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You remember the G word, right?
“Growth.”
It was the motto of the West Valley, if not the entire Phoenix metro area. Houses were springing up like weeds. Whole neighborhoods were sprouting out of the ground seemingly overnight. Businesses would pop up right after them. Everywhere you went, there was this electrical current in the air: it was progress, anticipation, excitement and, yes, growth.
Then the recession. Everything slowly tapered off, then, finally, a plummet. Home construction stopped. Once-thriving businesses shut their doors. Jobs were cut or eliminated entirely. It was a bleak time for the entire country, especially the Phoenix area, which was hit harder than other metropolitan areas.
But we survived. We tightened our belts, we dug our heels in and we fought back as best we could. Sometimes, that meant stretching our money as far as it would go, and sometimes, that meant learning a new career or trade for the changed job market.
We made it, though. We pulled through the worst economic period
since the Great Depression. We’re still a little battered and bruised, but things are looking up after many years of doubt and frustration. Jobs are returning, sometimes in different forms than when they left, but they’re returning. Homes are popping up again, as are construction crews in those half-completed neighborhoods. Excitement is in the air once again.
This Vista is dedicated to that excitement. Our theme is “Back to Work.” In these pages, you’ll read about some West Valley business owners who weathered the storm, some residents who found ways to survive in the changing economic landscape, and you’ll also read about the G word (spoiler: the West Valley is growing again). We’ve also included a massive — our largest yet — events calendar.
As with all our Vista guides, we’ve included a school directory, a worship directory and plenty of city and state contact information so you can stay involved in your local governments. We hope you keep Vista around; it’s handy in a pinch.
Thanks for reading, now back to work!
— Michael Clawson
Ryan Westfall, Gabe Rivera, Larry Crawford, Zack Halvorson West Valley View is published each Tuesday and Friday by West Valley View Inc.
Vista is published semi-annually by West Valley View Inc.
Subscriptions: Home delivery of West Valley View is free upon request within western Maricopa County west of State Route 101 and south of Northern Ave. as well as all of the city of Tolleson. Requested mail subscriptions within Maricopa County: $150 per year, $80 for 6 months. Out of county & state: $175 per year, $90 for 6 months.
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2013 Vista was conceived and designed by Michael Clawson. Photos by Michael Clawson and Ray Thomas unless
WORK CONTINUES
Homebuilding numbers are up as economy improves
When the houusin i g market in n the Phoenix x meetropollitan arreea bottome m d out foll l owwa in 2007, the
hen the housing market in the Phoenix metropolitan area bottomed out following a peak in 2007, the local economy took a huge hit that led to the Valley of the Sun’s being among the leaders in unemployment.
The loss of construction jobs led to a downward economic spiral.
Now, six years later, the economy has begun to rebound and a revitalized housing market is among the key factors, officials said.
Single-family housing starts for the Phoenix metropolitan area were nearly 12,000 for the first six months of 2013, according to figures released by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and 6,920 building permits were issued during the same time frame.
The building permits issued represented the fourth-highest total for any of the nation’s metropolitan areas, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
The top three metropolitan areas were: Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, Texas, 18,090; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas, 10,083; and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga., 7,600.
Single-family home building permits and new-home sales also are on the rise across the Valley, with the West Valley in the forefront. Avondale, Tolleson and Goodyear have all experienced an
inncrcreaase s in n pe p rmmitits is i s sued d throuugh h the e t seve v n mo m ntths s f of thhe year.
increase in permits issued through the first seven months of the year. Buckeye lags behind last year’s figure by a mere five permits.
“I think the West Valley has done well,” said Jim Belfiore, president of Belfiore Real Estate Consulting. “It is on par with getting its fair share [of permits].”
Belfiore estimates that 29 to 31 percent of the permits issued in the metropolitan area are issued in the West Valley, which in the case of his company, also encompasses Surprise, North Peoria and parts of west Phoenix.
