Medicare for PPO plans. “Wellcare by Health Net” is issued by Health Net Life Insurance Company. Washington residents: “Wellcare” is issued by Wellcare of Washington, Inc. Washington residents: “Wellcare” is issued by Wellcare Health Insurance Company of Washington, Inc. Wellcare by Allwell (HMO and HMO SNP) includes products that are underwritten by Superior HealthPlan, Inc. and Superior HealthPlan Community Solutions, Inc. Wellcare (HMO and HMO SNP) includes products that are underwritten by Wellcare of Texas, Inc., Wellcare National Health Insurance Company, and SelectCare of Texas, Inc. Cosmetic procedures are not covered under this benefit. ©Wellcare 2022 NA3WCMADV90544E_LINE

Final XX CMS Approved 09132022

PAGE 30

GO FIGURE!

by Linda Thistle

The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

SUDOKU TIME

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Crossword

EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK H H H H Moderate HH Challenging HHH HOO

Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.

SCRAMBLERS

Unscramble the letters within each rectangle to form four ordinary words. Then rearrange the boxed letters to form the mystery word, which will complete the gag!

Celebrate...continued from page 26

Love 2 Run Trail

Spend your Valentine’s Day running a 10K/5K trail with your partner or as a single runner.

Coldwater Trail at Estrella Mountain Regional Park

6864 Casey Abbot Drive North, Goodyear

7:30 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 12 runsignup.com

10K-ish Trail Run: $50

5K-ish Trail Run: $40

The Melting Pot

For Valentine’s Day spend your night eating decadent fondue with the one you love with their Valentine’s Day special including a variety of options to dine on including their specialty fondues.

The Citadelle – The Melting Pot 19420 N. 59th Avenue Suite B113, Glendale

Saturday, Feb. 11, through Tuesday, Feb. 14

623-444-4946, themeltingpot.com

Five course meal and complimentary chocolate covered strawberries: $120

Valentine’s Day w/Ron Morey

Head to the Westgate Entertainment District to enjoy your Valentine’s Day filled with laughter at Stir Crazy Comedy Club with Ron Morey, who is ranked among the top five comics in the country.

Stir Crazy Comedy Club

6751 N. Sunset Boulevard Suite E-206, Glendale

7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14 623-565-8667, westgateaz.com $20 per ticket

Valentine’s Day Skate

A skating event dedicated to entertaining families on Valentine’s Day, aiming to cater to everyone’s needs. This friendly event also includes a special meet and greet with various characters while you skate the night away.

Great Skate 10054 N. 43rd Avenue, Glendale 623-842-1181, unitedskates.com

6-8:30 p.m., on Tuesday, Feb. 14 $15.00 for skate rentals, a slice of cheese pizza, small drink and five-credit game card

Ob uaries

Elizabeth “Betty” Lorena Reed (Warren)

E l i z a b e t h “ B e t t y ”

L o r e n a R e e d ( W a r -

r e n ) w a s b o r n o n

February 16, 1936 in

A r t e s i a N e w M e x -

i c o S h e g r a d u a t e d

f r o m R a y , A r i z o n a

H i g h S c h o o l i n

1 9 5 4 , t h e o n l y p e rson in her family to graduate She would tell you that Ray no longer exists.

S h e m a r r i e d W i l l i a m I n g r a m i n 1 9 5 4 , and together they had four children. She then met the love of her life in 1992, and Mr. James Reed stayed by her side until th e en d . Jim an d Betty tr aveled to man y p l a c e s i n t h e i r r e t i r e d y e a r s , o n l y r ec e n t l y s l o w i n g d o w n d u e t o B e t t y ’ s i l lness Betty died o f D ementia r elated org a n / b o d y f a i l u r e S h e p a s s e d a w a y o n

J a n u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 3 S h e i s s u r v i v e d b y f o u r c h i l d r e n w h o d e a r l y l o v e d h e r , L i n d a C a t h e r i n e B a rton (Tex), Calvin Lee Ingram, “her only s o n ” , ( J u d y ) , J a n e t L u c i l l e I n g r a m , a n d

