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Coyotes, fans bid farewell to Gila River BY ZAKKARY BROG
Peoria Times Staff Writer
BUSINESS..... 10
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When the final horn sounded at the end of the Arizona Coyotes and Nashville Predators game on April 29, it was more than just the end of the Coyotes’ 2021-22 season. It wrapped up a tumultuous relationship between the team and the city of Glendale — and fans have a mixed response about the breakup. “I thought it was stupid,” said Jerry
Reyes, a longtime Coyotes fan who lives in Peoria. “Granted, Arizona hasn’t had the best success in a while, but this is where people come. If you look at the crowds here, there’s a lot of people to support the team. I think it’s a mistake. It’s sad to see them go. I was very upset to hear the news.” North Valley resident Tony Miller, who has also attended Coyotes games for a decade, was baffled by the city’s decision. He worries about the potential negative economic impact associated with losing
a professional sports team as a tenant at Westgate. “I thought that it was the stupidest thing in the world.” Miller said. “This is going to be used for a handful of concerts and other events instead of having it used for 41-plus games a year? All the revenue for these restaurants is going to suffer — stores and everything, too. So, I think it’s going to put a damper on the economy here in Glendale, but that’s their decision.” SEE COYOTES PAGE 4
Soldier’s Best Friend appoints new executive director BY JORDAN HOUSTON Peoria Times Staff Writer
FEATURES..... 17 Hot chicken eatery puts a new twist on sandwiches
OPINION...................... 7 BUSINESS.................. 10 SPORTS...................... 12 FEATURES.................. 17 CALENDAR................ 19 RELIGION................... 22 YOUTH....................... 24 CLASSIFIEDS.............. 26
Soldier’s Best Friend, a nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans living with combat-related stress cope with service or therapy dogs, has appointed Phoenix resident Mik Milem as its new executive director. Milem, who recently served in multiple roles at the Arizona Burn Foundation, said he’s looking forward to furthering the organization’s growth and reach. Soldier’s Best Friend, located at 14505 N. 75th Avenue, provides U.S. military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) with service or therapeutic companion dogs. “I would hope to be able to bring just some real stability to the program and
Mik Milem was previously the interim executive director and chief operating officer of the Arizona Burn Foundation.
to the role. Secondly, just real growth,” Milem told Peoria Times, citing roughly 14,000 veterans in Arizona with PTSD. “There is a lot more reach that needs to be done, and there are a lot more veterans we could be helping.” The nonprofit, which has locations in Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, Sierra Vista and Flagstaff, seeks to aid veterans and dogs — most of which are rescued from local shelters — in “training together to build a trusting relationship that saves two lives at once and inspires countless others.” Veterans and dogs train together for a period of six to nine months, at which time the dogs are certified as service animals and they graduate from the pro-
(Mik Milem/Submitted)
SEE DIRECTOR PAGE 3
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