Glendale’s Community Newspaper
www.glendalestar.com
Vol. 77 No. 37
INSIDE
This Week
Local fire departments remember 9/11 BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Glendale Star Executive Editor
SPORTS ........ 20 Kylie McKenzie returns to train at iTUSA tennis facility
September 9, 2021
Peoria Fire Chief Bobby Ruiz’s voice softens when he talks about the horrors he saw in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Employed by the Phoenix Fire Department in 2001, Ruiz headed to the Twin Towers as part of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Urban Search and Rescue Arizona Task Force 1. One day in particular stands out. “I think the roughest day we had — and I think all the members had — was the day we found about 20 or 30 firefighters in the south tower stairwell,” he said. “Bodies were mangled and every which way.”
When remains were recovered, an air horn sounded and everything stopped. “If we thought that member belonged to the Port Authority, we would back out and let the Port Authority come in and retrieve their own members,” Ruiz said. “We would allow the NYPD or NYFD to retrieve their own members, too. For civilians, we would pull them out.” The remains were transported via a golf cart to a makeshift morgue in a nearby church. “I just remember all day long, it was one firefighter after another and we just saluted as they went by,” he recalled. “I think that was the toughest day for all of us. We spent most of the day just standing by,
SEE 9/11 PAGE 4
Peoria Fire Chief Bobby Ruiz witnessed the nightmarish aftereffects of 9/11. (Photo courtesy of the Peoria Fire Chief)
Coyotes officially have eyes on Tempe BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
FEATURES .... 24 Ballet Arizona presents 4 free performances
OPINION..................... 12 BUSINESS.................. 16 SPORTS ...................... 20 FEATURES.................. 24 RELIGION ................... 28 YOUTH........................ 30 CLASSIFIEDS ............. 32
Glendale Star Executive Editor
The Arizona Coyotes submitted the only proposal to the city of Tempe for a mixeduse project incorporating a professional sports franchise and entertainment district. The Coyotes acknowledged their submittal in a short statement to the press. “We are pleased to have submitted a proposal to the city of Tempe. As regulations surrounding the RFP process dictate, we cannot comment any further at this time, but we remain incredibly excited about this extraordinary opportunity,” the Coy-
otes said. The two parcels of city-owned land total 46 acres at the northeast corner of Priest Drive and Rio Salado Parkway. As of Sept. 2, the proposal was being evaluated, and that process could take months. The city of Tempe said in a statement “the two city parcels involved in this RFP represent an important area of the city, near Tempe Town Lake and the Tempe Center for the Arts, and adjacent to neighborhoods and employ-
ers. These people and places also will be top of mind during evaluations of RFP responses.” According to state procurement law, only the names of entities responding to an RFP can be revealed when the RFP closes. The name in this instance is Bluebird Development LLC, according to a statement from the city of Tempe. While the submittal is evaluated and the city engages in intensive due diligence, Tempe representatives cannot discuss the matter. SEE COYOTES PAGE 3
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