Glendale Star - 10.08.2020

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Glendale’s Community Newspaper

Vol. 76 No. 41

INSIDE

This Week

www.glendalestar.com

Final hole approaches for Glen Lakes BY TOM SCANLON

Glendale Star Managing Editor

NEWS...............6 Voting begins as ballots to be mailed this week

NEWS...............7 Vice President Mike Pence schedules Peoria visit

As City Manager Kevin Phelps sees it, the process of selling Glen Lakes Golf Course is a straight shot to the hole: Take a failing golf business “the city never should have been involved in” and sell it to a developer for a cool $6.5 million. All that’s left, in his mind, is an easy putt for Glendale City Council to approve a general plan amendment and rezoning request that would seal the deal. But Save Glen Lakes, a group that has been fighting the sale for nearly a year, sees Phelps’ game as a twisting, dogleg course of action that is dodging neighbors’ cries to keep 40 acres of green space. “The city has refused to listen to the community since day one,” said Kathy Wheeler. (See Page 5 for more comments

Glendale Star Staff Writer

Peoria Unified students return to classrooms

OPINION..................... 14 BUSINESS.................. 16 SPORTS ...................... 18 FEATURES.................. 20 RELIGION ................... 24 YOUTH........................ 26 CLASSIFIEDS ............. 29

has moved the process along like a pro golfer on a par5 hole. First, he teed off by leading city council to approve marketing the golf course for sale more than a year ago. Phelps stayed on the green, negotiating a deal with Towne Development, which agreed to purchase the Glendale closed Glen Lakes Golf Course in 2019. Since then, it has city-owned golf course. been on hold as City Manager Kevin Phelps worked on a deal to sell it Then, as Phelps pitched to for $6.5 million to a developer that plans to build 173 homes surrounded by a 10-acre park. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Glendale City Council will the putting green—the Glenvote on a general plan amendment and rezoning required to close the dale Planning Commission deal. (Glendale Star photo by Tom Scanlon) cried “out of bounds.” from Save Glen Lakes.) In a stunning rebuke, the commission Phelps counters that the plan to turn a fi- unanimously rejected a request for rezonnancially porous golf course into 173 high- ing and a plan amendment. Both are needend homes was public and transparent. ed before Towne Development closes on Sticking with the golf analogy, Phelps SEE GLEN LAKES PAGE 3

Legislative District 29 candidates debate BY BRIAN CANO SR.

YOUTH .......... 26

October 8, 2020

Many voters will soon receive their ballots by mail. Those who live in Legislative District 29 will choose their leaders in the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives. On Sept. 24, two incumbents and three candidates faced off in a virtual “Meet the Candidates” debate sponsored by Arizona Clean Elections. Moderator Arren Kimble-Sannit asked candidates to name specific goals they would like to implement to improve the district. Two incumbents, Sen. Martín Quezada and Rep. Richard Andrade, both Democrats, participated in the forum. Fellow Democrat Rep. Cesar Chavez, who is also running for reelection, did not participate.

Republicans Billy Bragg and Helen Fokszanskyj-Conti will be on the ballot for the House of Representatives seats. Republican John Wilson is also on the ballot, running against Quezada. The three Republican challengers participated in the forum. Bragg, a 21-year Air Force veteran, minister, father of four and grandfather of two, said his grass roots are what LD 29 needs. Fokszanskyj-Conti, a resident of Glendale since 1985, said she came to the U.S. as a baby. She said her father was Ukranian and her mother was kidnapped by Germans. She stressed she was not affiliated with any lobby group or any companies. Wilson said he thinks the Arizona school system is failing students and society. He believes that the “blue collar” approach to an education is a ticket to a better life.

“The reason I’m running is because I want to focus on the local issues; and even though in the Legislature you pass laws that affect everyone, they should be from the perspective of how it affects each individual,” Wilson said. Quezada said he is a progressive leader committed to serving the community in a troubled time. “We are at a turning point in our nation right now,” Quezada said. “We are seeing the combination of multiple crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic to institutionalized racism, to the ever-increasing economic inequality, to failed investment in our schools, and the failures of our leaders at the federal and state levels.” Kimble-Sannit asked the group to share their thoughts on Gov. Doug Ducey’s reSEE DEBATE PAGE 4


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