West Valley View 03-22-2023

Goodyear councilmember to serve in national role

BY JOE MCHUGH West Valley View Staff Writer

For a 12th year, Councilmember Wally Campbell has been selected to represent Goodyear in the National League of Cities for 2023.

With the immense growth the city has seen over the last few years, Campbell will be able to show off what Goodyear has been doing, as well as bring policies and ideas back to help keep the city on the upward trend.

“I’m really honored that I would be selected to participate at the national level, and it brings Goodyear to the forefront of being one of the partners of the many cities that belong to the National League of Cities,” Campbell said. “It’s just a wonderful learning experience. (I) learn something new every time you go to a meeting.”

The National League of Cities is an organization that invites municipalities from across the nation to lobby policies among each other to help create better cities. It is a national effort to create a

collaborative format for cities to pick and choose what policies will best suit their respective municipalities, while crafting a united front for positive change.

Campbell has served as the chair of many communities in her 12 years at the Nationally League of Cities, including this year as the chair of the Military Communities Council and as the president of the Women in Municipal Government Group.

“You just learn from one another,” Campbell said. “No one has the best way to do everything, so you need to be open, and this is a wonderful avenue to do that with.”

Goodyear has plenty to offer to the rest of the nation, as the city has been one of the hottest in the country over the past few years. Campbell has been a catalyst in that growth, as she has been able to bring back policies that have been able to help the city become better each year.

Campbell is still as excited to be a part of the National League of Cities as she was when she joined her first year, as

Wally Campbell will look to learn more in her national role with the National League of Cities to help Goodyear’s growth keep going. (City of Goodyear/Submitted)

she is able to represent the city in a good light and learn more every time she goes.

National...continued on page 3

Avondale Fire and Medical names Rooney as new chief

BY JOE MCHUGH West Valley View Staff Writer

Avondale Fire and Medical has named Larry Rooney its newest fire chief.

Formerly the assistant chief of emergency management and the interim fire chief, Rooney will look to utilize his over 40 years of experience to keep the budding city of Avondale trending in the right direction with the utmost safety.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity; Avondale is just such a great place to work,” Rooney said. “The firefighters

are very dedicated to providing the service to our community. We have a lot of things that we were going to be working on. I’m just really excited. There are so many things that are happening here.”

Bringing in a plethora of experience from across the western part of the United States, Rooney will look to leverage that in his new position. Starting his career out in Huntington Beach, California, Rooney worked up the ranks in the fire department.

Eventually landing him in higher ranks like the deputy chief of fire in Peoria, as

well as the fire chief in Lodi, California, Rooney came to Avondale in 2017, adding in another layer of expertise and quality to the Avondale Fire family.

“I think everything that I’ve done in my career has prepared me for this position right here, right now,” Rooney said. “Most people are thinking about retiring, but I made a lot of changes when I was a fire chief in California.

“It’s just nice to be able to put everything that I’ve learned and with my ex-

Rooney...continued on page 3

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Rooney...continued from page 1

perience and my education and help Avondale grow.”

Rooney will spearhead a tight-knit group that focuses on providing a much-needed service as safe and efficient as possible. Through his time with Avondale, he has the perfect formula to keep that mentality moving forward.

“I think it’s my gift of collaboration,” Rooney said. “I work with everybody. I try to bring everybody to the table. I’m very inclusive. I try to listen to everybody’s ideas and put a path forward to successfully getting the job done. Everybody really works hard here. A lot of people have great ideas, and I figured that the answers are in the room. So we pull people together and we work hard to achieve our goal.”

Looking to lean into his staff behind him with a collaborative mindset, Rooney and Avondale Fire and Medical will use their combined knowledge to put forward the best product they can.

“It definitely has its advantages of having good people around you,

and that’s what I want to continue to do,” Rooney said. “Our motto here is service before itself. So if we have the same focus and we put the right people in the right places and then support each other, there’s really not much we can’t accomplish.”

Rooney’s priority list is short, with the lone item being the safety of the people he works with. In an industry that is hazardous, Rooney has put an emphasis on keeping his staff safe from harm.

“One of the things that I really pride myself in working for as long as I have is that nobody under my oversight has been seriously injured or killed,” Rooney said. “I want to be able to retire saying that same thing. So, safety is very important to focus on.”

At the core of his promotion, Rooney is still dedicated to offering the best service to the city. He plans to be instrumental in the continued

National...continued from page 1 cities, Campbell embraces the support system that the National League of Cities offers.

“I’m still learning, and I love to learn. I love it, and I learn something new every time I go to any of these conferences, and I come back and I tell the council about it,” Campbell said.

“I tell my city manager, ‘This is what I heard, this is how they do it, what do you think? Do you think it’s doable in a good year?’ and then I let them make the decision. So I’ll share what I’ve learned.”

With as many municipalities represented in the National League of Cities as there are, it is hard to have every city be doing everything right. Campbell’s job in this is to present what Goodyear is doing in areas where others could be struggling and vice versa for her city as well.

“That’s how we learn about anything,” she said. “We hear a program like a Youth Commission Program that operates differently in other cities all over America than we have one in Goodyear, but if I hear of a program that they are doing something a little different, I come back and share with our Youth Commis-

growth of Avondale and is excited to get started.

“In the growth of this department we just added a new fire station, where we’re in the process of redoing our Station One and then another fire station coming up here,” Rooney said. “So taking the lead and guiding us to get us to where we need to get to is pretty exciting.”

sion manager to see if in fact they want to do that with our kids.”

All in all, Campbell is a prime representative for the city, and “just like a reporter” she will bring back even more information this year to keep Goodyear growing.

“It is just such an honor to represent your city,” Campbell said. “It’s such an honor to be able to talk about your city and talk about the Phoenix area.”

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With over four decades of experience, Larry Rooney will take the reins of Avondale Fire and Medical to continue providing the best service possible to the citizens. (Avondale Fire and Medical/Submitted)

NEWS BRIEFS

BY JORDAN ROGERS West Valley View Managing Editor

Buckeye police arrest second suspect in murder

Buckeye police arrested a second suspect in connection to the murder of 15-year-old Brendan Valenzuela that occurred on Jan. 22. Buckeye police continued to investigate leads in this case and identified an additional suspect. On March 15, Buckeye po-

lice, working with the U.S. Marshals Service, served a search warrant at a Phoenix home and located 19-yearold Michael Michel. He was arrested and booked into the Maricopa County jail on multiple charges including homicide.

Avondale changes bulk trash zones and holiday collection schedule

Effective April 3, Avondale Public

Works department will make changes to its bulk trash zones and holiday collection schedule. Each community will be assigned a NEW zone in one of four zones — A, B, C and D — for bulk trash pickup. Residents will continue to receive monthly bulk trash pickup; however, households will be asked to follow the new bulk trash schedule according to where they live in Avondale. For holidays moving forward, Avondale Public Works will pick up trash and recycling according to the normal schedule, regardless of what day the holiday falls on. The exceptions, however, are Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, when there will be no service on those holidays. Instead, trash and recycling service will take place one day later that week.

For more information about the changes to bulk trash zones and holiday collection schedules in Avondale, please visit avondaleaz.gov/ publicworks or contact the city of Avondale at 623-333-4400.

Buckeye school wins McTeacher’s Challenge

Sundance Elementary School won first place in the McTeacher’s Night Challenge, sponsored by McDonald’s in Buckeye. The kindergarten through eighth grade campus was able to raise almost $700 from its fundraiser night. McDonald’s will donate an additional $500 for taking the lead as the first place in the challenge.

All proceeds from the night will go toward funding extracurricular activities for the school. Twelve total elementary and middle schools participated in the challenge.

“We are so grateful for the support, and are especially excited about the success of McTeacher Night,” Sundance Principal Robiah Nelson

said. “I am always appreciative of our amazing community and staff, and this amazing night was another example of the excitement and engagement surrounding Sundance Elementary. It’s a great place to be.”