“We think, nationally in 2012, the recovery got good traction,” said Robert Denk, vice president, Forecasting and Analysis, National Association of Home Builders. “We think solid growth should continue in 2013 and 2014.”
Belfiore also believes the upswing will continue next year.
“We project 13,800 single-family building permits will be issued this year in Maricopa County,” Belfiore said. “Next year, there will be 18,600 permits issued and 24,300 in 2015. That is a significant increase.”
Part of the reason for Belfiore’s optimism is a lack of single-family housing inventory in some areas.
“In north Peoria, all of Surprise and
Construction work moves at a steady pace Aug. 27 near 120th Avenue and Van Buren Street in Avondale. Half-finished communities and empty neighborhoods, once sidelined by the housing crisis, are now the subjects of intense new development.
north Goodyear, there is a shortage of purchasing opportunities,” Belfiore said. “If there were more houses available, sales would be higher in those areas.
“Avondale, Goodyear and Tolleson are seeing tremendous growth in new-home sales opportunities.”
The Phoenix area market has not only seen a surge in building permits issued but also in home values.
“Phoenix [area] has the most rapid house-price appreciation in the nation, but Phoenix was one of the biggest bubble markets and had one of the biggest crashes,” Denk said. “The growth rate and permits issued we are seeing today are benefiting from the precipitous fall.”
The increase in housing construction is a major factor in the Valley’s economic recovery.
According to a report by the National Association of Home Builders: “The estimated one-year local impacts of building 100 single-family homes in a typical metro area include $21.1 million in local income, $2.2 million in taxes and other
STRETCHING THE DOLLAR
Ways to save money range from simple to extreme
They say the dollar is almighty. And they’re right: look, it stretches.
Take Mary Allen, 70, of Buckeye, for example. When saving money became a necessity, she didn’t let that stop her lifestyle. She made some cuts, looked for deals and generally stretched her dollars — however mighty they are — around her life.
“We don’t sit at the dinner table and say, ‘Oh, I wish I had steak instead of chicken,’” she said. “We’re just grateful to eat the meal.”
Before, she would plan her meals and then buy whatever items she needed. Now she plans her meals based on what is on sale, she said, adding that she also clips coupons and stopped dining at some of her favorite restaurants such as the Cheesecake Factory and Famous Dave’s.
She said the money that she has been saving has been set aside for any future medical expenses.
“It’s more important that I have money for those things,” she said. Allen said she is appreciative of what she does have. Similarly, Josephine Contreras, 70, of Tolleson, said she has made a lot of cost-saving changes because the recession greatly affected her and her husband. They started shopping at thrift stores such as Goodwill.
“We didn’t know what a Goodwill was,” she said. They had never shopped there before, but now they’re old pros. They even know when to watch for the 50 percent off sales.
RUSTY GRAVES stands in his 180-square-foot microhouse in Buckeye. The house, when completed, will feature all the amenities of a real house, including a small kitchen, a bathroom and sleeping areas.
To save money on gas, Contreras cross-references her shopping list with advertised sales so she can price match. That saves her from making stops at numerous stores.
Her lifestyle changes have helped her immensely, she said, adding that the saved money has been used to pay down her debt.
Although it was initially difficult to live frugally, Contreras said she has adjusted to her lifestyle and she can breathe easier these days.
Where Contreras and Allen take practical approaches, others take more extreme measures to minimize expenses and maximize savings.
Rusty Graves, 31, of Buckeye, built a 180-square-foot “microhome” made out of recyclable materials.
In 2010, Graves and his family downsized from a 2,500-square-foot to a 1,200-square-foot home. After viewing an online article about a microhome, he decided to build one so he could continue to cut his housing expenses.
Although he has no background in construction, he learned to build the home by watching videos on YouTube, Graves said.
The home is fully functional with a dining area, kitchen, refrigerator, shower, and washer and dryer.
