Peoria Unified welcomes new administrators
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Peoria Times Executive Editor
A new principal has been appointed at Raymond S. Kellis High School.
Tony Vining started his job on July 1, replacing longtime principal Jeff Wooten, who retired on June 30.
Vining rejoins Peoria Unified from his current appointment, where he serves as principal at Cactus Shadows High School in the Cave Creek Unified School District.
Vining previously held the role as assistant principal at two Peoria Unified high schools, Raymond S. Kellis and Cactus, and served in additional roles including teacher and athletic coach during his 22-year career in the Peoria Unified School District.
Vining is also a product of Peoria Unified, previously graduating from Cactus High School. He
New Raymond S. Kellis High School Principal Tony Vining previously held the role as assistant principal at two Peoria Unified high schools: Raymond S. Kellis and Cactus.
Dr. Carter Davidson earned his bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University and his master’s and doctorate degrees from ASU. (Photos courtesy of Peoria Unified School District)
University of Arizona creates ‘Monsoon Fantasy’ game
BY TYLER WEGLEITNER Peoria Times Staff Writer
The University of Arizona recently launched a new game, in which the public can estimate rain measurements during the monsoon season and win prizes.
The game, called “Southwest Monsoon Fantasy Forecasts,” is aimed at engaging with the public and giving them a way to
start conversations about the monsoon, said Zackry Guido, assistant research professor at the Arizona Institutes for Resilience at the University of Arizona.
“Each month, players can make a projection of total rainfall for that month at five cities across the Southwest,” he said.
These five cities are Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Albuquerque and El Paso.
Guido said before players make their
rainfall predictions, they will be given some assistance.
“We have some data visualizations that people can use to help them make their estimates. … We give descriptive statistics like the mean and the median,” he said.
Players can guess how much rainfall each of the five cities will get each month.
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Fairmont Village hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony
BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF
Fairmont Village hosted a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly constructed and recently renovated memory care and behavioral memory care neighborhood in Peoria.
“We’re happy and thrilled to introduce our latest accomplishment to the city of Peoria, and we hope you can see and feel our passion for senior living and memory care” said Tara Mockbee, executive director.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Fairmont Village marks the launch of a new era for the city of Peoria for stateof-the-art memory care and behavioral memory care. The property has 90 suites. Scot Andrews, president of Peoria Chamber of Commerce, made remarks regarding Fairmont Village. Fairmont Village is a specialty memory care community developed to providing quality care to persons with levels of cognitive impairment. It promotes an environment in which residents can thrive and feel connected
to their community. Its experienced professional care team has extensive training. The program is helmed by clinical director Dr.
Julia Lesselyong. The staff are trained weekly in nonpharmacological approaches to care to minimize behaviors and to enhance quality of life.
Heat stroke vs. heat exhaustion: How to know which is which
BY JAMIE LANDERS Cronkite News
Nearly 3,000 people go to the emergency room every year for heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion, the Arizona Department of Health Services says.
“I think people are not aware of just how hot it is and how fast they can become dehydrated,” said Capt. Mike Norling of Scottsdale Fire. “Most of us here, in the Phoenix area in particular, we’re dehydrated when we start off the day anyway.”
Knowing how to spot these illnesses is key to preventing serious injury or even death. Heat exhaustion is a milder illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures. Symptoms include feeling faint or dizzy; excessive sweating; cool, pale skin; nausea; a rapid, weak pulse; and muscle cramps.
Health officials advise people experiencing these symptoms to drink something cold, rest, find an air-conditioned environment or take a cool shower.
If heat exhaustion is untreated, it can progress to heat stroke, which is more severe and happens when your body’s temperature rises rapidly, your sweating mechanism fails and you can’t cool yourself down. Symptoms include a throbbing headache; no sweating; a body temperature above 103 degrees; red, hot, dry skin; a rapid, strong pulse; and even a loss of consciousness.
Unlike heat exhaustion, heat stroke requires hospitalization.
“As soon as you start feeling any tiredness, weakness, headaches — those are all signs you need to get yourself inside and get yourself cooled off and start rehydrating,” Norling said.
To prevent heat-related illnesses, the state health department recommends drinking at least 1 liter of water per
hour while outside, wearing lightweight and light-colored clothing, applying sunscreen, and wearing a hat or using an umbrella to fend off the rays.
Summer began less than two weeks ago, and Arizonans already have weathered temperatures well above 110 degrees, which resulted in a weeklong excessive heat warning and more than 50 suspected heat-related deaths in Maricopa County alone.
According to data released by the county’s department of public health, 53 deaths occurred during the week beginning June 12, aligning with a heat wave that pushed temperatures up to 118 degrees, the Associated Press reported. Those 53 are in addition to 20 suspected heat deaths from earlier this year, bringing a total of 73 under investigation so far in 2021.
As of June 19, three additional
Officials celebrate the grand opening of Fairmont Village’s newly constructed and recently renovated memory care and behavioral memory care neighborhood. (Submitted photo)
Peoria Unified celebrates national communications awards
BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF
The Peoria Unified School District recently received multiple awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in the 2021 National School Communications Awards contest.
