THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON
Goodyear brewery wins big at beer festival
Millennium student participates at Girls Nation PAGE
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westvalleyview.com
INSIDE
This Week
NEWS .............. 8 Buckeye Fallen Six to be honored at golf tournament
SPORTS ........ 17 Father doubles as coach and parent at Millennium
9 DAYS ......... 20 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
LETTERS ........................11 BUSINESS..................... 14 SPORTS ..........................17 FEATURES .....................22 NEIGHBORHOOD......26 SCHOOLS .....................27 OBITUARIES .................31 CLASSIFIEDS................32 EAST
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The Voice of the West Valley for 32 years
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October 18, 2017
Museum exhibit traces Litchfield Park’s history By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The Litchfield Park Historical Society and Museum are celebrating the city’s 100th anniversary with a series of exhibits starting Sunday, October 22. Museum visitors can see how the city evolved from a small company town to how it stands now with Litchfield Park: The First 100 Years. The displays explain how Paul Litchfield and Goodyear Tire & Rubber converted the desert into the cities of Litchfield Park and Goodyear. The exhibits are The New Town: Litchfield Park 1964-1986; The city: Litchfield Park 1987-Present; The Founder: Paul Weeks Litchfield; Medicine in Litchfield Park; Goodyear Aircraft: Arizona and Goodyear Aerospace; and Los Campos de Litchfield Park: Revisited. “Los Campos is the largest exhibit,” said Judy Cook, vice president, Litchfield Park Historical Society and Museum. “Los Campos tells about the early MexicanAmerican community here in the Southwest Valley. We tell about why those people came to this part of the Valley and how Goodyear set up the Southwest Cotton Company to run this long-staple cotton.” Mexican-Americans and Mexican nationals came to the area to work in
Museum exhibits guide visitors through a photographic timeline of the town’s history at the Litchfield Park Historical Society Museum. (West Valley View photo by Jordan Christopher)
the cotton fields. The company, which later became Goodyear Farms, was internationally known for its irrigation farming programs.
One of the camps was on Indian School, near what is now the back entrance to
History...continued on page 4
Litchfield district plans 100-year celebration By Connor Dziawura
Litchfield Elementary School District is approaching a massive milestone: its 100-year anniversary. In honor of this, the teachers who contribute to the A-rated district have created Centennial Way. Under the historic arches of Litchfield Elementary School’s southwest corner, the newly paved walkway will be unveiled Friday, October 20. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for 9:45 to 10:30 a.m., after a VIP reception for which reservations are closed. This isn’t just a simple re-paving project
for the district, which set a goal to raise $100,000. In exchange for donations, contributors received personalized Legacy Bricks, which lay the foundation for the walkway. “Many bricks have family and business names, messages of support for teachers, and dates of attendance in Litchfield schools,” Superintendent Dr. Julianne Lein explained. The district surpassed its goal, raising $156,050. According to Lein, most of these special bricks were sold to families,
small businesses, teachers and PTAs and PTOs, with most donations ranging from $100 to $500. Corporate business partners, service clubs and longtime Litchfield Park families also bought 16 Legacy Bricks at $2,500 and above, she added. The project was completed with the support of the community, through Legacy Brick sales and enactment of the project. “The Litchfield Educational Foundation worked with business partners to complete the
Celebration...continued on page 2