It also has a composting toilet, which has a toilet seat mount-
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BACK TO SCHOOL
Certificates, specialized programs offer new career paths
When jobs were scarce and times were tight, Brian Loper did something he never thought he’d have to do: he reinvented himself.
Loper, who found himself unemployed in 2012 after he retired from the National Guard and moved to Surprise, was in a tricky spot. He had 20 years of experience working on military aircraft all around the country, but outside the Guard he needed an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic, or A&P, certificate to even open the hood on a civilian aircraft.
“I’ve got tons of aviation experience, it’s just I don’t have that certificate that says you can do whatever you want in aviation,” he said. “So I’m kind of limited …”
Loper continued: “I can’t even get a job assembling — you know — widgets,” he said, adding that he applied to 70 to 80 jobs after he retired from the Guard. “It’s just frustrating.”
Today, Loper is still unemployed, but he’s found some hope by going back to school, a place he never saw himself again, especially later in his life. He’s also a stay-at-home dad to two children, which is its own kind of job.
In order to further himself, and restart his career, Loper enrolled at Western Maricopa Education Center, or WestMEC, which just launched its first adult aviation technology program in August. The program certifies airplane mechanics. Much of Loper’s coursework might be review for him, but at the end of the program he gets that certificate that’s holding him back from so many jobs.
Although Loper jokes that the new American Dream is to “have a part-time job” and “live in an apartment,” he expresses optimism about the economy.
“Things are picking up. It’s good,” he said. “Get in now while the economy is just starting to build, and hopefully two years from now they will be knocking down your door for jobs.”
He is also optimistic that Luke Air Force Base, still in a holding pattern on more than 100 F-35 jets, might provide more aviation jobs.
“I’m hoping that the expansion coming up in 2014 with the F-35s would bring more jobs to the base, but I still don’t know that for sure, so I gotta pursue one thing,” he said.
So far his experience in West-MEC classes has been “awesome,” he said.
The aviation program has been running for high school students for three years. This is the first program for adults.
Troy Gabaldon, aviation director at West-MEC, said the adult class runs in the evening to better accommodate adults who still have full-time jobs.
“We see a lot of older adults coming in saying, ‘Hey I’ve always wanted to do this but never had the time or the chance,’ so …[some students are in the program] either to get a job, and some guys we have are already in the industry just don’t have the certification,” he said. “… We’re crosstraining and re-training.”
The A&P certificate offers twice as many job opportuni-
See SCHOOL on V14
BRIAN LOPER OF SURPRISE works on a Piper Comanche aircraft as part of the adult aviation program from Western Maricopa Educational Center (West-MEC) aviation technology school near the Glendale Airport.
SMALL BUSINESS, BIG HEART
2 shop owners stay afloat with perseverance, tasty menus
For the past eight years, the Millstone Café has been quite literally the only “coffee house” in downtown Buckeye.
Joe and Hortencia Blanton purchased the empty house at 801 E. Monroe Ave. in 2005 and converted it into a coffee shop by refurbishing some of the rooms and adding a kitchen and barista space.
(LEFT) MILLSTONE CAFE owner Hortencia Blanton prepares coffee in Buckeye. (Right) Kreative Kupcakes owner Leah Cartwright prepares a batch of cupcakes at her Avondale business. Both businesses survived a tough economy and are seeing their numbers go up.
However, some of the building’s homey comforts were preserved, including the working fireplace, making it a unique cross between a family-owned business and shared space for other families and the community.
And much like the rest of the community, the Millstone Café and the Blantons have seen the ups and downs of the economy over the years.
“We were open 105 hours a week when we first opened. We had seven employees, two shifts, open seven days a week. We did really good for the first couple of years,” Joe said. “And then in 2007 it just started dropping and dropping, and we hit our low in 2010 or 2011.”
The Blantons explained that the café faced a roughly three-
Leah Cartwright, co-owner and baker at Kreative Kupcakes in Avondale, does not describe herself as the perfect little elf who stays up all night in a hot kitchen.