The awards include three Golden Achievement Awards, of which only 84 were given out nationally.
These awards recognize exemplary work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing and engagement.
Peoria Unified received the Golden Achievement Awards for the district’s I Got My Shot, Be the Difference and One Busy Ballot campaigns. The
district also received a Publications and Digital Media Excellence Award for its #ReturnToSchool Plan and an honorable mention for the district’s #ReturnToSchool webpage.
The district’s I Got My Shot campaign aimed to create safer schools by increasing awareness of COVID-19 vaccination opportunities for district staff and clearly communicating details concerning the closed point of dispensing (POD) site for all education employees within the Peoria Unified footprint. The campaign was built around three key messages: sharing the facts, building trust and celebrating the vaccination rollout.
The Be the Difference campaign
was designed to recruit new employees amidst the global pandemic. Given the constraints brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the human resources and public relations departments realized the need to alter its approach when it came to recruiting new employees for the 2021-22 school year. Knowing that there has been a significant change in the demographics of today’s workforce, the two teams worked to modernize recruitment efforts to focus on an all-digital strategy highlighting the district’s core values.
In the 2020 election, the community had One Busy Ballot. There were two important initiatives on the election ballot that impacted Peoria Unified,
which required community engagement and awareness. This campaign allowed Peoria Unified to focus on providing factual communication to the community through timely messages to multiple audiences.
Since 1935, the National School Public Relations Association has been providing school communication training and services to school leaders throughout the United States, Canada, and the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools worldwide. Judges from NSPRA carefully sought outstanding achievement in the four steps of creating a strategic public relations plan: research, planning, implementation and evaluation.
Foundation given $60K grant for motorcycle rider training scholarships
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Peoria Times Executive Editor
The Arizona Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Foundation was granted $60,000 from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (AZGOHS).
The grant, which demonstrates support for AMSAF’s mission of expanding awareness about motorcyclists while reducing rider fatalities and injuries, will be used to provide motorcycle rider training classes to the public through a scholarship program.
“AMSAF is excited to continue giving out scholarships to help educate new and present riders,” said Mick Degn, AMSAF executive director.
“We want to thank AZGOHS director Alberto Gutier for his continued support for motorcycle safety in Arizona. This continues to be the largest single activity we do to promote motorcycle safety and awareness and to help reduce motorcycle crashes and fatalities. This will allow anyone in the state of Arizona to apply for, and receive, motorcycle training. The cost is $100 nonrefundable copay. Because we started offering scholarships, AMSAF has provided more than 2,500 in Arizona to help educate riders.”
A $60,000 grant from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety will provide public motorcycle rider training classes at Arizona Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Foundation. (Submitted photo)
In addition to providing yet more scholarships, looking forward, AMSAF plans to:
• Develop unique partnerships with Arizona businesses to help reduce crashes and fatalities.
• Research and identify dangerous intersections and stretches of roadways where most motorcycle accidents occur.
• Increase participation in rider training through discount incentives
• Identify key industry liaisons that can help further the message and promote AMSAF’s efforts through activities, events and outreach opportunities.
A basic rider’s course can cost a motorcyclist in Arizona up to and more than $300; however, the AMSAF scholarship enables riders to obtain necessary safety training with a minimal out-of-pocket investment: a copay. Every Arizona motorcycle rider or po-
tential rider is eligible to receive the AMSAF scholarship and can apply by visiting AMSAF online at: amsaf.org/ scholarships.
Demonstrating the successful completion of a rider’s skill course, or passing the in-person skills test, is required to earn the motorcycle endorsement (M) on an Arizona state driver’s license. Many major insurance companies offer insurance policy discounts for riders who have completed a safety and training course.
The basic rider course (BRC) is a perfect fit for new riders seeking the motorcycle endorsement or for any rider who wants to freshen up their skills. This course is certified by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF).
Arizona experiences more than 3,000 crashes a year involving motorcycles, and that number is on the rise. Promoting awareness of motorcycles on the road by drivers, in addition to safety training for riders, is a key way to reduce crashes that lead to serious injury and fatalities.
Founded in 2011, AMSAF is a nonprofit foundation that is focused on reducing motorcycle and distracted driver crashes in Arizona with awareness through education and training.
They will make their predictions one month at a time for the months of July, August and September.
Guido said that people must make their guesses at least one week before the start of the month so people can’t use weather forecasts to help predict rainfall.
“They have to make their guesses a week before the beginning of each month, so for those of them that have not tuned in already, they don’t have the ability to participate for July,” he said. “But we do offer prizes for August and September, and it is totally possible that very good forecasters can still win the entire game with just two months.”
Several winners each month will receive T-shirts, and there will be two grand-prize winners at the end of the monsoon season.
“The grand prizes are these really cool, high-quality backyard automated weather stations that record such things as rainfall, temperature, humidity,” Guido said.
He said there are two ways that players can earn points.
“They score points based on two criteria,” he said. “One, how accurate their prediction is based on what actually occurred, and then two, how risky their forecast was.”
