Glendale’s Community Newspaper
Vol. 76 No. 40
Inside This Week THE VOICE OF BUSINESS
NEWS...............6
Voters will decide on school district funding issues
OPINION ....... 12 Why did council eliminate judicial advisory board?
www.glendalestar.com
City gets ready to fly with Luke BY TOM SCANLON
Glendale Star Managing Editor
Everyone else in the West Valley is taking off—why not Luke Air Force Base? As Goodyear, Buckeye and Avondale populations ascend and Glendale expands via annexation and dramatic commercial projects (Red Bull, White Claw, a planned water park), the historic air base in the bull’s-eye of the West Valley is hardly about to be grounded. Indeed, Luke is getting ready to soar like never before. A mission expansion revolving around 144 new fighter jets is set to pump Luke AFB’s population—and the surrounding areas of Glendale and Peoria, as well as Goodyear, Litchfield Park and Avondale to the south. Details of the expansion’s impact came
High schools set to kick off delayed football season
OPINION..................... 12 SPORTS ...................... 14 BUSINESS.................. 16 FEATURES.................. 22 RELIGION ................... 26 YOUTH........................ 28 CLASSIFIEDS ............. 31
nomic engine will blast into surrounding cities. Glendale, for one, is ready for takeoff. “The defense-related industry is a backbone of our economy,” Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers said. “The mission expansion ensures Luke AFB will continue to be an importMore jets like this will be taking off as Luke Air Force Base expands— ant regional player, especially meaning more jobs and more residents for the West Valley. in the West Valley. The goals (Air Force photo by Senior Airman Devante Williams) of the growth management out via the Luke AFB Targeted Growth plan are to support the base and leverage the Management Plan from the Maricopa Asso- opportunities presented.” ciation of Governments. Luke is gradually Weiers is also the chair of the Maricoramping up for the F-35A Lightning II jets pa Association of Governments, so he had over the next six years. front-row seat on the new study. Just as the roar of the jets is hardly con“This plan is a result of nearly two years SEE LUKE AFB PAGE 3 fined to the base, the power of Luke’s eco-
Masks on as PUSD reopens classrooms BY TOM SCANLON
Glendale Star Managing Editor
SPORTS ........ 14
October 1, 2020
Last week, teacher Caitlin Summers’ kindergarten students at Desert Valley Elementary School learned a new phrase: “Nose check!”’ That was her shortcut to remind kids about a new thing. “If I can see their nose, they have to pull the mask up,” Summers said. Then again, she added, for kindergarten kids, everything is new. But, for the first- and second-graders in the Peoria Unified School District who returned to classrooms last week for the first time in nearly six months, and for all other grades who returned Sept. 28, wearing masks to school is something very new. They will also see hand sanitizer dispensers around their schools and desks with extra space to reduce the potential
spread of coronavirus. The COVID-19 pandemic led Gov. Doug Ducey to close Arizona schools in March. In recent months, he allowed districts discretion to open schools when they felt it was safe. PUSD rolled out reopening classrooms over a two-week period. Other districts are taking a more cautious approach. At Glendale Elementary School District, “Based on these health metrics, and as long as the data continues to be favorable, we project we will be able to reopen our schools on Monday, Oct. 19,” according to the district’s website. Similarly, according to a Glendale Union High School District announcement, “We will begin welcoming back students for our hybrid learning model beginning Oct. 19.” SEE PUSD PAGE 4
While other districts remain in remote-learning mode, Peoria Unified School District has reopened all classrooms. But it’s hardly school as usual, as students are required to wear masks. (Photo courtesy PUSD)