Instead, she has a time-tested plan that keeps her baked goods fresh and beautiful for her customers each day. How she does it is a trade secret.
However, when she arrives at work in the morning, the cupcakes are already baked by another worker — using Cartwright’s carefully crafted recipes — and she begins to decorate.
Some mornings, when she is the only one on duty, she will place the sweet batter in the oven and wait for it to bake before she does any decorating.
Although the small oven ding-ding-dings its delightful chime that the goods are — in fact — ready, Cartwright checks each individual tray before pulling them out to make sure they are just right.
“Every single tray is checked individually. If they go in at the same time, it doesn’t matter,” she said.
Cartwright is a self-taught baker, and a lot of her learning
RETURN OF THE ARTS
West Valley cities plan to continue, expand public art
ARTIST JAMES MOORE’S “Family at Play” is on display at the Avondale Civic Center. Many other public art displays can be seen throughout the West Valley.
Art inspires our imaginations, be it at a museum, a street corner or an ash-smeared cave that dates back thousands of years. Unfortunately, when funds get cut, the arts are usually one of the first casualties in the budget.
Avondale, like many Valley cities, has a thriving appreciation for public art, even as it’s been forced to reduce the scale and scope of some of its projects.
Avondale began its own Municipal Art Committee in 2005 to ensure the arts would not be lost in the shuffle with new development.
“The focus has been public art,” said Rogene Hill, Avondale assistant city manager. “We have residents who volunteer to serve on the committee for two-year terms.”
Hill said any resident can volunteer and apply, not just artists.
“We don’t ask them to have any particular credentials,” Hill said. “They can be an artist, or just be interested in the arts.”
The committee was started to secure public art’s place in Avondale’s future, Hill said. The goal of the Avondale Public Art Program is to provide visual art that complements public structures; create a sense of community and identity; pursue funding and resources for public art; and cooperate with existing agencies to develop programs to further the development and awareness of art.
The committee gets funding in two different ways: the city’s general fund and a public arts ordinance.
“The council has in the past awarded [funds] out of general fund money, but the last few years, they’ve not been able to do that,” Hill said. “They’re also funded by an ordinance put in place in 2007, where projects of a certain square footage have to either place public art … or donate in the amount of $25,000 to the art fund.”
Hill said most new projects choose the donation method to fulfill the ordinance responsibility.
The most recent project the committee has overseen is the traffic signal boxes along McDowell Road from 99th Avenue to Dysart Road. The boxes are covered in images ranging from
smiling children to waterfowl. Hill said the project wrapped up during the summer and the artists and contractors worked together to create the images on the boxes.
Some of the larger works commissioned by the Municipal Art Committee are James Moore’s “Family at Play” at the Avondale Civic Center and Fredrick Prescott’s “Elephant Walk” at Friendship Park.
The committee meets once a month to discuss future plans and projects.
“They’re working on their annual work plan, in terms of trying to come together and decide what their priorities are and what they want to do next, where they want to place a piece and want kind of piece they want,” Hill said.
Hill said the city and the committee partner with many art groups around the West Valley. One of those partnerships is with the Mosaic Arts Center, which provides an artistic output, as well as learning opportunities, for children and adults alike.
“We’re primarily an arts center, but we do all kinds of different things,” Mosaic Arts Center President Marty Wesolowski said. “We offer STEM programming, but it’s art based.
Wesolowski said the Mosaic Arts Center takes STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — and add art to it, calling the revamped program STE[+a]M, pronounced like “steam.”
The Mosaic Arts Center holds after-school activities for children, free classes each Saturday for adults and children, and hosts an art walk.
“The second Saturday of every month, we’re doing the Western Avenue Art Walk,” Wesolowski said. “We started with three artists and zero participants, now we have 30 artists and 150 people.”
Hill said Avondale has a commitment to the beautification of the city and to public art.
“There’s a lot of interest all over the Valley for art, we support it,” she said.