Guido hopes people will continue to participate in the game and said this provides a new, virtual environment for people to compete in.
“I would encourage people to still participate. It’s just really fun, and they can see what other people have guessed, and we have leaderboards,”
ADMINISTRATORS FROM PAGE 1
earned a master’s degree in education and a Bachelor of Science degree in education, both from NAU.
Although located in Glendale, Raymond S. Kellis High School is part of the Peoria Unified School District. The school received its name from a former Peoria Unified superintendent, Dr. Raymond S. Kellis, who was well known and well respected in the district. The award-winning high school
he said. “It’s just what I hope to be an engaging way for people to participate in the monsoon.”
Guido said that he and a team of programmers, climate scientists and social scientists, among others at the University of Arizona, made the game possible.
There are several things they hope to gain from this, one of which is to study the effect the monsoon has on people and how interested they are in it.
“We’re interested in learning about how the monsoon affects people’s perceptions, moods and how that changes in time,” Guido said. “Why people think future weather will be certain ways.”
Guido said they hope to eventually make this game more of an educational experience for players.
He also said that while he doesn’t think this is the case, they are interested in seeing “if there’s some sort of hidden knowledge among the people that have been living here, some deep-rooted experience with the monsoon that allows them to maybe be better forecasters than the kind of technical systems that we currently have.”
The monsoon game is also connected to their podcast, titled “The Southwest Climate Podcast.”
“We’re going to be talking about people’s guesses and the monsoon each month,” Guido said. “So that’s another way to engage and just encourage people to reach out to us. … This is the best time of year for us, so we like interacting with people that are interested in weather and climate.”
To play, visit monsoonfantasy. arizona.edu.
has a culture of high achievement, a strong sense of community, and exceptional programs like Best Buddies and Unified Sports.
Additionally, Dr. Carter Davidson will take on the role as the district’s chief student services officer. In this role, Davidson will oversee all elementary and high schools, providing addi-
Take a class with the Peoria Interactive Experience
The city of Peoria has partnered with Televeda, an interactive livestreaming platform, to provide Peoria Interactive Experience, a menu of community engagement experiences. Current classes include cooking, drawing and painting, tai chi, chair yoga and bingo.
For more information, visit peoriaaz. gov/recreation and click on Peoria Interactive Experience.
City launches new online payment portal
The city of Peoria has rolled out an online system for paying utility bills.
News Briefs
Called Invoice Cloud, it’s a one-stop shop where residents can access and pay city bills electronically, which will take place in a two-phase process.
Residents are able to pay their utility bills with the new online system. The option to access online payments for other city services will come in 2022.
Residents can enroll in paperless billing; get text notifications; and opt to pay by phone, text or online with a credit card, debit card or e-check.
For more information about Invoice Cloud, visit peoriaaz.gov/ customerservice or make a secure payment at myaccount.peoriaaz.gov.
Vaccination events continue at Peoria High School
The city of Peoria has partnered with the Peoria Unified School District to host multiple COVID-19 vaccination events at Peoria High School, located at 11200 N. 83rd Avenue. The clinics will be held during designated days and times and will run through July 30. Vaccines are available for individuals ages 12 and older.
For a schedule and appointments, visit tinyurl.com/vaccinephs.
Pop-Up Peoria at Park West announces July classes
Pop-Up Peoria is a unique, innova-
tive community engagement space created by the city of Peoria and CIRE Equity. Connect with artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and experts at Park West for activities, programs and interactive experiences.
Upcoming events include preschool story time, including a visit with local children’s author Analyn Sardella; ASU E + I Entrepreneurship Day; and a fun class that teaches teens how to turn a discarded book into a hedgehog.
For more information and a full program schedule, check out popuppeoria.com.
HEAT STROKE FROM PAGE 3 tional support to students, teachers and school leaders.
ward to his new role.
Davidson is an advocate of student learning and positive displays of character by all. He promotes quality practices and procedures that lead to
Davidson is finishing his fifth year as chief personnel officer for the Peoria Unified School District. In his previous 19 years of service to the Alhambra Elementary School District, Davidson served in various roles that included K-3 special education teacher, inter-
vention specialist, principal of Barcelona Middle School, director of student services and director of human resources support services.
Davidson earned his bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University and his master’s and doctorate degrees from ASU.
deaths have been confirmed as heat-related. Last year, health officials said, Maricopa County set a record for the most such deaths in a single year — 323.
For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.
PeoriaTimes.com /PeoriaTimes
Border disorder: Political theater of the absurd
BY J.D. HAYWORTH Peoria Times Columnist
Long before the invention of motion pictures, television or the internet, there was theater. Ancient Greece had Sophocles, Elizabethan England had Shakespeare, but modern America has a plethora of political performers.
Now, courtesy of the aforementioned technological innovations, we are subjected to ceaseless offerings from a 21st century “Theater of the Absurd.” The most ambitious, current production costs billions —“Arsenic and Old Lace,” it ain’t. It’s “The Arsenic of Amnesty.”