Goodyear prepares for 72 miles of road improvements

As one of the fastest-growing cities in America, staying on top of infrastructure in Goodyear is important. Starting this month, more than 72 lane miles will be resurfaced across the city. This process includes adding a micro surface seal to some of the busiest streets in Goodyear to strengthen the road and minimize cracks. Roads in neighborhoods will receive a similar seal coat. Curb ramps will also be improved through this project.

“Road maintenance and improvement are priorities of our city council,” Mayor Joe Pizzillo said. “I am pleased to see the work that will be completed with this funding. Ensuring our roads are well maintained is very important not only from a safety standpoint but also for keeping our roadways looking good as part of the aesthetic appeal that Goodyear is known for.”

Goodyear City Council recently approved $3.6 million in funding for the improvements. The roads for this project were selected due to their declining condition. Every three years, the city’s main streets are reviewed and every seven years, residential roads are reviewed to determine roadwork prioritization.

Work will be done in phases with main roads getting resurfaced starting later this month. Residential roads receiving the seal coat will start in April. All work will be completed by the end of May.

Avondale City Council approves use of opioid settlement funds

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

Avondale City Council recently approved the use of the One Arizona Distribution of Opioid Settlement Funds for the education and prevention of the use and misuse of opioids in the community.

The One Arizona Distribution of Opioid Settlement Funds was established with the goal of providing financial assistance for communities affected by the opioid crisis. Funding became available in a 2021 National Opioid Settlement, which resolved all opioid litigation from states and local subdivisions against pharmaceutical distributors.

This marks the first time these funds have been used for education and prevention initiatives in Avondale. The city has already received three separate payments totaling $161,290. This funding is part of a larger effort to reduce opioid-related harms in communities.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, there were 3,257 reported cases of nonfatal opioid drug overdoses in the state and 1,773 fatal reports in 2022. Of those, 151 nonfatal cases were reported in Avondale, with 14 reports of fatalities. Opioid deaths claim more lives in the United States than traffic accidents.

“The opioid epidemic is a major public health issue facing our country today,” Public Safety Chief Dale Nannenga said. “We are taking a proactive approach to tackling this issue in our own backyard. City council’s action on March 6 will provide resources to our employees working to reduce opioid addiction in our city. It will also help fund educational programs that will teach residents about the dangers of opioid abuse and how to prevent it.”

The funds will be used to support existing programs, as well

as create new initiatives aimed at reducing opioid misuse and abuse in Avondale. Strategies for use of the funds include public awareness campaigns, educational programs and resources for those affected by opioid addiction.

As part of efforts already ongoing to address the opioid crises, the city of Avondale announced the launch of a voluntary Naloxone training program for its staff members, beginning this month.

Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose and is approved by the as a life-saving measure. Sworn Avondale police personnel currently received training in the proper use of administering Naloxone.

The city is now expanding its training to nonsworn staff members so that they can carry Naloxone with them when responding to opioid-related emergencies. The training starts with city departments with the most interaction with the community and may have the opportunity to come upon someone experiencing an overdose.

Neighborhood and Family Services, Parks and Recreation, and Public Works are the first departments to be trained.

“We are committed to ensuring our staff members have the resources they need to respond quickly and effectively in any situation,” Nannenga said. “By providing this training, we are taking an important step towards protecting our community and saving lives.”

Avondale hosting Citizens Water Academy

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

The city of Avondale is inviting residents to take part in the next Avondale Citizens Water Academy — a hands-on, interactive, highly informative series of five three-hour sessions devoted to the topic of all things water and wastewater.

Residents will have the opportunity to engage with the city’s water professionals who plan, build, protect and deliver services for Avondale’s vast water and wastewater infrastructure.

The 2023 academy will take place at the Avondale Municipal Operations Service Center, 399 E Lower Buckeye Road, Avondale, on Tuesday nights from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. from Tuesday, April 4, to Tuesday, May 2.

Academy attendees will go behind the scenes with tours of Avondale’s water reclamation facility, lift stations, wetlands and water recharge basins. They will learn where their water comes from and how it is treated, delivered, reclaimed and funded through water rates.

Attendees will also take a virtual

journey snaking through the city’s sewer pipe system with high-tech cameras, learn how a fire hydrant works, and get a first-hand look at the specialized equipment it takes to properly operate and maintain the water and sewer systems. There will also be a visit the award-winning Avondale Aquaculture Facility, the state’s first and only municipal fish hatchery.

Dinner is served at the beginning of each session.

Enrollment is free and open to residents and stakeholders interested in developing a better understanding of Avondale’s water portfolio, infrastructure, capital planning, and the intricate rate-setting methodology that funds it all.

Graduates from the academy will leave with a better understanding of the value of water, the costs associated with its production, treatment, delivery, quality control and reclamation and how they can be good stewards of their environment through water conservation and sustainability. Register online at avondaleaz.gov/ acwa or call 623-333-4400 for further details.

Goodyear Fire Department adds ambulance service

BY JOE MCHUGH West Valley View Staff Writer

The Goodyear Fire Department recently launched its flagship ambulance service, instating two ambulances in-house for immediate use.

With this being the first time the fire department has implemented ambulances, it allows for a new level of service to Goodyear residents,

from Goodyear residents.

“For many years, the fire department relied on a contracted private ambulance provider to transport emergency patients to the hospital,” Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo said. “While there was no disruption in service to the community, the fire department leadership worked with council to evaluate the feasibility of providing our own ambulance service.”

The process to install these ambulances to Goodyear’s service roster has been long, to say the least.

Originally applying for a permit to operate an ambulance in the city over three years ago, the service had to be delegated to other private entities in order to have it available in Goodyear. The emergency medical services took place through companies like Maricopa Ambulance, which worked well but lacked the personal connection that Goodyear was looking to offer.

“They certainly have been great partners during their time with us, but they don’t have that true connection to the city,” Goodyear Fire Chief Paul Luizzi said. “They are a private contractor, and they can pull up routes and leave whenever they want.

“As a city, we’re here forever. We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to maintain and provide services for our citizens. So (city council) felt like maybe this is a good opportunity to look at the control of the ambulance service and control their destiny when it comes to that.”

The ambulance program is already underway, with growth coming in the near future. An ambulance takes roughly two years to make, as there are many components that go into making a fully functional emergency medical vehicle. The plan in place is to implement one every year starting in 2025, maxing out at a total of five ambulances.

In the time between then, the city will still work closely with Maricopa Ambulance to offer quality service to the residents of Goodyear.

But the benefits of an in-house ambulance service is already becoming apparent.

“We give that doorto-door service,” Luizzi said. “They get that full service from a city of Goodyear employee from the time we pick them up to the time we drop them off at the

hospital. We feel like we provide a very high level of customer service for our citizens. We feel like this is just another step that we can fill in, and continue to provide that real high level of service for our citizens.”

The ambulance will work closely with the partners at Abrazo West Hospital to complete the proverbial circle of a complete Goodyear-centric service.

“We have a great working relationship with them, with their emergency room staff and with their physicians,” Luizzi said. “I think this goes to just the continuation of that care, from the field into the hospital, that it’s just a great partnership between all of us.”

As the city keeps moving forward in its growth a personal ambulance service will greatly help keep the “small-town feel” of Goodyear alive and well.

“I think this just goes to a sense of satisfaction and a sense of that the city is really providing all of the services that they could possibly need even in an emergency,” Luizzi said

“I also hope that the (residents) do ever have to interact with our staff, that it’s even on (their) worst day, it’s one of the best interactions that (they can have),” Luizzi later added. “I want them to feel the caring and the empathy and that passion that my staff have for their jobs and for the people that they care for.”

With ambulances now in place for the Goodyear Fire Department, the city can continue their quality service in a new area. (City of Goodyear/Submitted)

Around the Bluhmin’ Town

Bar-tailed godwit sets record by flying 8,435 miles

BY JUDY BLUHM West Valley View Columnist

eep going. Don’t think. Just do it. Believe. A motivational speech for our business or personal lives? Or perhaps the recent flight path of one incredible bird. Oh, Mighty One, bartailed godwit, how we admire you. Flying nonstop from Alaska to Tasmania, you set the distance record at 8,435 miles in 11 days. According to news reports, this bird was tagged as a hatchling with a GPS chip and a tiny solar panel by researchers in Alaska. Oh, bird, with wings of steel, how did you fly so far when you were only 4 months old?