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SCHOOL from V12
ties, higher pay and the possibility of being able to move up in a job, Gabaldon said.
The 27-month program costs $13,500, and West-MEC provides tools for students to use in the hands-on coursework. After earning their certification, students aren’t limited to aviation careers; elevator companies, NASCAR and theme parks all hire A&P certified technicians and mechanics, Gabaldon said.
For Loper, though, any job around planes would be ideal, especially since his entire life has revolved around planes. When he was an infant his father, a pilot, would take him up in planes and then spend time tinkering with the engine with his buddies. Planes is all he knows. It’s all he wants to know.
— Charity Yodis
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TEACHING MOMENT
Educating as a profession can be tough, but rewarding
There’s a lot that goes in to being a high school coach. Teaching the sport you are passionate about is just the tip of the iceberg.
Bobby Barnes, who has been the head football coach at Buckeye Union High School for 11 years now, knows that firsthand. Time commitment is first and foremost, he said.
“Time commitment and, if you’re married, a spouse that understands what that entails,” Barnes said. “I don’t understand how my young coaches can put the time in that they do with children and family.”
Barnes has a family, but when his children were young, he was in the construction business. Now, he teaches physical education from 8:25 a.m. until 3:10 p.m., but doesn’t leave the school until 8 or 9 p.m. most nights because of all the time it takes to prepare, practice and strategize for the upcoming game.
Barnes’ commitment shows in his success at Buckeye. The coach has won 63 games and lost 50, despite going 1-9 in his first year. Last season, after beating Youngker in the regular season finale, Barnes became the school’s all-time winningest football coach.
Part of his success comes from having a great coaching staff, he said.
“I’ve surrounded myself with people that make the commitment that’s needed,” Barnes said. “I have three or four coaches that have been assistants with me for at least six years. It’s hard to find many coaches that have been head coaches for six years at a high school, let alone assistants. I have some that have stayed for eight and nine [years].”
Despite the weekly frustrations Barnes has with the sport — including the media frenzy around football concussions — coaching is a satisfying job when it comes to the personal stories and family moments a group of athletes and coaches share together, he said.
“It’s the personal stories,” Barnes said. “[The players tell] us coaches, ‘You guys are our parents.’”
— Casey Pritchard
At every school in the country — if not the whole world — a similar scene plays out: long before the students arrive, and long after they leave, a teacher can be found plucking away behind the scenes.
“I get here at 6:30 a.m. and leave at about 6 p.m.,” Jeanne O’Bannon, a second-grade teacher at Garden Lakes Elementary School, said. “It’s a 12-hour day.”
Summer vacation?
“It never works out that way,” Diane Corley, teacher of the gifted and talented program at Garden Lakes, said.
O’Bannon and Corley both said they spend a significant amount of time during the summer preparing for the school year.
Children are what make the job worth it, they said.
“Kids are very much the same; kids are kids,” Corley said. “They do funny things now that they did back then. They have their own way of looking at things.”
Things such as the Internet, smart phones and information at their fingertips.
“Technology has changed so much of what’s available to us,” Corley said. “It’s really hard to describe that to a young person who grew up with technology.”
Corley said before the Internet, teachers would have to take students to the library and show them where to find the information within physical books.
“You had to make an appointment [at the library], and that teachable moment was gone by the time they had time open for you,” Corley said. “Now, when a kid has a question for you about something, you go, ‘Let’s go look that up.’ You’ve got the world’s knowledge in your classroom. It’s a great, great tool.”
Even in a classroom of 30 pupils, teaching is still very much an individual-based effort.
“Whatever will help that child, that’s what we do,” O’Bannon said.
— Shane McOwen
(LEFT) BUCKEYE FOOTBALL coach Bobby Barnes talks to a player during a game. (Right) Garden Lakes Elementary School teacher Jeanne O’Bannon reads with students at the Avondale school.
revenue for local governments, and 324 local jobs.”
Factors that may slow growth
What could slow the growth is a shortage of housing inventory, resulting in rising prices and escalating mortgage rates.