The temptation to outline the plot as an old program description from a tattered copy of “TV Guide” proves overwhelming:
“An aging and confused chief executive remains remarkably focused on one final objective: the erasure of America’s southern border. Following the orders of his puppet master and with the encouragement of his ambitious assistant, Madam Vice, this twisted trio schemes to import millions of illegals, put them on the federal dole as well as the voter rolls, and seize total political control. Will the United States survive?”
Chief executive: Joe Biden. Puppet master: Barack Obama. Madam vice: Kamala Harris. Program runs continuously on ABCNBCCBSCNNMSNBCPBS.
The only satire above is the parody of the “TV Guide” program note. Welcome to “Reality TV” on steroids. By the way, the “acting” is horrendous.
The news divisions of the alphabet networks, their cable cousins and tax-
payer-subsidized “public” TV feature news anchors and reporters who furrow their brows ask an occasional “gotcha” question and then swallow whole the piffle, pablum and propaganda of the Biden regime.
Even more outrageous is the vice president’s attempt to morph into an amnesiac. Kamala Harris found forgetfulness for the footlights during her first trip abroad as the nation’s “No. 2.”
On her June 8 visit to Mexico, she said she was there to explore “root causes” of illegal immigration. Madam vice president, did you forget yourself and your political allies?
The primary “root cause” is the collective ambition of Democrat politicians to “bring in the vote” by short-circuiting the process of attaining citizenship, adding millions of new voters to the rolls. It would create a huge new underclass dependent on entitlements and inclined to vote for the expansion of those benefits. Simply stated, it would ensure leftist dominance of the political process in the United States for as long as the nation endures. Such a cynical path to power.
But still proving powerful to the Veep and her advisers is someone now “out of power.” When Donald Trump an-
nounced that he would visit the southern border on June 30, Kamala Harris hurriedly announced a trip to El Paso — 92 days after President Biden named the vice president as his “border czar.”
That June 25 journey to Texas was not a pleasant one for Ms. Harris. She was greeted by protestors and criticized by Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who said he had invited her numerous times to his district, which includes portions of the Rio Grande, where illegals are flooding into the United States.
The Lone Star legislator later tried to temper his criticism by calling her visit a “first step.”
Because the steps Vice President Harris took were principally around the El Paso International Airport, rather than directly at the border, she employed a principle of political theater: It’s easier to attack than explain. Accordingly, she trained her rhetorical fire on former President Trump.
“It was here in El Paso that the previous administration’s child separation policy was unveiled,” Harris claimed. She added that the remain-in-Mexico policy forced asylum seekers to stay south of the border while their claims were arbitrated.
Left unsaid was the reality of the de
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facto child separation policies of the Biden administration where parents see a lack of border enforcement and decide to send their kids northward, “chaperoned” by human traffickers.
Left unanswered was the implication that it is somehow preferable to allow asylum seekers to enter the United States while their status is determined. Doesn’t that simply encourage illegality, as most would walk away from the entire process on this side of the border?
Left undefined was this assertion by Vice President Harris: “There’s still much more work to be done, but we’ve made progress.”
If “progress” is defined by encouraging this foreign invasion, surrendering our national sovereignty and corrupting our constitutional republic, then Ms. Harris may be right.
The Hollywood “Creative Class,” now financed by the communist Chinese, can begin work on a huge new production: “Death of a Nation,” in Mandarin, with Spanish subtitles.
J.D. Hayworth worked as a sportscaster at Channel 10 Phoenix from 1987 until 1994 and represented Arizona in Congress from 1995-2007.
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Let’s hope for a championship season
BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Peoria Times Columnist
It has been 53 seasons and never have the Phoenix Suns won an NBA championship. Maybe that sounds not so awful if you’re a Cardinals football fan and your last title dates back to 1947, when the team played in Chicago.
But no NBA team has toiled longer, ever, without winning a single title.
Now comes these 2021 Suns, with a chance to set all that right.
I do hope so — for this Valley’s sake, and for all the Suns fans I call friends. I’m talking about guys like my buddy Louie, a season ticket holder dating back to the Madhouse on McDowell.
If Louie had a choice between missing a Suns game or missing a leg, I’m pretty sure he’d be on Amazon tomorrow searching for “single leg pants” and a prosthetic limb
Then there’s Troy, a genius with a video camera who likes to post a yellowed snapshot from his childhood, him in an ancient Suns jersey and headband, skinny arms held aloft in the classic jump-shooter’s pose.
Each new post contains a caption written in the third person, grown man Troy talking to little boy Troy. The most recent: “Western Conference Champions!!! Four more to go until that 48-yearold dream comes true, little self. Four more. @suns #suns #rallythevalley”
Is it sweet? Yes. Strange? Not at all once you learn that Troy’s 10-year-old son is named Nash, presumably — with apologies to Chris Paul — after the best point guard ever to wear purple.
This team has always owned a hunk of the Valley’s heart, though Robert Sarver, the head Sun, tested the community’s collective patience for years.
It was Sarver’s incompetence that led me to fall off the Suns bandwagon back around 2012. First, I gave up my sea-
son tickets, then I tuned out the great Al McCoy. Even now, my rooting interest in this team is more by proxy: I enjoy seeing my friends full of joy.