R h o n d a L i n n P o w e r s . S h e w a s a l s o f o rt u n a t e t o h a v e 2 2 g r a n d c h i l d r e n , w i t h two passing before her, as well as severa l g r e a t - g r a n d c h i l d r e n , a n d e v e n g r e a tgr e a t g r a n d c h i l d r e n S h e w a s t h e l a s t surviving member of her family of eight c h i l d r e n H e r F a t h e r , T h u r m a n , w a s a M i n e r , a n d h e r m o t h e r , L o i s , w a s a h o m e m a k e r T h e y l i v e d a v e r y s i m p l e l i f e , a n d L o i s j o i n e d t h e L D S c h u r c h , and Betty remained a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

F u n e r a l s e r v i c e s w e r e h e l d a t

T h o m p s o n F u n e r a l C h a p e l .

To read the full obituary, please visit www.thompsonfuneralchapel.com /obituary/elizabeth-reed

Salvatore A. Peluso

Sal, as everyone called him, and his twin brother, Louis were born on December 19th, 1945, in Suffern, New York to Connie and Joseph Peluso. Sal passed away on Monday January 30th, 2023, at home due to Alzheimer’s.

Sal lived in Rockland County New York until 1997 when he moved to Arizona. Sal graduated from Haverstraw/Stony Point High School in 1963 and served In the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

Sal loved all sports, especially baseball. He played baseball at all levels and was very proud of his accomplishments. His favorite team was always the Brooklyn Dodgers and he wore their colors until his death. After moving to Arizona he became a strong hockey and Coyotes fan, attending hundreds of games.

Sal was employed at Lederle Laboratories for more than 25 years. He also served as a board member for the Palisades Federal Credit Union, and was very involved in the growth of the Credit Union. He was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and a lifelong Catholic.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret (Peg) Murphy Peluso, his daughter, Kristen Moser, and his grandchildren Dylan and Katelyn Moser of Goodyear, Arizona. He is also survived by his His sister, Carol Delucia (Luigi) of Garnerville, New York and a sister-inlaw, Clare Carlson Peluso of Wanaque New Jersey.

Sal leaves behind his many nieces, nephews, and cousins throughout the country and was so grateful for those who showed him love and concern during his final days. His funeral will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery on Wednesday, February 8th at 1pm.

He was predeceased by his parents and twin brother, Louis. They are now reunited with Jesus in Heavenly rest. In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association or a charity of your choice especially ones servicing the poor and needy.

Ob uaries

Consuelo Perez

C o n s u e l o P e r e z o f C a s h i o n , A r i z o n a p a s s e d a w a y J a n u a r y

24, 2023 at the age of

6 6 . S h e w a s b o r n D e c e m b e r 1 0 , 1 9 5 6 i n P h o e n i x , A r i z o n a to Jose Perez and Lydia Rodriguez

A visitation will be h e l d a t 7 p m o n W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 1 a t T h o m p s o n F u n e r a l C h a p e l A f u n e r a l s e r v i c e w i l l b e h e l d a t J u b i l e e C h r i s t i a n C h u r c h a t 9 a m , T h u r s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 B u r i a l w i l l f o l l o w a t W e s t R e s t h a v e n M e m o r i a l P a r k C e m e t e r y a t 1 2 p m

Brad Homan

Our beloved brother, a n d s o n B r a d H o m a n p a s s e d a w a y s u d d e n l y b u t p e a c e f u l l y a t h i s h o m e i n S t o r v o r d e , D e n m a r k i n S e p t e mb e r 2 0 2 2

P l e a s e s e e t h i s p u bl i c a t i o n f o r h i s o r i g i n a l o b i t u a r y , p u b -

l i s h e d i n O c t o b e r W e w i l l h o n o r B r a d a n d h i s a m a z i n g l i f e w i t h a m e m o r i a l s e r v i c e o n S a tu r d a y , F e b 2 5 , 2 0 2 3 @ 1 : 0 0 p m , l o ca t e d a t A v o n d a l e B a p t i s t C h u r c h i n Avondale, Arizona Cards can be sent to the family at: Homan Family P. O. Box 771 Litchfield Park, AZ, 85340

