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This Week
NEWS ............... 8 Buckeye Valley named a Premier EMS Agency
SPORTS ......... 18 Final Cactus League attendance revealed
9 DAYS .......... 20 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
LETTERS.........................10 BUSINESS..................... 14 SPORTS...........................16 FEATURES......................22 NEIGHBORHOOD.......28 YOUTH............................30 OBITUARIES..................34 CLASSIFIEDS.................35 NORTH
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The Voice of the West Valley for 33 years
April 10, 2019
Border wall funding won’t affect Luke projects BY DARRELL JACKSON West Valley View Staff Writer
As President Donald Trump continues to press for funding of a border wall, numerous military bases are bracing for cuts to their budgets. But Luke Air Force Base seems to be safe when it comes to projects that are already funded, approved and set to begin. Two F-35 projects estimated to cost approximately $40 million have been saved, according to Rep. Debbie Lesko, who represents the base and much of the West Valley. She said she recently contacted Luke Air Force Base, the White House and the Pentagon about the projects. The two projects in question include buildings to support a new squadron for the top-of-the-line F-35A jets. Some have feared the projects could have been defunded through Trump’s declaration of a national emergency in February. Although approved projects are safe, Lesko added it is “simply too early to determine what, if any, impact the president’s declaration of a national emergency may have on Luke (which totals a $12.9 billion budget). The F-35 program is hugely invaluable and very important, and is vital to our national defense. And we need to protect it.” Trump has been seeking $3.6 billion of the proposed $8.1 billion to fund a wall or
The F-35A Lightning II sits in a hangar loaded with dummy external munitions at Luke Air Force Base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aspen Reid)
fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, in a letter released last month, said no military projects approved in the military’s current fiscal year, which ends September 30, will be impacted for the emergency funds. That includes both Luke Air Force Base projects, which were awarded in late June.
“It is completely inappropriate to use any resources that would be diverted from the important mission of Luke,” Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton of Phoenix said. “The F-35 mission is so important to Luke Air Force Base, and the entire mission of Luke and national security
Luke..continued on page 3
Hickman’s Tonopah building destroyed in fire BY CONNOR DZIAWURA
West Valley View Managing Editor
Officials have yet to disclose the origin of a fire that destroyed an unpopulated barn at Hickman’s Family Farms’ Tonopah operations at 4:15 p.m. April 4. The dam-
age is estimated in the millions, according to spokeswoman Sharman Hickman. The newly constructed building was empty at the time of the fire, which took place during shift change so no employees were injured, Hickman said.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the scene first, with Buckeye Valley, Tonopah, Buckeye and Harquahala Valley fire departments fol-
Fire...continued on page 2
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