THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON Meals of Buckeye Joy hosting author first duck publishes derby book PAGE
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westvalleyview.com
INSIDE
This Week
NEWS .............. 4 Bob Musselwhite withdraws from CD8 race
SPORTS ........ 17 Monster Gila trout caught at Goldwater Lake
9 DAYS ......... 19 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
LETTERS ........................12 BUSINESS..................... 15 SPORTS ..........................17 FEATURES .....................21 NEIGHBORHOOD......26 YOUTH ...........................27 OBITUARIES .................31 CLASSIFIEDS................31 NORTH
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The Voice of the West Valley for 33 years
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June 27, 2018
WV native is Luke AFB’s new commander By Mckayla Hull
Brig. Gen. Todd Canterbury has returned to the West Valley to take command of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base. “This is like a dream come true to get to come home,” Canterbury told the West Valley View. “To command the men and women of the 56th Fighter Wing as we continue to train fighter pilots for the United States Air Force is a dream come true. I feel like I won the lottery.” Canterbury – who lived at the base from 1982 to 1985, and formerly lived in Tempe and Litchfield Park – was honored during an emotional change-of-command ceremony at Luke AFB on June 20 officiated by Maj. Gen. Patrick Doherty, commander of 19th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The 56th Fighter Wing is the Air Force’s only active-duty F-16 training wing and one of two F-35 training wings. Canterbury, a command pilot with more than 4,100 flying hours, including 650 combat hours, comes to Luke from the Pentagon, where he served as director of the F-35 Integration Office. Departing commander Brig. Gen. Brook J. Leonard teared up as he addressed the audience for the last time as wing commander. He wants base officials
to remember “we must build teams and we must make bold decisions.” He will move on to serve as the deputy commanding general of the Air Combined Joint Forces Component Command in Iraq. “In the end it’s about winning. It’s about staying and remaining the world’s greatest Air Force,” Leonard said. “I can’t think of a better person to take over this wonderful wing.” Canterbury is following in the footsteps of his father, Maj. Gen. Hank Canterbury, the former commander of Tactical Maj. Gen. Patrick Doherty, 19th Air Force commander, hands the to Brig. Gen. Todd Canterbury during the 56th Fighter Wing Air Command’s 832nd guidon change-of-command ceremony June 20 at Luke Air Force Base. Air Division at Luke from Canterbury assumed command from Brig. Gen. Brook Leonard, right, who will move on to be become the deputy commanding 1982 to 1984. general of the Air Combined Joint Forces Component Command “The Air Force is very in Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ridge Shan) excited about the trusted, respected leadership that the Canterbury father be the Luke commander and now the family brings to Luke Air Force Base and son is taking over as the Luke commander. the 56th Fighter Wing,” Doherty said. “I I’m not so sure that’s happened in the think it’s probably the first time we had a
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Verrado students punished for ‘inappropriate’ behavior By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The Verrado High School baseball team advanced to the state championship last season, but months before the game, unknown to the public, the athletes were embroiled in a scandal that “disrupted” school function, according to the superintendent. According to a Buckeye Police report obtained by the West Valley View, the Verrado boys baseball and girls softball teams were headed home on a school bus from Maricopa High School April 5 when the young women allegedly witnessed a boy being sexually assaulted by his teammates.
The victim refused to press charges, but the students were reprimanded by the school, according to Agua Fria School District Superintendent Dennis Runyan. “The incident was a disruption to school function and inappropriate behavior,” Runyan said via email. “All individual students involved received disciplinary action. Because of privacy rights the students’ individual discipline is not disclosed as a student record under FERPA. The incident was also reported to the SRO (school resource offi-
cer) with a follow-up investigation.” He said the “normal discipline for this type of disruption” is a three- to nine-day suspension, possible missed games or potential removal from a team if it involves athletes. Runyan said staff suggested further training for the coaches. “Through our investigation and the police investigation of the incident, I do believe this incident has been processed correctly,” Runyan said. “There were no ad-
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