Funeral Chapel

623-535-8439

obits@TimesLocalMedia.com

Deadline: Thursday by 5pm for next week

T o l e a v e t h e f a m i l y c o n d o l e n c e s , p l e a s e v i s i t :

www thompsonfuneralchapel com/ obituary/consuelo-perez

Obituaries - Death NOtices

We are here to make this difficult time easier for you. Our 24 hour online service is easy to use and will walk you through the steps of placing a paid obituary in the West Valley View or a free death notice.

Visit: obituaries.WestValleyView.com

Charles (Chuck) Troy Vincent

September 3, 1940 - January 22, 2023

Chuck passed away p e a c e f u l l y a t h o m e a f t e r a l o n g b a t t l e with COPD His partn e r o f 2 5 y e a r s a n d h i s t h r e e d o g s ( J e t , P i d d l e s , a n d D u f f y ) w e r e b y h i s s i d e .

Chuck was born in Buckeye, Arizona, on September 3, 1940, to Earl and Marg u e r i t e V i n c e n t . H e g r a d u a t e d f r o m

B u c k e y e U n i o n H i g h S c h o o l i n 1 9 5 9

Chuck proudly served in the Navy for 9 y e a r s d o i n g t h r e e t o u r s t o V i e t n a m H e w o r k e d f o r A r i z o n a P u b l i c S e r v i c e f o r 3 8 y e a r s .

Chuck loved hunting, fishing and trail riding. He was able to enjoy many good years participating in these activities He was married twice and spent the last 2 5 y e a r s w i t h h i s p a r t n e r a n d c o m p a n -

i o n L i n d a Z e g l e r .

Chuck is survived by his sister, Holly Vincent, a daughter, Kayla Oswald, and grandchildren Maddie and Mack.

A r r a n g e m e n t s h a v e b e e n e n t r u s t e d t o

B e s t F u n e r a l S e r v i c e s - N o r t h C e n t r a l Chapter for cremation No services will b e h e l d . D o n a t i o n s c a n b e m a d e t o t h e

A r i z o n a H u m a n e S o c i e t y i n C h u c k ’ s n a m e . C h a r l e s ( C h u c k ) T r o y V i n c e n t

Lenora (Slaughter/Schmitt) Daugherty

Lenora (Slaughter/ Schmitt) Daugherty, 79, of Buckeye, Az passed away peacefully on January 10, 2023, at 11:55pm. She was a loving mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

Born May 6, 1943, she was a life long Arizona native. Known by family as “Nor Nor” and to others as the “can lady,” she was the owner/operator of Saguaro Metals in the west valley for more than 30 years along side her late husband Richard Daugherty. Prior to that they owned American Sand and Rock in the late 60’s-early 70’s that supplied materials to help build many of the roads and buildings in the west valley.

She was preceded in death by her husband Richard, son William, grandson Jeremy, and brothers Horace, William, and Marvin. She is survived by her sisters Lois and Beverly, children James, John and Cynthia, 7 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by many.

A celebration of life will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on February 11, 2023 at Estrella Mountain Regional Park, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave Goodyear, Az 85338.