This was not an easy journey. The bar-tailed godwit cannot land in the ocean and take off again. If the bird went into the sea due to exhaustion, his trip would have ended. Once he set off from Alaska, the only choice

Kwas to keep going. And researchers are still not sure why or how he traveled this distance. It took constant flapping of wings, no food, no sleep, just bold determination. Was he lost? It appears he got separated from “his family” and landed on the wrong side of Australia. What was he thinking?

Perhaps the godwit is like our friend, Manuel, the tarantula, who for the past 27 years graces my friend Diane’s house in New River every summer. He hangs around for about three months. No GPS, no map, and probably little planning. Yet, he arrives unannounced and makes himself right at home. Maybe just a strange migration pattern?

How do we find our way home? A dog named Bailey was at a shelter in Texas for almost a year until she finally was adopted. The new owner was walking Bailey and the dog broke loose. Frantically searching the neighborhood, Bailey was no-

OUR READERS’ V IEWPOINTS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor:

I just don’t get it. How could anyone with a functioning brain not see all the devastation the democrats have caused in the country? The immigration debacle has seen 1.4 million got-aways crossed our border since Biden came into office and around 200 known terrorists have been apprehended of the ones that we know of. Just think of how many known ter-

rorists are part of the 1.4 million gotaways. Crime and economics are out of control in democrat-run cities and states, the Biden family corruption, Hunter Biden’s crimes, the concerted attempt to alter our nation’s real history with critical race theory in order to destroy our public school and college education systems, the homeless explosion, fentanyl deaths of our children and young adults, open borders, abortion and transgender insanity, demoralizing and destruction of our military and police forces. Also, one word — Ukraine! Billions spent and sent to the worst corrupt and anti-

where to be found. Several days later and 10 miles away, Bailey used her snout to press the Ring doorbell outside of the shelter. It was the middle of the night, and the staff was alerted and rushed to the shelter, where Bailey was waiting by the door. They welcomed her back and placed her in her old, familiar run. No one is sure how Bailey crossed interstates or managed with no food or water for three days, but she was determined to find the one place that she knew she’d be safe. Hope and endurance brought her home. Nature teaches. Sometimes we learn. I noticed a little spider building a beautiful and intricate web in between two bushes in my backyard. I called her Stella and watched her as she tended to her web and busied herself daily. I saw a small sparrow carefully designing a nest of twigs in

democratic country in Europe, FBI and DOJ corruption, targeting versus level playing field and fair application of the law, extreme progressive and George Soros-funded DAs changing appropriate charging and prosecution of criminals, Mexican cartels gone wild, Democrat attempts

a big mesquite tree in my yard. Then a storm came, and Stella’s web was ripped to shreds and the sparrow’s nest was blown to bits.

Despite catastrophe, these tiny creatures rebuild. They simply try again, evidently knowing that giving up is never an option. From beating wings to small steps, nature’s resilience is one of the many gifts to admire in our world. And that mighty godwit is Lord of the Wings.

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

to silence free speech. The fall of our banking system is at risk due to inflation, too. I could go on and on. I don’t understand how half of our country doesn’t get it.

Susan Hewitt Goodyear

So many things are wrong with the country right now

Opening a box brings a flood of memories

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ West Valley View Columnist

The cardboard box sat in the garage for years, in part because the shipping label said it weighed 110 pounds. But the real reason I put off unpacking the box was fear of what it might contain.

My brother packed it up shortly after our mother died at the end of 2017. She was a bit of a packrat, my mom. There was no telling what she might have saved.

Lately, with another birthday looming, I’ve been on a neatness kick. You know the drill: As getting older sets in, you think more order in your life, less detritus, will make you feel on top of things, not quite so ancient.

In a fit of motivation, I opened the box.

And found a thousand yellowed newspaper columns dating back to the first tales I ever got paid to write in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1992 and after

my move to Arizona in spring 1995.

My parents subscribed and had those newspapers mailed to Florida. I dug in and spent the morning reading Valley news from what feels like an eternity ago.

What struck me was how little has changed over the better part of three decades. Back then, the sad sack Arizona Cardinals were on the prowl for a new taxpayer-funded stadium. Today it’s the equally sad Arizona Coyotes looking for a new home and a massive handout.

In May 1995, I wrote about the National Rifle Association coming to town for a national convention. I contrasted the exhibit halls full of guns with a sober scene across town in Mesa: 400 schoolkids and teachers mourning the shooting death of 16-year-old Derrick Garcia, killed by a former classmate who put a bullet in his chest.

“It’s just going to go on and on,” said Jessica Olivarez, Derrick’s 17-year-old cousin. “I hope this time, Derrick’s death changes everything. … Nothing is worth this.”

I shared her hope. A few hundred thousand senseless shootings later, we remain stuck in place.

So it goes for gay rights as well. We’ve come a long way since I wrote about Dawn Bates and Barb Jones, a Tempe couple together for 16 years, but whose union could not be made legal back then.

The two had faced financial struggles, discrimination and hatred for being out and lesbian.

“I think we’re looking for a level playing field,” Barb said in 1996. Many of my gay friends are still looking today. Barb concluded with a thought that makes every bit as much sense to me today as it did 27 years ago.

“We,” she said, “ought to be accorded the respect that any American would expect.”

In the paper days later, a guy named John Camp singled out the column in a letter to the editor.

“I would like for Mr. Leibowitz and all those who support the marriage of homosexuals and enjoy parading ‘loving’

couples to advance their cause, to answer one simple question: Must all loving relationships end in sexual acts of some kind in order to prove their validity?”

Like I said, the years pass, but some things stay the same. I still have no clue what that guy is talking about.

Some days, I fear this beautiful state of ours is about to come undone, that Arizona will finally break beneath its stressors: drought, sprawl, hatred, political tomfoolery, evil HOAs, sports team futility, too few dollars for education, too many incompetents in too many elected positions.

Probably not, the contents of the box reminded me. We’ve battled the same problems for decades. We’ve outlasted them so far. We probably will for years to come.

I packed up the box and put it aside, vowing to visit it again down the line. Because what good are memories if you never unpack them?

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

Kelly’s censorship question may tip voters against him

BY J.D. HAYWORTH West Valley View Columnist

ark Kelly, who used a stellar resume to win a 2020 special election for the U.S. Senate, then spent an astronomical sum to keep the seat in 2022 for a full term, is discovering the effects of gravity on governing.

You won’t find Arizona’s junior sen-

Mator prepping to star in a remake of the 1976 movie “The Man Who Fell to Earth”— at least not yet. But the Tucson Democrat, like that film’s leading man, the late David Bowie, may soon sing of “Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes.”

Look for Kelly’s popularity among Arizona voters to suffer a precipitous fall — all because of a not-so-innocent question he asked.

It came during a March 12 Zoom call

of 200 people, including other senators, House members and committee staffers from both parties — all joining with representatives from the Federal Reserve, Treasury Department, and the Federal Deposit and Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The subject was the Silicon Valley Bank bailout.

The former astronaut and his crew were looking for a way to bail out of the incoming critical press coverage once that call concluded.

“Sen. Mark Kelly Called for Social Media Censorship to Prevent Bank Runs,” read the headline on journalist Michael Shellenberger’s Substack blog, “Public.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) provided details of what’s quickly become a massive headache for the Arizona senator, saying that Kelly “asked the three agencies if there was a program underway on social media to censor information that would lead to a bank run.”

“I believe he couched it in a concern that foreign actors would be doing this, but he didn’t suggest the censorship should be limited to foreigners or to things that were untrue. The people from the three agencies couldn’t answer him and just sort of took a pass on the question.”

Massie initially took a pass on directly identifying Kelly — as did Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) — who took to Twitter to claim that “a member asked if they (Treasury officials) were reaching out to Facebook and Twitter to monitor misinformation and ‘bad actors.’”