Like Stephen, a giant of a man, an elected leader respected for his smarts and heart, who lately has traded in business suits and bolo ties for an assortment of Suns T-shirts, jerseys and Nike high tops.
His statement after the series clincher over the Los Angeles Clippers? An image of Chris Paul in the arms of head coach Monte Williams. The caption: “No words needed!”
Some things words cannot accurately depict, like the emotional bond between a team and its hometown.
Little else explains why 300,000 people — 1 out of 10 residents of the Phoenix metropolitan area — showed up Downtown on Saturday, June 26, 1993, for a parade to celebrate the Suns after their Finals loss in six games to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
People went so insane that day — when temperatures in the desert spiked to 114 degrees — Suns superstar Charles Barkley never got to ride in the actual event, because Suns fans refused to stop mobbing his convertible.
Dan Majerle, a beloved member of that Suns squad, nailed it in a 2018 interview celebrating the team’s 50th anniversary.
“We had such a great team,” Thunder Dan explained. “Honestly my thought was, this is unbelievable; we’ll be back next year. We’ll be back the next two or three years. … You enjoy it, thinking this is unbelievable; we’re gonna do it again.”
The basketball gods are fickle in the extreme. “Doing it again” took 28 years. Now it’s here. Let us hope the next time Phoenix parades, it’s to honor a champion.
David Leibowitz has called the Valley home since 1995. Contact david@ leibowitzsolo.com.
Parsons purchases Star Island Motorsports
BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF
GO AZ Motorcycles, an Arizona-based powersports group founded by American entrepreneur, philanthropist and powersports enthusiast Bob Parsons in 2008, acquired Star Island Motorsports in Prescott from proprietors Gary Hengeveld and Scott Walz.
Prescott is the sixth dealership for the group, as it joins GO AZ Motorcycles locations in Scottsdale, Peoria, Cottonwood and Flagstaff, along with Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale, the world’s largest Harley-Davidson dealership.
“We’re very excited to continue to expand in Arizona,” said Gina Marra, vice president overseeing Parsons’ powersports operation.
“Star Island Motorsports has been incredibly successful and is well regarded in the community. We look forward to building on that success, as well as introducing the GO AZ Motorcycles’ experience to the Prescott Valley riding community.”
GO AZ Motorcycles in Prescott will continue to represent Polaris, Can-Am, KTM, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki and has immediate plans to add Speed
UTV to the dealership’s lineup as well. Parsons and Marra have been focused on expansion in Arizona, a market which provides for consistent sales largely unaffected by seasonality. Since opening GO AZ Motorcycles in Scottsdale in 2008 and spending the first few ensuring years purchasing and consolidating top manufacturer brands under that dealership’s moniker, the duo added Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale (2011), GO AZ Motorcycles in Peoria (2015), GO AZ Motorcycles in Cottonwood and GO AZ Motorcycles in Flagstaff (2019).
“The GO AZ Motorcycles team thrives on the challenges presented by expansion and enjoys the opportunities that come with it,” Marra said.
“We’re extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished with the more recent acquisitions in Cottonwood and Flagstaff — the growth it’s provided the staff there and the enhanced experience it’s afforded the powersports community. We are anxious to do the same in Prescott.”
The transaction closed on July 8 with GO AZ Motorcycle’s first day of operational control on July 2.
• Walking paths with five secure outdoor courtyards
• Robust life enrichment program, including off-site outings
• Remodeled lobby
• Family visits welcomed
Coyotes’ new coach sees a fresh start for the team
BY JOE MCHUGH Peoria Times Staff Writer
After a season in which the Arizona Coyotes barely missed the playoffs, they will start a new era with their recently hired leader, gold medal-winning coach Andre Tourigny.
“I want the players to see this as a fresh start,” Tourigny said. “I don’t want to hold them accountable for what happened in the past. I think sometimes in life, when you get a fresh start and get to prove yourself, you control your destiny.”
The Arizona Coyotes hired Tourigny as their head coach for a three-year contract. This follows the team’s 24-26-6 record, landing them fifth in the West Division.
“It is an honor to be named as the head coach of the Arizona Coyotes,” Tourigny said. “I would like to thank Mr. (Alex) Meruelo, Bill Armstrong and Xavier Gutierrez for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I am looking forward to working with this group and our players to build a winning culture here in the desert for our loyal and passionate fanbase.”
Tourigny joins the Coyotes after spending time with Hockey Canada’s
Overall, Tourigny has been to four international events, making him the first full-time Hockey Canada coach since 2005. But his success continued, with another gold medal victory for Canada. This time for the Men’s Under-18 Team, where it captured gold in 2018 with him as the head coach.
The winning continued with his 130-52-16 record as the head coach of the Ottawa 67’s.
The journeyman coach has helmed a number of Canadian teams, including the Ottawa 67’s, Halifax Mooseheads and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. As for the NHL, he worked with the Colorado Avalanche and the Ottawa Senators but now finds his home in Arizona.