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Student Chronicles

BY JORDAN ROGERS West Valley View Managing Editor

Karina Estrada Cruz and Catherine Linhardt of Avondale received degrees at the end of the fall 2022 semester from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. Cruz earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and Mexican American studies. Linhardt earned a Doctor of Education in educational studies. Founded in 1889 and tucked between the Rocky Mountains and Colorado’s high plains, the University of Northern Colorado is a public doctoral research university committed to the success of its students, with more than 100 undergraduate programs and 113 graduate programs. Info: unco.edu

Andrew Esparza and Andre Silva of Avondale were named to the fall 2022 dean’s list at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire. Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 to 3.699 for the reporting term are named to the dean’s list. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16week term or paired eight-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring and summer. Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with a 90-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Info: snhu.edu

Abigail Marquez of Avondale was among approximately 850 students at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, named to the university’s fall 2022 dean’s list. The dean’s list recognizes students who earn a 3.0 to 3.74 grade-point average during the semester. BJU offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs in religion, education, fine arts and communication, arts and science, health

professions and business. BJU has over 3,000 students from nearly every state and more than 40 countries. The school is committed to the truth of Scripture and to pursuing excellence in all we do. Info: bju.edu

Richard Pina of Avondale and Sr Pettibone and Francisco Rodriguez of Buckeye were named to the President’s Honor Roll for the fall 2022 semester at Bismarck State College in Bismarck, North Dakota. To qualify, students needed to maintain at least a 3.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale while enrolled in at least 12 semester hours of classes and qualify for the BSC President’s Honor Roll. Bismarck State College focuses on student success through the delivery of affordable, flexible, high-quality, experiential learning enhanced by public-private partnerships. Info: bismarckstate.edu

Marilyn Garcia, Caitlyn Gerrish, Linda Moore and Shawnacie Ray of Buckeye were named to the fall 2022 dean’s list at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire. Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 to 3.699 for the reporting term are named to the dean’s list. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16week term or paired eight-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring and summer. Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with a 90-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Info: snhu.edu

Matthew Teague of Buckeye earned a Master of Business Admin in business administration from Northern Il-

Student...continued on page 31

linois University in DeKalb, Illinois. Over 1,100 students received their degrees from the university in December. Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. Info: niu.edu

Kiara Alexander, Jeremy Battles and Douglas Robison of Goodyear were named to the fall 2022 dean’s list at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire. Fulltime undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 to 3.699 for the reporting term are named to the dean’s list. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term or paired eight-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring and summer. Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with a 90-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Info: snhu.edu

Cortnee Lee Brink-Baugh of Goodyear was named to the fall 2022 dean’s list at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri. More than 900 students across each of the school’s campuses and online learning met the requirements for placement, which included a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher for the semester. Since its founding in 1854, CMU has evolved into a university that confers master’s, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees through programming on its main campus, and through extension sites and online. Info: centralmethodist.edu

Roger De Chavez of Goodyear was named to fall 2022 dean’s list at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. De Chavez, a journalism major, achieved the necessary grade-point average of 3.5 or higher to achieve the recognition from the school. Hofstra University is an internationally ranked and recognized private university with nearly 11,000 students dedicated to civic engagement, academic excellence, and becoming leaders in their

communities and their careers. Info: hofstra.edu

Jared Evans of Goodyear graduated from The University of Dubuque in Dubuque, Iowa, at its winter commencement ceremony with an associate of arts degree. A private, coed university founded in 1852, The University of Dubuque offers undergraduate, graduate and theological seminary degrees as well as other educational opportunities with the intention of educating and forming the whole person. Info: dbq.edu

Melody JoAnn Hall of Goodyear graduated from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, after the fall 2022 semester. Hall received a Master of Science in radiologic sciences from Midwestern. The university had 528 undergraduate and graduate students in fall 2022 with the provision that they meet all requirements as prescribed by the faculty and administration. Honor graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees included 59 summa cum laude, 64 magna cum laude and 61 cum laude. Info: midwestern.edu

George Houle of Goodyear graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. St. Scholastica is a private, independent college established in 1912 and founded in the Catholic Benedictine tradition. It is nationally recognized for quality and value. It is recognized for developing new initiatives to support first-generation student success. The College’s six-year graduation rate is higher than the state, regional and national average. Info: css.edu

Kaitlin Bruchhauser and Kaylee LoPresto of Litchfield Park were selected to the fall 2022 dean’s list at East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. A total of 1,257 students have been named to the dean’s list at East Stroudsburg. Students eligible for the dean’s list are those who have attained a 3.5 quality point average or better and are enrolled full time. The letter grade “B” earns three quality points per credit, and the

Student...continued on page 32

Agua Fria district board reelects Terry as president

L

Terry is humbled by the reelection.

ast month, members of the Agua Fria High School District Governing Board voted to continue with Trey Terry as its president for 2023.“I’m honored, and it is humbling to have your support and trust,” Terry said.