“There is a shortage of supply, so new-home prices are rising significantly,” Belfiore said. “We reached a 40-plus year low in home building two years ago. There is a need for new homes. In the West Valley, prices are rising rather rapidly.
“Metro Phoenix new-home prices rose 1 percent in July. That’s 12 percent annually. In the West Valley, prices rose 2.6 percent over the last two months. There are not enough subdivisions coming on line. We need a new supply of homes.”
Escalating mortgage rates may adversely affect home sales. Mortgage rates have risen slightly more than 1 percent in the first seven months of 2013 and were around 4.5 percent at midyear, a two-year high.
“In any area that is price restrictive, higher mortgage rates will have an effect,” Belfiore said. “Mortgage rates will not necessarily affect a person’s ability to purchase a home, but it will affect the size of the home and where it is purchased. I don’t think a 1to 1 1/2-percent increase in the mortgage rate will stop someone from looking for a new home. If it goes much higher than that, it may stifle growth.”
A breakdown of activity by local communities follows:
Avondale
Avondale has issued 34 single-family building permits through the fi rst seven months of 2013, a considerable increase over the two permits issued during the same time frame last year. Only three such permits were issued all of 2012.
“I suspect that by the end of December, we will issue 75 to 80 permits,” said Randal Westacott, Avondale’s chief building official.
“A couple of residential builders are coming on line,” he said. That circumstance could boost the permits’ figure higher.
While the housing market is on the upswing in Avondale, it is still a long way from its peak. The city issued 1,469 single-family building permits in 2005 and 924 in 2006. At the peak of the housing boom, Avondale issued 2,243 single-family permits in 2004.
“It has been a huge drop-off,” Westacott said.
Tolleson
Tolleson has seen some construction by D.R. Horton and has issued 28 single-family building permits through the end of June.
“That’s not bad since Tolleson is only six-square miles,” said Marge Sydlowski, building permit technician.
A dozen lots are still available for development in the subdivision, Sydlowski said.
Buckeye
Buckeye’s Development Services Department issued 64 single-family building permits during the month of July, compared to 83 issued during the same month last year. That brought the year-to-date permits issued total to 455, down 1 percent from last year’s figure of 460 for the same period,
At the height of the housing boom, Buckeye housing starts totaled 2,758 in 2008.
“Buckeye had two active new-home developments,” Belfiore said. “This year, there are 11 active new-home developments.”
Goodyear
Goodyear issued 597 single–family housing permits through the first seven months of 2013, up slightly from 589 for the same period last year.
The city issued only two residential building permits in 2012.
Litchfield Park
Figures on building permits issued for Litchfield Park were unavailable because telephone calls to the Litchfield park Building Safety department went unreturned.
— Mike Russo
ed to a five-gallon bucket. He said you do your business in the bucket and then pour sawdust over it. When the bucket is full, it goes in a composting pile for about six months and transforms into “humanure,” he said.
When he initially downsized to his current home, he realized that he and his family did not need all of their material possessions, he said. Instead, he wanted to spend more quality time with his family, he said.
Graves hasn’t decided when he and his family will move into the home, but when he does, he will be saving about $250 a month.
The additional money will go toward his retirement, and he hopes to retire by the age of 50, he said.
He said downsizing has taught him and his family to live a simpler lifestyle, one they plan to continue doing.
— Frances Torrez
RUSTY GRAVES cuts a piece of paneling for his 180-square-foot microhouse in Buckeye. He plans to eventually sell his current house and move into the microhouse, which is more affordable.
SAVING from V6
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
West Valley has no shortage of events after summer
A GIANT INFLATABLE Frosty the Snowman float makes its way down Old Litchfield Road during the 2012 holiday parade in Litchfield Park.