The Coyotes searched for a coach after Rick Tocchet and the team mutually parted ways. In his time with the organization, Tocchet held a record of 125131-34 and led the team to the playoffs once. In that playoff run, they were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche, with the final game of their season resulting in a 7-1 loss.
They found their guy in Tourigny, and Armstrong was excited to announce the news.
“I feel very fortunate in this process to land a coach such as (Tourigny),” Armstrong said.
“Probably the best thing about him is his ability to teach and bring young talent to the forefront. We’re excited about him leading this franchise into the new era.”
coaching staff as an assistant coach at the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Riga, Latvia. He was on a one-year loan to Hockey Canada from Ottawa 67’s.
He inked a one-year deal in March with Hockey Canada.
“I would also like to thank everyone at Hockey Canada and the Ottawa 67’s for all their support the past few years,” Tourigny said. “It was an honor and a privilege to coach Team Canada, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to represent my country. The 67’s are a first-class organization, and I wish them all the best in the future.”
Moving forward, Tourigny has work to do. After the Coyotes violated the NHL’s combine testing policy, they lost their first-round pick this year and traded their second-highest pick to the Ottawa Senators for Derek Stepan.
With two of their top picks down, Tourigny’s talent of bringing new players up will be tested right away. But with a new coach comes a new mentality, and the Coyotes could be up and running very soon.
The Arizona Coyotes hired Andre Tourigny to a threeyear contract as their head coach. (Photo courtesy the Arizona Coyotes)
EVEN EXCHANGE
by Donna Pettman
Embrace the ups and downs of life
CHURCH-COMMUNITY
CONNECTION
Pastor Ed Delph
Peoria Times Columnist
One of my favorite people in the world is my brother-in-law, who is celebrating his 80th birthday this month.
I thought I would encourage Bill and all of you readers with a upgraded view of birthdays.
A few years ago, on my birthday, I read an essay that astounded me. It is written by my friend and colleague Pastor Gregory Lan Ijiwola, who posted the unique piece on his Facebook page.
He is Nigerian by birth and one of the finest examples of a Christian I have ever met. He and his wife, Debo, have invested their lives in building a great community transforming church in the south Chicago area.
If you know Africans, they have a fantastic way of capturing and putting into words unexpected ways of
describing concepts that Westerners would never consider.
As I read the essay, I was stunned by his essay’s authenticity, integrity, humility and audacity. His writing about himself on his birthday was titled “Happy Birthday to Me.” That’s undoubtedly not self-deprecating. Usually, people sing, “Happy birthday to you.” But Gregory captured and articulated something special from which we all can glean. Here’s his essay.
“I have failed and have succeeded. I have fallen and have risen. I have lacked and had plenty. I have loved and struggled to love. I have dreamed and have doubted. I have laughed and have wept. I have feared and have dared.
“I have fought, and I have reconciled. I have broken, and I have mended. I have ‘friended’; I have offended. I have been sad; I have been joyful. I have despaired, and I have hoped. I have been helped, and I have helped. I have lost, and I have gained. I have given, and I have withheld. I have been cold, and I have been hot. I have gone, and I have stayed. I have complained, and I have
Harvest CHurCH
praised. I have been foolish, and I have been wise.
“Through it all, I am alive. I am loved. I am saved. I am on a journey. I am not quitting, stopping or meandering. I am Gregory Lan Ijiwola. Always pushing forward. Always dreaming. Always rising. Always advancing. Always daring. Always hoping. Always grateful. Happy birthday to me!”
There you go, wasn’t that refreshing? Happy birthday to me. Someone in the reader audience needs Pastor Gregory’s essay today. Like Pastor Gregory, you have been through challenges and trials. Some of the difficulties and wounds originated from the choices you made. Some were not.
You have been up, down and all around. You might feel lower than a snake’s belly right now. But you are here. You are alive. So far, you’ve survived 100% of your worst days. You aren’t perfect. You’ve made mistakes. You have offended and been offended. You’ve been both wrong, and you have been right. That’s life.
Jesus said it’s inevitable that stum-
Shepherd of the Desert
bling blocks will come in this life. There will be trials. Jesus also said blessed is the one who is not overcome by what God is doing amid the difficulties in our lives.
Someone once said, “Mountaintops inspire leaders; valleys mature them.” Remember, failure is a bruise, not a tattoo. No grit, no pearl. Welcome to maturity and overcoming. The idea is to grow up before we grow old. Aspire to inspire before you expire. Is it one day or day one? Be an overcomer, not overcome. You decide.
Not if but when Pastor Gregory falls or fails, he gets up. He recovers. He learns. He overcomes. He will never be perfect. He realizes setbacks pave the way for comebacks. That’s called life. Excrement happens! The only people who don’t create waste are dead people. That’s not an excuse. It’s real life.
“Happy Birthday to Me” is a celebration of who you are. Not in the self-absorbed, “It’s all about me,” “selfie” way. “Happy Birthday to Me” declares
UPS AND DOWNS FROM PAGE 13
we’ve learned and are recovering from our mistakes or the mistakes others have made toward us.