In addition to electing the president, there were other additional actions. They are as follows:

• Gina DeCoste was reelected vice president, and her board term is through December 2023.

• Vickie Landis was sworn in as board member for her second consecutive four-year term, and she is in office through 2027.

• Eric Cultum is newly elected and was sworn to a four-year term through December 2027.

• Kristin Acton is continuing on the board, and her term is through 2024.

• Maxine Hill retired from the governing board in December 2022, after serving for 12 years.

• Terry is looking forward to getting to work in 2023. He knows the district has goals, and he is excited to tackle them.

“Each of us is committed to ensuring the success of our students,” Terry said. “Together, with parents as our

Student

page

grade “A” earns four quality points per credit. East Stroudsburg University, one of the 14 institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, opened in 1893 as East Stroudsburg Normal School. Today, ESU is a comprehensive university in northeastern Pennsylvania offering 58 undergraduate programs, 21 master’s programs and two doctoral programs. Info: edu.edu

partners in education, we will continue creating the best high school district in the nation.”

To learn more about each of the governing board members, visit aguafria. org/board-members.

• Safe and Secure! • Smaller Class Sizes • Performing Arts • Sports An Edkey® School TUITION-FREE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL www.spvw.org Middle and High School 623-276-0340 20570 W. Roosevelt St. Elementary School 623-263-5400 20370 W.Roosevelt St. Buckeye, AZ 85326 Vote Us Best Charter School! BESTOF 2022 New synthetic turf football, soccer, and lacrosse field! New basketball, volleyball, and pickleball hardwood floor gym! K-12 Vote for US! VOTE NOW! BESTOF 2023 2022 West Valley View • Glendale Star • Peoria Times

JOB SEEKERS

Consider a Technical School

They’re particularly helpful for those looking to gain a specialized skill, or anyone attempting to earn needed credentials for work while taking care of other financial or family obligations.

Trades like electricians and welders come with robust benefit packages, while jobs in fields like nursing and dental hygiene play a critical rose in health care. All of them require certification through technical schools, which provide educational opportunities and on-the-job experience on a much shorter timeline than the typical four-year university. They’re cheaper, too.

Whether you’ve just graduated from high school or are a working adult who’s looking to make a fresh start, technical school can provide a pathway to an exciting new career.

WHAT THEY DO

Vocational or technical schools offer full-time, one- to two-year courses to prepare for careers in health care, technology, manufacturing and transportation, among others. They’re filling a critical need for people moving into the workforce, but also for retraining. Some 80% of CEOs said they were concerned about future skills training in one study by the Society of Human Resource Management.

CRITICAL AFFORDABILITY

In an era of growing, sometimes insurmountable student loan debt, technical schools provide a path-

way to careers at a significantly lower average cost than any fouryear school. Sometimes, tuition is literally tens of thousands of dollars cheaper per year, according to the Community for Accredited Online Schools.

PERSONAL ATTENTION

Those four-year schools also have huge incoming classes, with thousands of students per course. Technical schools offer a smaller, more personalized experience. Students create intimate networks of peers who get to know each other while studying and working together. These lifelong relationships can pay big dividends professionally down the road, to say nothing of personal connections made. Smaller, local campuses make commuting and parking easier, and most classes are held in individual buildings rather than across sprawling campuses.

NEEDED EXPERIENCE

Saturday, February 11, 2023

9 a.m. to Noon

Interviews will be held in the Governing Board Room

38201 W. Indian School Road

Tonopah, AZ 85354

CERTIFIED STAFF JOB FAIR

CERTIFIED STAFF JOB FAIR

Saturday, February 11, 2023 • 9am to Noon

Saturday, February 11, 2023

SMUSD offers opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits.

