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www.ahwatukee.com
PAGEANT HOPEFUL
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
. 24 FIRST TIME 10 NOVELIST YEARS LATER
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AHWATUKEE FROZEN
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he owner of a site where a controversial QuikTrip gas station would be located along the only way in or out of an Ahwatukee community has withdrawn a request for city review of some site plan changes, leaving it unclear whether the company has abandoned its plan. The owner of a 3-acre plot at the corner of Cottonwood Way and 40th Street had sought city approval of some modifications to an original site plan that was approved in 2001, when the site was zoned C-2 commercial. “The applicant withdrew the request for modifications so the case is closed,” said city Planning and Development Department spokeswoman Angie Holdsworth. “The ap-
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plicant will be required to comply with the existing zoning for this site and the development review process.” The modifications would have enabled QuikTrip to construct the store in the way the company thought best and it is unclear if the it has a backup plan. Adding to the mystery is the absence of any request to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, which reviews plans for underground gas tanks. The city Fire Department issues permits for tanks but could not answer a question on whether a permit had been sought for the site. Attorney Charles Huellmantel, the attorney who represented the site owner in a testy hearing before the Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee in April, did not return calls for comment.
New Kyrene pupil, 5, to take on Congress BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
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@AhwatukeeFN
Controversial gas station’s future gets hazy BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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@AhwatukeeFN |
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ive-year-old Grant Leonard has enough on his plate with his type 1 diabetes, but this summer he’s also advocating for more research dollars to fight the disease. The Gilbert youngster — an incoming kinderartner at Colina Elementary in Ahwatukee — will join over 160 other children from across the country July 8-10 at the nation’s Capitol for the JDRF 2019 Children’s Congress. JDRF is an advocacy nonprofit that funds type 1 diabetes research and was formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research
QuikTrip does not own the land and the Scottsdale developer who does own it would presumably be leasing it to the company. Regardless, it promises to be a cash cow because it would have been the only gas station closed to the South Mountain Freeway along the entire 6.5-mile Pecos segment. Foothills Paseo II residents were buoyed by the application withdrawal, but remain vigilant. “We’re not giving up,” said resident Brie Nielsen. “They still have many approvals to go through and we’re going to be watching every step of the way.” Residents have expressed concern over the fact that the gas station — with its potential for a hazardous material spill — would sit on
see QUIKTRIP page 7
Foundation. “He is such a strong little boy and we are so proud of him,” said mom Faith Leonard. “We see real strength every day.” Grant has a one-on-one meeting with Arizona’s lawmakers, U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally and U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who represents District 5, which includes Gilbert and most of the East Valley, according to Leonard.
see DIABETES page 12
Grant Leonard, 5, an incoming Colina Elementary kindergartner, suffers from type 1 diabetes, but the brave tyke won’t let that deter him from heading to Washington. (The Leanard Family)
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