Lest the GOP stand accused of manufacturing misinformation, Rep. Dan Bishop (R-North Carolina), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability, ID’d the Arizona senator and demanded that Kelly be held accountable.

“I have confirmed with (House Speaker Kevin) McCarthy that it was Sen. Mark Kelly who asked on last night’s Zoom call whether the call hosts (at Treasury, the Fed and the FDIC) were interacting with SM (social media) platforms and on the lookout for foreign influence that might promote bank runs.”

Kelly and his staff didn’t exactly run

to cameras and microphones to deny the senator’s line of questioning. In fact, it took almost 24 hours for Kelly to respond.

Curious timing, that.

Remember his aforementioned “stellar resume”? Kelly’s qualifications as a fighter pilot and astronaut?

Both those positions require lightening-quick reflexes and instant responses. If untrue, a simple “No!” could have been uttered in less than a second.

When Kelly’s staff finally formulated a response, it was more lawyerly that leisurely offered. Mark’s underlings insisted that their boss was focused on foreign adversaries potentially trying to take advantage of the situation by spreading misinformation.

Actually, it appears “Team Kelly” was more interested in misdirection than misinformation in responding to concerns, emphasizing a focus on “foreign actors.”

Granted access to contemporaneous notes taken by another participant on the March 12 Zoom call, this columnist can reveal that a couple of questions asked by Sen. Kelly were much more “universal” in nature, going far beyond the oft-mentioned overseas “actors.”

Specifically, “Do we have a group of people paying attention to what’s going on online?”

Then, more troublingly, “Are we making social media companies aware so that they can take action?”

Given the Democrats’ collective coziness with Big Tech — and their successful efforts at censoring their GOP opponents during the 2020 and 2022 campaigns, it’s not far-fetched to suggest that Kelly views his own experience with political censorship as a benefit.

Whether Arizona voters will view their junior senator’s embrace of censorship as a much-needed tool — and even an asset to government — is doubtful.

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.

WestValleyView.com /WestValleyView

For more business visit WestValleyView.com

Business Briefcase

BY JORDAN ROGERS West Valley View Managing Editor

The West Valley is constantly growing, and restaurants, businesses and homemakers 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 an auto shop expanding its nationwide footprint and a new multi-family apartment development adding homes to the West Valley.

Christian Brothers Automotive

Location: 23385 W. Yuma Road, Buckeye

Christian Brothers Automotive has landed in Buckeye and is open for automotive repair and maintenance. Known

for their people-first approach to car care, the shop will work to give West Valley residents the chance to get back on the road as efficiently as possible.

Joining more than 270 Christian Brothers locations across the country, the Buckeye shop follows the guiding principle, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Built on the idea that having your car serviced should be easy, Christian Brothers offers free shuttle service, educational estimates and complimentary courtesy inspections.

Under the ownership of local residents, Stacey and Pat Jarrett, the Buckeye shop, offers a variety of professional automotive care services from simple upkeep and repairs to preventative maintenance.

“We have always aspired to work

with and help people, and we have the opportunity to do just that as the owners of an automotive repair shop,” Stacey said. “Our values and goals align perfectly with Christian Brothers Automotive’s mission to create connections and support our neighbors with their automotive needs. We are thrilled to take an active role in our community and provide trusted car repair services to local residents.”

For more information about Christian Brothers Automotive, visit cbac. com/buckeye or contact the location directly at 623-887-9826.

Parc Tolleson

Location: 8727 W. McDowell Road, Tolleson

Evergreen Devco, Inc., a leading retail and multifamily development company, recently announced the opening of Parc Tolleson, a 258-unit, multifami-

ly community located in Tolleson.

The apartment complex features a single-story clubhouse and six three-story apartment buildings with covered and uncovered surface parking spaces. Community amenities also include a resort-style pool, spa, a resident great room with billiards and shuffleboard, and a pet playground with a pet washroom. Amenities to the one, two and three-bedroom apartments include wood-inspired plank flooring, quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

The community is minutes away from Banner Hospital, the Tanger Outlets, Gateway Pavilions and Gateway Crossings shopping centers. Other popular destinations like Westgate, Top Golf, Yard House and Main Event are all within a short drive.

For more information about Parc Tolleson, visit mebapts.com or 602279-5515.

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

Cactus League Games

ALL MARCH

Spring Training is back in the Valley, and Goodyear Ballpark is ready to host fans of the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds. Goodyear Ballpark is honing in on the fan experience for 2023. The stadium will have new food and beverage items, giveaways, kids run the bases, and the senior stroll. Check out the Cactus League website

at cactusleague.com for the full schedule. Goodyear Ballpark, 1933 S. Ballpark Way, Goodyear, visit website for tickets and times, goodyearbp.com

Buckeye Valley Museum Open

WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS

The Buckeye Valley Museum is a place with a passion for local history, holding an impres-

sive 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

instructed 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

celebrations. Everyone is invited to attend and enjoy a free cup of co ee, along with a meet and greet with Avondale councilmembers. Co ee with the City Council is an opportunity for citizens of Avondale to connect with their elected o cials in an informal setting.

New Penny Café, 735 N. 114th Avenue, Avondale, 8 to 10 a.m., free, avondaleaz.gov/news

Goodyear Lakeside Music Festival

MARCH 25

Homeschool Book Club

following the performance. The Church at Litchfield Park, 300 N. Old Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park, 3 p.m., churchatlitchfieldpark.org

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

MARCH 22

Meet friends old and new as the Litchfield Park Library shares what members of the group have been reading while learning about new books and series. Aimed at ages 6 to 12 years old; registration is not required.

Litchfield Park Library, 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park, 1 to 2 p.m., free, mcldaz. org/litchfieldpark

Co ee with Avondale City Council

MARCH 22

Ecstatic Dance

SUNDAYS

Dance like nobody’s watching with an un-

Avondale residents are invited to attend an upcoming Co ee with the City Council event, as part of Women’s History Month

This free concert brings bands from di erent music genres together in a beautiful setting overlooking the Estrella North Lake. This year’s festival features up-and-coming and established artists with an emphasis on Arizona talent. In addition to the great music, there will be a range of family-friendly activities including giant lawn games, along with pingpong and cornhole. There will also be a Kids Zone, local business booths, food trucks and a beer and wine garden. Lawn seating is first come, first served. Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater, 10300 Estrella Parkway, Goodyear, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., free, goodyear.gov/GLM

Spring Handbell Choir Performance

MARCH 26

The Church at Litchfield Park handbell choirs will present a free spring concert on Sunday, March 26, at 3 p.m. The program will include a mix of classical, folk, spiritual and contemporary pieces. Audience members will have the opportunity to learn more about handbells during the concert and are invited to try their hand at ringing

#BookTok Book Club

MARCH 28

A book club for fans of Young Adult Fiction. Join the Litchfield Park Library each month for a lively discussion on YA books chosen by what’s trending on TikTok. Check the program calendar for the featured book of the month. Registration is recommended but not required. Litchfield Park Library, 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., free, mcldaz.org/litchfieldpark

Knock ’Em Down Dominoes

MARCH 30

Set up and knock down over 1000 dominoes, running them up steps and across bridges. How long can we build? Those interested in joining the Litchfield Park library will learn a little about potential and kinetic energy along the way. Litchfield Park Library, 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., free, mcldaz.org/litchfieldpark

A subtle and delicate gift

CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Pastor Ed Delph West Valley View Columnist

We love the idea of freedom, don’t we? Yet, freedom is delicate and subtle. Freedom used in the wrong way is easily perverted. As a result, freedom is squandered, and then the opportunity is lost. World history is littered with examples of nations that gained freedom for a short season and then lost freedom for a long season. There was a church in Galatia that lost its freedom. First, they forfeited

their God-given freedom by giving in to heretical teachers who took away their freedom. Then they empowered themselves with their forfeited truth. The church’s founder and father, the Apostle Paul, shocked by what happened, wrote a letter to them about freedom. Paul warns them to look out for “freedom nappers.” Here is part of what Paul wrote.