We won’t go forward if we’re always looking backward. We’ve applied forgiveness, grace and mercy to ourselves and others. Life is not an event; it’s a process.
Everyone is building their airplane while it’s flying. Learning curves are not straight. Quit expecting them to be.
Author Bill Bryson once commented on the remarkable odds of everyone’s existence at this time and place in history.
“Not one of your pertinent ancestors was squashed, devoured, drowned, starved, stranded, stuck fast, untimely wounded or otherwise deflected from their life’s quest of delivering a tiny charge of genetic material to the right partner at the right moment to perpetuate the only possible sequence of hereditary combinations that could result — eventually, astoundingly and all too briefly — in you.”
In other words, when the Lord made you, He looked at you and said, “I’ll never do that again.”
Quit trying to be somebody else. Everybody else is taken. Here’s my appeal to you today. No matter what date your birthday is, today, right now, humbly but confidently sing, “Happy birthday to me!” Now sing the Beatles’ version. “You say it’s my birthday, well happy birthday to me.” Are you hesitant to sing that? “Take a Cha - Cha - Cha - Chance!” So, happy 80th birthday to Bill as well as all of you in 2021.
Ed Delph is Phoenix native who lives in the North Valley. Since 1980, he has pastored three churches in the Valley. He is a noted author of 10 books, weekly columnist in several local and worldwide newspapers, teacher, business owner and speaker. He has been to or ministered in over 100 countries. He is president of a worldwide ministry, NationStrategy.
To learn more about Pastor Ed Delph, the Church-Community Connection and NationStrategy, e-mail nationstrategy@cs.com, call 623-3766757 or visit nationstrategy.com.
Learn about kindergarten at this session
BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF
Parents of incoming kindergarten students are invited to a virtual information session to prep incoming families for their child’s first school experience.
The Peoria Unified event called “Kindergarten Live,” set for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 8, is on Microsoft Teams at https://bit.ly/3hcoyET.
The district is encouraging families of incoming kindergarteners to en-
roll now for the 2021-22 school year. While school starts on Wednesday, Aug. 4, the district wants to make sure all families feel prepared for their child’s first school experience.
The event highlights the district’s free, all-day kindergarten program to help answer questions for families.
The parent information session will include Melissa Anderson-Larance, curriculum and instruction coach, at Canyon and Desert Valley elementary schools, who will discuss the value
of early childhood education. During “Kindergarten Live,” Peoria Unified will walk families through standard kindergarten expectations, help address questions on new school year jitters, engaging online activities for students, and strategies for families to support their children.
To acclimate new students, elementary schools across Peoria Unified are also hosting Jump Start this summer for families of incoming kindergarten and first graders. Jump Start is
an eight-day program that includes checks for foundational skills and begins reviewing the basic areas of focus our youngest learners need to be successful.
Along with hosting in-person and virtual events, Peoria Unified’s staff will assist families with the enrollment process over the summer. Families can enroll their kindergartener online at peoriaunified.org/kindergarten or call 623-486-6115 over the summer if they need additional assistance.
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Robert(Bob)anArizonanativeaged60,died5/26/ 2021,fromanautoaccident.Roberttouchedthelivesof many,and,willbegreatlymissedbyall.Youwillbein ourheartsforever,weloveyouBob.
MattJoseppiGaribaldi
MattJoseppiGaribaldi,64,passed awayonJune26,2021atSt.Joseph's MedicalCenterinStockton,CAfrom healthcomplications.
BornMarch23,1957inStockton, Mattgrewintoagentlegiantwhowas alwayswillingtolendothersahandand wholeftthisworldwithnohardfeelings.Despite toweringoverotherswithadeepvoicethatcouldmake anyonesnaptoattention,hewasahumble,caringman whonevermetastranger;aHarleyriderwhowould soonerpummelyouwithloveandrespectthanhisfists. Althoughhisenormoushandscouldeachpalma basketball,hecouldn'tforthelifeofhimholdagrudge.
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Edward"Ed"JosephSorensen
Edward"Ed"JosephSorensen, 62,passedawayFriday,June18, 2021,inGlendaleArizona.Born December1,1958inValVerde Texas.Heissurvivedbyhis children,Megan,Kristin,Kyle andHeather,asisterDottie,a brotherChris,tengrandchildren, andonegreatgrandson.Heis precededindeathbyhiswife Brenda,motherHelen,father Reed,sisterWendy,brotherReed,andsoninlaw Dagon.
Hewillbedearlymissed. Amemorialwillbeheldinhishonorinthenear future.
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Obituaries can be submitted via email to obits@timespublications.com. We encourage the use of photos with obituaries. Photos will be cropped to a head shot, and edited to print on newsprint, photos must be of fairly high resolution. Deadline for obituaries is ursday at 5pm for the following ursday. Be aware there may be early deadlines around holidays.
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Beinggenuinelyinterestedinothers,Mattlovedto meetnewpeople(andpets),visitfamily,andsharea laugh.Whenreallyamused,hethrewhisheadbackand letoutaninfectiouslaugh,oftenwithakneeslapfor goodmeasure.Hisfrequentconnectingandempathizing withotherswasnodoubtexhausting,forhewasan accomplishednapperwhocouldconkoutinthemiddle ofManhattan.
