THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON
Race star meets kids
These twins turn 90 PAGE
22
westvalleyview.com
INSIDE
This Week
PAGE
The Voice of the West Valley for 34 years
16
October 23, 2019
Digital bingo coming to Goodyear BY TOM SCANLON
West Valley View Associate Editor
NEWS .............. 7 Controversy brews over proposed highway
SPORTS ........ 17 Estrella Foothills High hosts ‘dig pink’ event
9 DAYS ......... 18 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
OPINION .........................9 BUSINESS..................... 14 SPORTS ..........................16 FEATURES .....................19 NEIGHBORHOOD......25 YOUTH ...........................26 OBITUARIES .................30 CLASSIFIEDS................31 SOUTH
A Goodyear boxing legend is looking to help foster youth knock out problems — outside the ring. His approach is more of a hook than a straight cross: Digital bingo. On Oct. 7, Goodyear City Council approved a Class B Bingo License at 120 East Western Avenue. It may not sound terribly interesting until looking at the fine print from the council action report: “The applicant is proposing digital bingo games which differs from the standard assembly use.” Indeed, this isn’t the typical church-hall bingo. “This is new stuff — slot machine video bingo,” said former professional-boxer-turned businessman Sonny Gutierrez. He owns the 3,000 square-foot building, soon transforming into a digital bingo hall. This is a fast-growing trend, according to industry tracker Gaming Post: “The digital revolution has taken the casino industry by storm and opting in means adapting and long-term survival. This is true across the board and playing field, even for a game like bingo, traditionally played at large get-togethers in gaming halls.” The building off Litchfield Road that
Sonny Gutierrez, best known as a former pro boxer and owner of Sonny’s Boxing Gym, soon will open a digital bingo hall. (West Valley View photo by Tom Scanlon)
will be the new home of digital bingo was previously a police evidence center and originally a bank. Two doors down from Sonny’s Boxing Gym, next to Sonny’s Old Town Barber Shop, will be Sonny’s Old Town Bingo Hall.
Gutierrez is excited about the new venture — benefiting Opportunity Community and Justice for Kids (OCJ), a faithbased, nonprofit organization founded in 1992, to address the Valley’s growing
Bingo...continued on page 2
Goodyear police chief remains on leave BY TOM SCANLON
West Valley View Associate Editor
An outside agency has begun investigating charges of “impropriety” concerning Goodyear Police Chief Jerry Geier, Deputy Chief Justin Hughes and two other police employees, according to city spokeswoman Tammy Vo. On Oct. 7, Geier, Hughes were placed on paid administrative leave “due to recent allegations of impropriety,” according to Vo. Vo confirmed Monday that Geier and Hughes, as well as five-year veteran officer Kyle Cluff and administrative service
manager Susan Petty remained on leave. The city would not say which agency is handling the investigation. The West Valley View submitted public records requests for Goodyear’s guidelines for handling both internal and external investigations of police department employees. At press time, the information had not been provided. Geier will continue to draw his weekly $3,610 check; his annual salary is $187,735.
Leave...continued on page 7
The city of Goodyear placed Police Chief Jerry Geier on leave Oct. 7. Geier and three others are being investigated for “impropriety.” (Photo courtesy city of Goodyear.)