“Those heretical teachers go to great lengths to flatter you, but their motives are rotten. They want to shut you out of the free world of God’s grace so that you will always depend on them for approval and direction, making them feel important.” One translation calls these heretical teachers “paper tigers.”

If the Galatician church had freedom challenges from those inside of it, think of the freedom challenges that governments, nations and institutions will have from those on the inside.

When some people get their hands on position and power, they often use their position to control others, either putting or keeping them “in their place.” The history of peoples, nations, governments, businesses, churches and the like is long and tedious. Without God and a sound moral compass, most leaders seek absolute power that corrupts them absolutely. Once leaders, governments or institutions get into power, their goal becomes to gain more control.

Nations or institutions often start right but end wrong. These entities or leaders gained freedom through many toils, trials and snares.

As a result, freedom-loving people grew and prospered. Then the paper tigers with the old, controlling way of thought, who think they have a new way of thought, start calling the freedom way of living into question. They challenge the views, values and vision of freedom. They focus on the problems that responsible freedom allows. They make it seem like the freedom of living doesn’t work.

Eventually, the freedom of living people caves into those who call their freedom into question. After all, they have a degree and are on television. However, it’s not the rules and regulations that ensnare freedom lovers. Instead, fickleness; short memory; and a propensity to be seduced by words, optics and flattery

Gift...continued on page 18

trap them. Their naivety and lack of discernment snare them. The result is those who started with freedom end up losing their freedom. Those who originally taught the Galatians about freedom, like the Apostle Paul, were perplexed. How could the Galatians give up their God-given freedom so quickly and easily? Their line of questioning would be like this. “Why did you rebuild the old dysfunctional barn we tore down? Who has bewitched you? Why the detour? Why give up your freedom for a paper tiger-created dos and don’ts system? Why did you trade inside transformation from Jesus for outside legislation by paper tigers?”

Everyone has God-given power and rights. When someone gives up their freedom for conformity or safety, codependency results. Codependency herds people into a controlled and obligated corral of bondage. Observe the wisdom from the Scriptures about freedom. “It is clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure you don’t use this

freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to (voluntarily) serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows.” Have you noticed paper tigers don’t do that?

Just like a river has borders, freedom has borders. However, a river without borders is a swamp. The same is true of freedom. Being totally “free” and without restraint leads to a swamp of bondage. I call that “free-dumb.” For example, freedom from lying and stealing is better than the freedom to lie and steal. That’s not freedom, it’s bondage. Absolute freedom requires responsibility and self-control powered by God.

Freedom is an inside job. God sets us free on the inside so we can live “free” on the outside. God writes His laws in our hearts and conscience. God wants people to be free of the things that entangle us. Freedom does not come from information, indoctrination or conformation. Freedom comes from transformation. And the rest is history.

Freedom is high octane. We need God’s wisdom in using real freedom from the scriptures, or we will have

perverted freedom. Why? Eugene Peterson says it perfectly. “Freedom is a delicate and subtle gift, easily perverted and often squandered.” For freedom, Christ set us free.

So don’t use your freedom as an opportunity to do whatever you want whenever you want. That behavior leads to bondage. One more word of encouragement. The truth sets us free, brings us into

freedom and keeps us in freedom. But, unfortunately, tooth decay and truth decay have the same destructive results. So don’t let the truth decay in our culture take away your white, glistening truth of freedom.

To learn more about Pastor Ed Delph, the Church-Community Connection and Nation Strategy email nationstrategy@cs.com, call 623-376-6757 or visit nationstrategy.com.

West Valley View Dining

Litchfield Park Historical Society brings its home tour back

BY JOE MCHUGH West Valley View Staff Writer

The Litchfield Park Historical Society will fire up its biggest fundraiser of the year with the return of the Litchfield Park Home Tour.

This year’s edition will look to show off the rich history of Litchfield Park through the designs and styles of the houses that are on display for the public.

“It is so exciting,” event Co-Chair Meredeth Stucky said.

The Litchfield Park Historical Society (LPHS) Home Tour invites people out to explore and experience six houses that adequately display aspects of the city’s history. Bringing people through the years with some exciting historical houses, the LPHS Home Tour will be adding in another house that displays the more modern side of the city, encapsulating the complete scope of the view Paul Litchfield had when he founded the city.

“There’s a lot of history here,” Stucky said. “And this is what we want to have people realize.”

The event hasn’t gone as planned in prior years, though. Stucky and LPHS Co-Chair Judy Fulton have had to go through their fair share of bumps in the road to get to the 2023 edition of the tour.

In the initial planning of the event, the LPHS was a small group with little funding, where they “hemorrhaged money” just putting the event on.

The planning of the next event was met with another bump, the COVID-19 pandemic, hampering attendance due to the heavy restrictions placed on events.

But persevere the LPHS did, as its small team kept believing in the Home Tour as a valuable and fun event for Litchfield Park residents to attend.

“Really the third year we started, we started to see really a different group of people coming in,” Fulton

said. “It was pretty exciting. … This is exciting. I think we’ve made it now.”

The belief in their event, and their cause to share the history of their town with others has paid off in a big way, as through the Home Tour and other fundraising events, the LPHS has compiled $2.6 million in total funds.

The event itself is as sophisticated as they come. Each home has docents inside them, greeting the attendees with open arms to show off the house and serve as information guides that are able to explain the ins and outs of the houses to paint a complete picture for the people who come.

The Home Tour also brings together the community around their foundation. Some of the houses in years past will include relatives of residents who have lived in Litchfield Park, adding in a personal tie to the event as well.

But most importantly, it brings the history of Litchfield Park out to the forefront and displays all of what the city has gone through over the years it has been around.

“You can’t wait for a person to come to the museum, so we kind of take the history out to the people,” Stucky said. “So, our display that we use during this time is called ‘Homes Through the Decades.’ That just shows how the houses have changed in the decades. It’s really designed to bring the history of Litchfield Park to the people who come for the Home Tour.”

The event serves to raise money for the operations and maintenance costs for the Museum, and the nearly 30 hours of volunteer work that Stucky and Fulton put in to make an event such as the Home Tour happen. With the Tour growing year by year, the work is paying off for what promises to be another exciting event.

“(Our hopes are) for people to learn about Litchfield Park,” Stucky said.

Showing off six houses, the Litchfield Park Historical Society will look to bring the history of the city to the people and on display for them to see. (Litchfield Park Historical Society/Submitted)

Benevilla gears up for Arizona Gives Day

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

Benevilla, the West Valley’s premier family services nonprofit, has joined Arizona Gives Day 2023, a grassroots statewide day of giving, by inviting Arizonans to support their favorite nonprofit causes.

Started by the community and for the community in 1981, Benevilla is a not-for-profit family services agency dedicated to enriching the lives of West Valley residents by providing care services for older adults, adults with disabilities, children and families.

Arizona Gives Day, slated for Tuesday, April 4, is an annual giving movement uniting nonprofit organizations, big and small, new and established, to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Arizona through online giving. The event helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonprofits play in local communities and inspires people to give generously, creating a thriving and stronger Arizona for all.

Donations received through this online platform will support Benevilla’s free Home Services Program. There are over 254,000 West Valley residents who are seniors or adults with disabilities, and many of them

want to stay independent at home but do not have a personal support network to assist them, and Benevilla is working to meet the vital needs of older adults in the West Valley with their free volunteer-driven Home Services program offering grocery shopping assistance, wellness checks/phone pals, emergency errands, light handyman services, and assisted transportation to medical appointments.

To jump-start this year’s campaign, an anonymous donor promised to match donations dollar for dollar to Benevilla up to the first $10,000 raised for Arizona Gives Day, therefore doubling the impact of a donation.

Anyone who is passionate about their community, has family or friends who are older and struggling with the challenges of living alone, or just wants to make a difference in the community should participate in Arizona Gives Day.

The donation period began on March 14. To donate, visit azgives. org/benevilla or call 623-584-4999.

For more information on services, volunteer opportunities, to take a tour or donate to Benevilla, call 623584-4999 or visit benevilla.org.