Nostrangertohardship,Mattovercameseveralserious injuriesandailmentsthroughouthislife,fromabroken necktolymphoma.Heseemedtohavethestrengthofan oxandthemanylivesofacat.Mattwasprecededin deathbyhisparents,NedraandGeorge,andin1998he losthisbelovedwife,Sandy,tobreastcancer,withwhom hehadthreechildren:Emily,Stephanie,andMattJoseppi Jr."Joey"(whomarriedDaphnie).Mattablyraisedthe kidsandissurvivedbythemall,aswellashisjoyful grandchildren,Ace,Cole,andJuliana,whomhe judiciouslyspoiled.Heisalsosurvivedbyhissiblings--Arthur,AnnetteWright(andherhusbandBud),andGary ---alongwithdozensofcherishedniecesandnephews andhissweetdog,Ellie.
Matt'smanyfamilyandfriendswillgreatlymisshis kindspiritandwarmpresence.Pleasesharememoriesof himbyemail(memoriesofmatt2021@gmail.com).A privatecelebrationofhislifewillbeheldonSundayJuly 11.ContactMatt'schildrenattheaboveemailaddressfor details.SupportsentviaVenmo(@garibaldi)willbe usedtocoverfinalexpenses,withremainingfunds donatedtotheDeltaHumaneSociety.
DustoutShineinLLC forallyourmoveinsand moveouthousingand officecleaningneeds. ContactMariselaforfull serviceinformationat (623)698-7358 Lic-Bonded-Insured
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s working closely with residents and famly members to ensure the transition of each resident to an appropriate alternatve care location. The safety and securty of residents is our foremost priority The skilled nursing unit will remain open until all residents are transferred, and it s no longer accepting new residents Residents may obtain copies of their records from The Forum at Desert Harbor by contacting Kelly Bojorquez at 13840 N. Desert Harbor Dr. Peoria, AZ 85381 or 623-972-0995.
PUBLISHED: Peoria Times, June 17, 24, July 1, 8, 2021 / 39214
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ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE A RIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION FOR I Name: JABAL HARAZ LLC II The address of the registered office is: 945 N 40th St APT 55, PHOENIX, AZ 85008, The name of the Statutory Agent is: Issa Mahamat Abdallah III Management of the Limited Liability Company is vested in a manager or managers. The n ames of each person who is a mana ger and each member who owns a twenty percent or greater interest in the c apital or profits of the limited liabilit y company are: MEMBER Issa Mahamat A bdallah 945 N 40th St APT 55 , PHOENIX, AZ 85008, Published Peoria Times, Jun 24, July 1, 8, , 2021 / 39303
NOTICE OF BID
NOTICE OF BID *** CITY OF PEORIA M ATERIALS MANAGEMENT 9875 N 85 th Ave., 2 nd Floor Peoria, Arizona 8 5345 Phone: (623) 773-7115 Fax : (623) 773-7118 BID NOTIFICATION INFORMATION BID SOLICITATION NUM-
B ER: P22-0002 TYPE OF SOLICITA-
T ION: INVITATION FOR BID (FOR S ALE OF SURPLUS LAND) BUYER
N AME: CHRISTINE FINNEY BUYER
PHONE NUMBER: (623) 773-7531 DE-
SCRIPTION: The City of Peoria is seeking bids/offers for surplus land. Parcel was originally granted to the City per the PAR Estates plat to be used for a connection to C.B. Hayes Park. The subdivision land has sat vacant for a number of years and the City no longer desires the connection to the park. The parcel is located east of the northeast corner of 75th Avenue and Mountain View Road, identified as Assessor Parcel Number 143-08305, is approximately 5,300 square feet and zoned as R1-8. Offers will be accepted from the general public. BID DUE
DATE: July 26, 2021 @ 5:00 PM (Arizona Time ) Solicitation is available for download from our website at: www.peoriaaz.gov/procurement Published: Peoria Times, July 1, 8, 2021 / 39476
TION: INVITATION FOR BID (FOR SALE OF SURPLUS LAND) BUYER
NAME: CHRISTINE FINNEY BUYER
PHONE NUMBER: (623) 773-7531 DE-
SCRIPTION: The City of Peoria is seeking bids/offers for surplus land. Parcel was originally granted to the City per the PAR Estates plat to be used for a connection to C.B. Hayes Park. The subdivision land has sat vacant for a number of years and the City no longer desires the connection to the park. The parcel is located east of the northeast corner of 75th Avenue and Mountain View Road, identified as Assessor Parcel Number 143-08305, is approximately 5,300 square fee t and zoned as R1-8. Offers will be accepted from the general public. BID DUE
NOTICE OF BID
DATE: July 26, 2021 @ 5:00 PM (Arizona Time ) Solicitation is available for download from our website at: www.peoriaaz.gov/procurement Published: Peoria Times, July 1, 8, 2021 / 39476 AZCANS
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