Getting started in a new career with no experience can be prohibitively difficult, even if you have a degree. Technical schools not only offer the required credentials, they also prepare students for many high-demand jobs by providing hands-on experience before you even begin a career. Hiring managers will take special notice of those who possess both education, certification and experience — three things that could push you to the front of the line for open positions.

9 a.m. to Noon

Interviews will be held in the Governing Board Room 38201 W. Indian School Road, Tonopah, AZ 85354

Interviewing for the following positions for the 202 3-24 school year:

 K-5 Teachers

Interviews will be held in the Governing Board Room

38201 W. Indian School Road

SMUSD o ers opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and bene ts.

 6-8 Middle School ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies & ELL

Tonopah, AZ 85354

 Special Areas, Technology, Foreign Language, Music& PE

Interviewingforthefollowingpositionsforthe2023-24schoolyear:

SMUSD offers opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits.

 High School Math, Science, History, CTE, ELA & Special Areas

K-5 Teachers

Interviewing for the following positions for the 2023-24 school year:

 Special Education K-12 LD Resource and Self -Contained

 K-5 Teachers

6-8 Middle School and High School ELA, Math, Science, History, CTE, ELA & Special Areas

 Counselors

 6-8 Middle School ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies & ELL

 OT/PT, COTA, SLP, SLPA

Special Education K-12 LD Resource and Self-Contained Counselors • OT/PT, COTA, SLP, SLPA • Substitute Teachers

 Special Areas, Technology, Foreign Language, Music& PE

 ELL Coordinator

 High School Math, Science, History, CTE, ELA & Special Areas

 Substitute Teachers

 Special Education K-12 LD Resource and Self-Contained

Classified positions and Certified positions are posted online and qualified applicants are encouraged to apply using our AppliTrack link at: www.smusd90.org/Human_Resources

All Walk-Ins are welcomed!

 Counselors

 OT/PT, COTA, SLP, SLPA

ClassifiedpositionsandCertifiedpositionsarepostedonlineandqualified applicantsareencouragedtoapplyusingourAppliTracklinkat: www.smusd90.org/Human_Resources

 ELL Coordinator

 Substitute Teachers

Classified positions and Certified positions are posted online and qualified applicants are encouraged to apply using our AppliTrack link at: www.smusd90.org/Human_Resources

Appointments preferred

4 Day School Week District Paid Medical Insurance Latest Technology

Credit for Prior Teaching Experience

4 Day School Week

District Paid Medical Insurance

SMUSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Latest Technology

Credit for Prior Teaching Experience

To Schedule an interview: Contact 623-474-5115 or email Juanita.villa@smusd90.org & Mayra.gavia@smusd90.org

To Schedule an interview:

Contact 623-474-5115 or email

All Walk-Ins are welcomed! Appointment s preferred

Juanita.villa@smusd90.org & Mayra.gavia@smusd90.org

SMUSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer

These programs offer a quicker, affordable pathway to a new career

Goodyear unveils Civic Square, newly relocated library

BY SUMMER AGUIRRE West Valley View Staff Writer

of the city.

“This has been a project long envisioned by our community. I think that it might be a blessing in disguise,” Goodyear City Manager Julie Karins said. “It took so long to get here, because now we were able to create something I think that’s truly unique and special. It was the right partners, the right project, at the right time, and I’m just so proud of the team and everyone who came together to make this happen.”

Celebrations for the opening of the Goodyear Civic square at GSQ started in the morning with music, food trucks and a yoga class at the park, followed by the ribbon-cutting ceremony and closed with a balloon drop and confetti

Celebrations began at 7 a.m. with music, food trucks and a yoga class at the park, followed by the ribbon-cutting ceremony and topped with a closing balloon drop and confetti cannons. After the festivities,

guests toured Civic Square’s facilities, which include the library, city hall, upscale office space and 2-acre park for communi-

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