Grocery shopping assistance is among the offerings of the volunteer-driven Home Services program at Benevilla. (Benevilla/Submitted)

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.

EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

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

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!

Ob uaries

Richard Carlson

Richard (Rick) Carlson passed away peacefully on March 3, 2023. Rick was born November 3, 1948 in Montclair, NJ to Allen and Betty Carlson.

A memorial service will be held at 3:30PM, Sunday, March 26 at ompson Funeral Chapel.

To read the full obituary, please visit www. thompsonfuneralchapel.com/obituary/richard-carlson

Florine Adele Law

Florine Adele Law of Goodyear, Arizona passed away February 28, 2023 at the age of 94. She was born January 31, 1929 in Millstadt, Illinois to Erwin and Frieda (nee Scharf) Mueller.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 8pm on ursday, March 23 at ompson Funeral Chapel. A memorial service will begin at 6pm. Interment will take place at 10AM Friday, March 24 at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery.

To leave the family condolences, please visit www.thompsonfuneralchapel.com/obituary/ orine-law

Francisco Jose Cabrera, Sr.

Francisco Jose Cabrera, Sr. of Avondale, Arizona passed away March 7, 2023 at the age of 66. He was born August 6, 1956 in Phoenix, Arizona to Ylario Cabrera and Ester Salas.

Gene Everett Wood III Gene Everett

Gene Everett Wood III of Buckeye, Arizona passed away on February 1st 2023, he would have been 35 on February 18, 2023 to Gene Everett Wood II and Michelle Bjorklund.

GeneEverettWoodIIIofBuckeye, ArizonapassedawayonFebruary1st 2023,hewouldhavebeen35on February18,2023toGeneEverett WoodIIandMichelleBjorklund.

Services were under the direction of Thompson Funeral Chapel.

To read the full obituary, please visit www.thompsonfuneralchapel.com/ obituary/crabrera-sr-jr

Memorialserviceswillbeheld 11:00amto2:00pmonMarch25th2023 atTheChurchofJesusChristofLatterdaySaints,22487WSundancePkwy,Buckeye,AZ. Genelovedthesimplethingsinlife.Hewasourgenius whowillbegreatlymissedbyhislovingfamilyand friendsandalwaysrememberedintheirhearts.

Memorial services will be held 11:00am to 2:00pm on March 25th 2023 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, 22487 W Sundance Pkwy, Buckeye, AZ.

Gene loved the simple things in life. He was our genius who will be greatly missed by his loving family and friends and always remembered in their hearts.

Francisco Cabrera, Jr

Francisco Cabrera, Jr. of Avondale, Arizona passed away March 6, 2023 at the age of 40. He was born September 11, 1982 in Phoenix, Arizona to Francisco Cabrera, Sr. and Bellia Guerrero.

Services were under the direction of Thompson Funeral Chapel.

To read the full obituary, please visit www.thompsonfuneralchapel.com/ obituary/crabrera-sr-jr

William T. Bishop Sr

William T. Bishop Sr. (Coach) passed peacefully in his Goodyear home with his family at his side on December 27, 2022.

Services will be Friday, March 24, 10:00 at Christ Presbyterian Church, 925 N. Sarival Goodyear AZ. Graveside services and full Military Honors to follow at 1:30 at Louis B. Hazelton Memorial Cemetery, 23100 W Broadway Rd., Buckeye AZ. Coach's kind heart, giving nature and positive impact on so many lives will be missed by a multitude of family and friends, too numerous to count.

Raymond (Ray) H.

Kloesen passed away on February 21, 2023 in Surprise, Arizona. He was born in Emerson, Neabraska on August 21, 1922, to John and Helen Kloesen where he grew up and developed his strong work ethic on the family farm.

He met and married his wife, Ann, in Toledo, Ohio. Shortly thereafter, he was drafted to serve in the United States Army during World War II. Raymond served in Europe and was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and later liberated by General George Patton.

After returning home from the war, he moved to Tempe, Arizona with his wife and began his career as a carpenter. Eventually, he developed his own construction company and built many custom homes in Maricopa County and Prescott, Arizona. He also built and owned Westside Mini-Storage, which was the first storage facility located in the west valley and one of several commercial buildings he built. He was an avid golfer and sports enthusiast who played his last round of golf at the age of 100. Ray was especially known for his generosity and support of many charities.

He was preceded in death by his wife Ann and is survived by his daughter, Cindy Lair, granddaughter, Crista Lair, one great granddaughter, and two great great grandchildren.

Contributions may be made to Hospice of the Valley. Arrangements by Best Funeral Services.

Wood III

Raymond H. Kloesen

For more youth visit westvalleyview.com

WestValleyView.com /WestValleyView

Liberty Elementary School hosts Agriculture Showcase

BY CAMERON CHESTER West Valley View Staff Writer

The annual Agricultural Showcase is slated to be held at Liberty Elementary School, 19801 W. Fremont Road, Buckeye, on Thursday, March 30, from 5 to 7 p.m.

The showcase offers Liberty Elementary School the chance to welcome the neighborhood to its campus and demonstrate the dedication to its signature AgScience curriculum. The showcase will feature family activities, animal activities, a $5 dinner, and the ever-popular 6 p.m. Dessert Auction.

“Liberty Elementary School is proud of its historic roots and its agricultural community,” Liberty Elementary School Principal Holly Weiner said. “Our AgScience signature program allows us to integrate agriculture literacy outcomes within our everyday curriculum. Students learn and apply grade-level skills in agriscience through hands-on activities, exploration and problem solving. Liberty has 30 gardens that students plant, experiment and tend to, chickens that students have raised and hatched, along with bunnies they care for.

“These activities make learning meaningful and engaging. Additionally, there is quintessential STEM education in agriculture, from learning about organisms, soil testing, alternative types of planting and growing, and building agricultural businesses. Having a foundational base in agriculture sets our students up for long-term success.”

In order to produce generations of students who accomplish academic and personal progress while recognizing the significance of agricultural literacy, Liberty supports students, kindergarten through eighth grade, and aims to forge meaningful relationships. To achieve this, Liberty combines farm literacy with core curriculum standards to encourage

long-term nutrition, environmental sustainability, and consideration of a career in agriculture.

Weiner said, “The Ag Showcase really is the event of the year at Liberty Elementary School, as it provides us the platform to celebrate our students, teachers and community,” Weiner said. “It’s an opportunity to showcase our students’ work while also getting the community together to connect and raise support for the school and our purpose. We host the Ag Showcase each spring as a culminating event to show off the AgScience integration and provide our families and community the opportunity to learn along with our students in a variety of make-and-take projects.”

During the Agricultural Showcase, Liberty’s preschool will also observe Week of the Young Child in the gym. Kids will enjoy the engaging activities, and parents will have access to useful materials.

“This is a national recognition provided by the National Association for the Education of Young Children,” Early Childhood Preschool Coordinator Kristel High said. “The Week of the Young Child is all about celebrating early learning, young children, their teachers and families. We will have parent resources that will guide the developmental growth of their preschool-aged children, including items related to health and wellness and communication tools.

“This event gives us the platform to celebrate our high-quality preschool program, children and teachers, in addition to raising awareness about our preschool program. We appreciate that First Things First awarded us a grant for our preschool so that our future kindergarteners can start school ready to succeed.”

Parents that will come to the event, Weienber said, will also learn a few things about agriculture.

“Parents will see how much we care about our agricultural roots, students, teachers and community,” she said. “They’ll learn about the AgScience integration that our classes have been working on, animals that our students are caring for and will be showing in a few weeks at the County Fair, and what resources we have available to support them. Future Liberty parents will observe what makes Liberty Elementary School a unique place to call home for our current and future students.

“At Liberty Elementary School, we create meaningful relationships, producing generations of students who achieve academic and personal growth while embracing the importance of agricultural literacy. We believe all children are capable of success, no exceptions.”

Liberty Elementary School aims to produce generations of students who accomplish academic and personal progress while recognizing the significance of agricultural literacy. (Liberty Elementary School/Submitted)

Senior to Senior program to strengthen Avondale

BY GREY GARTIN West Valley View Staff Writer

The Agua Fria Union High School District recently brought together its new Senior to Senior program to participate in Read Across America week in conjunction with the Eliseo C. Felix Elementary School and the Avondale Elementary School District.

