West Valley View - West 06-10-2020

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THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON Paramedic writes eighth book

‘Uber for laundry’ PAGE

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westvalleyview.com

INSIDE

This Week

NEWS .............. 6 Betty Lynch continues to serve the West Valley

NEWS .............. 8 Goodman is Buckeye’s new councilman

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Casino reopens as COVID-19 cases rise

BY TOM SCANLON

West Valley View Managing Editor

The Desert Diamond Casino West Valley reopened June 5—cautiously. Like a wise gambler, Desert Diamond didn’t rush to go “all in” without regard for risks. Instead, the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise casino said it is carefully guarding its employees as well as patrons. Years in the making, the casino opened Feb. 19, only to close a month later due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’ve used the closure time to thoroughly clean and prepare our facilities to welcome back our guests,” said Rudy Prieto, CEO of the TOGE. “These extraordinary precautions have been undertaken to provide everyone a safe, friendly environment to return to for fun and excitement.” While the casino reopens with “extensive new safety precautions,” including

Clinical Officer Dr. Marjorie Bessel held a news conference. “Arizona’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are rapidly increasing,” Bessel said. She said half of the state’s 1,200 COVID-19 patients were at Banner Health facilities. “Most concerning is the steep incline of COVID-19 patients on ventilators,” Bessel said. “If these trends continue, Banner will soon need to exerDesert Diamond Casino West Valley reopened June 5, with reduced hours and an emphasis on safety. Guests and employees must wear masks, and staff will cise its surge plan to increase regularly clean and sanitize slot machines and other equipment. ICU capacity.” (West Valley View photo by Pablo Robles) Asked about Abrazo West’s temperature checks and masks required capacity, hospital spokesman Keith Jones by guests (who can remove them to eat, said, “We can safely and appropriately care drink and smoke) and employees, officials for our patients with the necessary supplies warned that COVID-19 is on the rise. and equipment that we currently have.” Also on June 5, Banner Health Chief Casino...continued on page 2

Development could lead to ‘nightmare’ traffic

BY TOM SCANLON

OPINION ...............10 BUSINESS.............. 14 FEATURES ..............18 YOUTH ..................22 OBITUARIES ...........26 CLASSIFIEDS ..........28

Neighbors are alarmed, and the city of Goodyear sent a letter of concern about a proposed development on West Camelback Road east of the Loop 303. This is not a repeat. A month after Goodyear sent a letter to Maricopa County expressing apprehension over the proposed development of Falcon Golf Course, the city learned of another project just west of the golf course. While the proposed Alsup Industrial Park

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June 10, 2020

The Voice of the West Valley for 35 years

OPINION ...... 13 Cross-dock facility will bring hundreds of jobs to WV

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West Valley View Managing Editor

at West Camelback Road and North 159th Avenue is also in unincorporated Maricopa County, the city of Glendale is in the process of annexing the Alsup land. On June 4, the Glendale Planning Commission approve a rezoning request of Alsup for “approximately 1.2 million square feet of building space feet of industrial, warehouse, office and e-commerce uses.” At the same meeting, the commission approved a rezoning of the 800-acre Allen Ranches—which Glendale is also in the

At a Glendale Planning Commission meeting, Julie Borges says the developer of Allen Ranches in the Waddell/ Litchfield Park area wants too many small lots. (Photo courtesy city of Glendale)

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