The Senior to Senior program is a result of a 10-year strategic plan laid out by the Agua Fria district and Superintendent Mark Yslas.

“One of the tenets of the strategic plan was to cultivate community, and what we thought would be a great idea was to try to bridge the generational gap between our students and some of the seniors in our community,” Yslas said.

The program partners high school seniors from the Agua Fria District with senior members of the surrounding community. The partnership helps graduating high schoolers

by exposing them to mentors in life, business and education. Seniors in the community get to build lasting intergenerational friendships and practice their mentorship skills.

Yslas said that “it has been just an amazing experience to see them interact and to see them form relationships.”

One of the activities brought on by the Senior to Senior program was a luncheon where the partnered high school seniors put on a workshop for their community senior counterparts on how to use newer cell phones.

“What we thought was going to be a few activities throughout the year to get them together has really turned into an opportunity for them to build lasting friendships,” Yslas said.

Read Across America Week took place earlier in early March, and with the event came a new facet to the Senior to Senior program. The partnered high school seniors and senior community members visited the

Elementary School District. (Agua Fria Union High School District/Submitted)

Eliseo C. Felix Elementary School together to celebrate the birthday of a prolific children’s author.

“The relationship between Agua Fria High School District and Avondale Elementary School District is incredibly close,” said Betsy Hargrove, Superintendent of the Avondale Elementary School District. “When an opportunity came forward to have

our Seniors to Seniors program from Agua Fria come participate for Dr. Seuss’ birthday, it was a perfect fit.”

The high school and community seniors were able to even further foster intergenerational friendships and build the connectedness of the Avondale community by spending

Senior...continued on page 25

1. You might skip the waitlist: Limited seats are available! Offers are sent on a first-come, firstserved basis. Act now to beat the rush!

2. You can drop your stress level: Secure your child’s seat in our affordable before and after school programs. It’s one less thing to worry about!

3. You can get the jump on next year: Start getting involved now with our events and extracurriculars updates to set up your student’s best year yet!

Agua Fria Union High School District’s new Senior to Senior program participated in Read Across America week with Eliseo C. Felix Elementary School and the Avondale

STEMcon features several interesting projects

BY GAVIN LOPEZ Canyon View High School

Canyon View High School hosted STEMcon recently, during which time students browsed several projects completed by scholars or visited with professionals to learn more about their jobs.

These professionals were all locally employed and included careers such as power plant workers and wildfire firefighters. The students’ projects were to answer the question: What are some challenges in our community, and what can we do to solve them? The variety of responses were fascinating and diverse.

STEMcon was full of students answering questions about how to solve problems their community may face, and they were masters in their subject. Students who were questioned on their project could go in great depth about the details and were able to teach all the information surrounding their topic effectively. This year’s STEMcon provided students with an excellent opportunity to show what they learned in their experiments.

One interesting fact is the Dutch Bros in Avondale uses locally cleaned water straight from a pipe in the ground. The pipes in Avondale extend tens of thousands of feet under the city, and it is essential for

Senior...continued from page 24

the day reading with and to elementary school students.

Hargrove said that she and the other superintendents “are always looking for opportunities to be able to engage across our districts, because we believe as our students leave Avondale, they can stay connected with Avondale.”

The Read Across America event and celebration of Dr. Suess’ birthday is set to become an annual tradition, and the superintendents hope

people to check the water regularly. One of the professionals explained that Tardigrades are used in the facility to help treat the water.

Many of the students’ projects focused on plants. Loki Aspinall’s project was on the cellular respiration of yeast with sugar substitutes. Cellular respiration creates ATP energy, which is food for plants. He explained why bread could be the best solution for the yeast.

Aspinall tested granulated sugar, saccharin and sucralose. Sugar helps yeast to do things like help expand the bread, retain moisture and improve crumb texture. Aspinall measured the cellular respiration in a balloon, measuring only for the expansion part of the sugar’s job when it is helping the yeast. He checked every 30 minutes on how fast the substitute would affect the yeast in the balloon, and the more it expanded, the better. He found Saccralin expanded the most in the shortest amount of time and was also the cheapest of the three substitutes, making it the best substitute for the cellular respiration of yeast with sugar substitutes.

The community can look forward to more projects and displays as STEMcon will return in the spring of 2024. For more information on this event and upcoming events, visit aguafria.org/stemcon.

that programs like this help to keep the Avondale community strong.

“When we think about having our children envision themselves in the future, we want them to be able to see themselves as full participants in our community,” Hargrove said.

Both Hargrove and Yslas hope that the Senior to Senior program continues to partner with Avondale community schools for events throughout the year to embolden students and community members alike to grow closer and strengthen the city of Avondale.

Kids eat free at these WV restaurants

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

LITCHFIELD PARK

Denny’s 4865 N. Dysart Road, Litchfield Park 602-830-8505, dennys.com

Offered Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. Two free kids meals are provided per adult meal.

BUCKEYE

Café Rio Mexican Grill

1177 S. Watson Road, Buckeye 623-259-4259, caferio.com

Free quesadillas are served for kids 10 and under with the purchase of one adult meal throughout the week.

Denny’s

9960 W. Lower Buckeye Road, Buckeye

623-440-6235, dennys.com

Offered Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. Two free kids meals are provided per adult meal.

AVONDALE

Café Rio Mexican Grill

10120 W. McDowell Road, Avondale 623-748-2100, caferio.com

Free quesadillas are served for kids 10 and under with one adult meal purchased all throughout the week.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

10005 W. McDowell Road, Avondale 623-936-2011, dickeys.com

On Sundays, kids can receive a free meal with the purchase of a meal for a minimum of $12.

IHOP

1491 N. Dysart Road, Avondale

623-925-1260, ihop.com

Free kids meals are provided throughout the week after 3 p.m.

NYPD Pizza

1619 N. Dysart Road, Suite 103, Avondale 623-536-6973, aznypdpizza.com

On Wednesdays, free kids meals

are provided after 4 p.m., but on Saturdays, with the purchase of one small pizza, it is offered all day for kids 10 and under.

Village Inn

10010 W. McDowell Road, Avondale 623-478-0895, villageinn.com

On Mondays, one free kids meal is provided per every adult meal purchase.

Tolleson

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

9860 W. Lower Buckeye Road, Tolleson 623-936-8298, dickeys.com

On Sundays, kids can receive a free meal with the purchase of a meal for a minimum of $12.

GOODYEAR

Applebee’s Grill and Bar

13832 W. McDowell Road, Goodyear 623-536 8440, applebees.com

Free kids meal provided with the

purchase of any full adult entrée.

Chili’s

1371 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 623-535-4222, chilis.com

Chili’s Rewards members can earn free kids meals for kids 12 and under with the purchase of a regular entrée.

Clubhouse Grill

14175 W. Indian School Road, Suite C01, Goodyear 623-535-4857, clubhousegrillaz.com

Kids ages 10 and younger eat free every day, all day with a purchase of an adult entree.

Denny’s

1218 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 623-935-7388, dennys.com

Offered Tuesday through Thursday, from 4 to 10 p.m. Two free kids meals are provided per adult meal.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

15525 W. Roosevelt Street, Goodyear 623-233-6136, dickeys.com

On Sundays, kids can receive a free meal with the purchase of a meal for a minimum of $12. Pay

Telehealth and virtual visits

FREE over-the-counter healthcare items

Dental

Fitness membership

$0 or low premium

Transportation

Prescription drug coverage

FREE preventive care

COVID-19 testing

Medicare brand for Centene Corporation, an HMO, PPO, PFFS, 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.

Benefits vary by plan. ‘Ohana Health Plan, a plan offered by Wellcare Health

Y0020_WCM_90544E1_M Final31 CMS Approved 09132022

NA3WCMADV90544E_LINE

©Wellcare 2022

benefits you want, plus a little extra, including:

services with no annual max, including exams, fillings, extractions, implants, and dentures

Insurance of Arizona, Inc. Wellcare is the

Avoiding Overused Terms

We all think of ourselves as driven, e ective and creative, right?

Unfortunately, those three descriptors are typically the most used words on resumes and LinkedIn pro les.

at ends up robbing them of meaning. If everyone is organized, patient, strategic and responsible, then how can any candidate ultimately stand out? Best to avoid overused terms with your résumé, online presence and professional conversations.

ere’s nothing wrong with these adjectives, of course. In fact, they represent the main attributes that hiring managers are looking for when a position comes open.

e key is to nd a more creative approach when describing yourself.

FINDING THE RIGHT WORD

Resumes, online profiles, professional websites or interview talking points are meant to set candidates apart from what can be an over-stuffed talent pool. You want to stand out more than blend in. But traveling the same worn language path isn’t going to convince a hiring manager that you are a unique thinker. Moreover, trotting out the same tired descriptions will often lead to probing questions that you may not be prepared to answer. Faced with yet another applicant who calls themselves “innovative,” for instance, a recruiter might ask for specifics. If you can’t back up your words with specific work examples that produced key related achievements, you’ll look unprepared — or maybe even deceitful. That’s not likely to get you the job.

TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Who says you have to write down anything at all? After all, the search for powerful and trendy keywords is being joined by thousands of other applicants daily. Consider integrating video, audio or other multimedia presentations into your online pro le, website and candidacy presentation. is provides a new and innovative way for recruiters and hiring managers to get to know you better.

HAVE OTHERS SAY IT

If you think of yourself as driven, e ective and creative, then surely there are others who agree. Search out recommendations from respected colleagues, industry gures, coworkers and supervisors who’ll convey

Family Medicine Physicians (Multiple Openings)

sought by Adelante Healthcare, Inc. for Maricopa County, AZ locations.

Must have M.D. or equiv.; completed Family Medicine residency; Board certification or elig. in Family Medicine; and AZ medical license or elig. Send resume to: Meredith White, 3033 North Central Ave, Ste. 145, Phoenix, AZ 85012 or fax (623) 583-3007.

Saturday, April 1, 2023

CLASSIFIEDS.PHOENIX.ORG

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION FOR I Name: CHAMPLAIN 505 LLC II The address of the registered office is: 15446 W Montecito Ave Goodyear, AZ 853951. The name of the Statutory Agent is: Harry Fleming Jr., Management of the Limited Liability Company is vested in a manager or managers. The names of each person who is a manager and each member who owns a twenty percent or greater interest in the capital or profits of the limited liability company are: MEMBER/MANAGERS/ORGANIZERS:

Name and address for each. Harry Fleming Jr., PO Box 5903 Goodyear, AZ 85338, Carol Annette Fleming, PO Box 5903 Goodyear, AZ 85338

Published in the West Valley View, Mar 8, 15, 22, 2023

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION FOR I Name:

DIVINE INTERIOR LLC II The address of the registered office is:13827 W Luke Ave Litchfield Park, AZ 85340. The name of the Statutory Agent is: Serrina Flores, LLC III Management of the Limited Liability Company is vested in a manager or managers.

The names of each person who is a manager and each member who owns a twenty percent or greater interest in the capital or profits of the limited liability company are: MEMBER/MANAGERS/ORGANIZERS:

Name and address for each. Serrina Flores, 13827 W Luke Ave Litchfield Park, AZ 85340

Published in the West Valley View, Mar 15, 22, 29, 2023

Easy-To-Read Digital Edition

Catclaw Solar Project Open House

Avantus invites you to learn about and provide input on its proposed Catclaw Solar Project (Project). The Project involves an approximately 7-mile, 230 kilovolt (kV) generation intertie (gen-tie) transmission line and substation that would connect the planned Catclaw Solar generation facility to the regional electric grid at the existing Arizona Public Service Company Sun Valley Substation. The proposed route for the Gen-Tie would predominately run south-to-north, east of North Sun Valley Parkway, starting approximately 10 miles north of Interstate 10, in Buckeye, Arizona.

Avantus plans to file an application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) and present the Project at a hearing before the Arizona Power Plant and Line Siting Committee (Committee). If approved by the Committee, the CEC will then be presented to the Arizona Corporation Commission for their consideration and final decision.

Avantus invites you to attend an open house meeting to learn more about the Project and its benefits on March 29, 2023. You will be able to speak one-on-one with team members, ask questions, and provide input. The meeting will be held at the following location, date, and time: Bales Elementary School

25400 W Maricopa Rd, Buckeye, AZ 85326

March 29, 2023

4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Additional information about the Project, including maps showing the proposed gen-tie and solar facility, is available on the Project website: http://catclawsolar.com and on the Project’s virtual open house at: http://catclawsolaropenhouse.com. Avantus welcomes public comment throughout the CEC process. Questions and comments can be submitted using one of the options listed below:

Email: Catclaw@avantus.com

Telephone: (480) 680-2173

Mail: Catclaw Solar 230 kV Gen-Tie Project

c/o SWCA Environmental Consultants

1645 S Plaza Way Flagstaff, Arizona 86001

Published in the West Valley View, Mar 15, 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES LOCAL JOBS Now Hiring! JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG www.westvalleyview.com Subscribe here Receive your digital flip-thru edition every week in your e-mail box! The Voice of the West Valley for 37 years April 20, 2022 westvalleyview.com THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON INSIDE This Week NEWS 3 New law counters ‘shameful medical billing’ FEATURES 23 WV woman grows Desert Edge choir program YOUTH 27 West Point mariachi singer the odds OPINION 14 BUSINESS 18 SPORTS 20 CALENDAR 21 FEATURES 22 OBITUARIES 25 YOUTH 26 CLASSIFIEDS 28 KORE Power PAGE 18 LGI Homes 19 A the West Valley continues grow, schools are doing their best to keep up with the increasing population and cater the large number of new students each school year. Part of that effort adding new projects on campus, including beautification and upkeep to attract new families. Thomas Heck Middle School received $100,000 donation at the end 2021 assist that effort. “It was such an amazing surprise when found out about it,” said Kristin Casillas, principal of L. Thomas Heck Middle School. “It was an incredibly exciting gift. That’s huge amount money for school use, unrestricted, to do what you want with it.” The donation came from Fosters Outriders, an organization that approached Dr. ThomHeck, the previous superintendent of the Litchfield Elementary School District, about Heck’s new classroom due to $100K donation BY SERRATO West Staff Writer Goodyear City Manager Julie Karins upheld the termination of Dwayne Pollard, former Goodyear police lieutenant, on April 11. On Nov. 19, 2021, Pollard was terminated for violating department policies when came how he processed multiple death investigations. Goodyear police lieutenant’s termination upheld CHRISTINAFUOCO-KARASINSKI West View Executive WE CARS BUY TOP DOLLAR! BRING US YOUR VEHICLE TODAY!

CITY OF BUCKEYE, ARIZONA INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) No. KHOV-ENG-22-0058

PUBLIC NOTICE

K HOVNANIAN HOMES is seeking sealed bids from qualified contractors to construct 4631 LF of 16-inch water line along Watson Road and Broadway Road in Buckeye, AZ. Sealed Bids shall be due by April 26th, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., MST. Contractors wishing to submit a Bid may obtain the IFB packet by contacting Joel Trimarche at JTrimarche@khov.com or (602) 920-5742. IFB Packets may also be downloaded at https://docs.b360.autodesk.com/shares/9300afb53ad8-459d-bbbd-5baa3a19309d

Pre-Bid Conference is scheduled for 10:00 am, MST, April 5th, 2023. The Link for this conference can be found in the IFB Packet.

Published in the West Valley View, Mar 15, 22, 29, 2023

www.affinitybehavioralcare.net EMPLOYMENT-GENERAL

or call 480-590-6877

is a non-profit organization that provides programs and services to men, women, and children with developmental disabilities.

We are currently looking for caregivers to work in group homes throughout Glendale, Phoenix, Peoria and Scottsdale. Must pass background check.

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