SEPTEMBER
27 — Avondale is hosting its monthly Out and About event from 6 to 9 p.m. at the outdoor amphitheater, 11465 W. Civic Center Drive. The event will kick off with a dance performance followed by a showing of Wreck-it Ralph. Take a lawn chair or blanket. Food and beverages will be available for sale. Admission is free. For information, visit www.ci.avondale.az.us.
28 — Goodyear is hosting a free musical concert called “The Fabulous Decades” starting at 7 p.m. at Goodyear Community Park, 3151 N. Litchfield Road. The band will cover music from the ’60s to ’90s. The event is part of the city’s fall concert series. Take your chairs or blankets. For information, call 623882-7525 or visit www.goodyearaz.gov/rec.
28 — Litchfield Park is hosting Oktoberfest from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Blvd. The event will feature German food, beer, music and dancing. Admission is $10 per person; free to children 11 and younger. Food and beverages are at an additional cost. For information, visit www.litchfield-park.org.
OCTOBER
5 — Goodyear is hosting a free concert with rock band Big Zephyr starting at 7 p.m. at Goodyear Community Park, 3151 N. Litchfield Road. The event is part of the city’s fall concert series. Take your lawn chairs or blankets. For information, call 623-882-7525 or visit www.goodyearaz.gov/rec.
11 — Avondale is hosting Resident Appreciation / Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (GAIN) from 5 to 8
p.m., at 495 E. Western Ave. The event will feature display booths, interactive activities, a children’s costume contest and live entertainment. Food and beverages will available for sale. Admission is free. The event is part of the city’s Out & About series. For information, visit www.ci.avondale.az.us.
12 — Goodyear is hosting a free concert featuring country group Desert Dixie starting at 7 p.m. at Goodyear Community Park, 3151 N. Litchfield Road. The event is part of the city’s fall concert series. Take your lawn chairs or blankets. For information, call 623-882-7525 or visit www.goodyearaz.gov/rec.
12 — Buckeye is hosting Sangria & Shopping starting at 11 a.m. at the Elks Lodge No. 2686, 109 N. Fifth St. Admission is free. For information, visit www.buckeyeaz.gov.
12 — Buckeye is hosting Octoberfest starting at 11 a.m. at Sixth Street Plaza, 517 E. Monroe Ave. Admission is free. For information, visit www.buckeyeaz.gov.
12-13 — The Buckeye Relay for Life event runs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. at Youngker High School, 3000 S. Apache Road. For information, visit www.relayforlife.org/buckeyeaz.
19 — The Goodyear Ball Park is hosting its annual Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (GAIN) event from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the park, 1933 S. Ballpark Way. The event focuses on strengthening communities by encouraging neighbors to meet each other through a family-fun atmosphere. For information, call 623-882-3120 or visit www.goodyearbp.com.
20 — Litchfield Park is hosting a free concert for its Arts in the Park series from 3 to 5 p.m. on the front lawn of the Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Blvd. Cold Shott & the Hurricane will be performing. For information, visit www.litchfield-park.org.
26 — Goodyear is hosting a free concert featuring rockabilly band Whiskey Kiss starting at 7 p.m. at Goodyear Community Park, 3151 N. Litchfield Road. The event is part of the city’s fall concert series. Take your lawn chairs or blankets. For information, call 623-882-7525 or visit www.goodyearaz.gov/rec.
26 — Buckeye is hosting a Halloween carnival from 6 to 9 p.m. at Earl Edgar Recreation Complex, 500 S. Miller Road. The carnival will feature games, a petting zoo, food and more. Admission is free. Tickets are 50 cents each. Activities and food range from one to six tickets each. For information, visit www.buckeyeaz.gov.
26 — The Fall Tres Rios Nature Festival & 5K River Run is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Base and Meridian wildlife recreation area next to Phoenix International Raceway (7602 S. Avondale Blvd). Visitors can celebrate the diversity of wildlife, habitat, history and culture of the Gila, Salt and Agua Fria rivers. The festival kicks off with the 5K run along the Gila River and includes bird watching, canoeing, fishing and more. Admission is free. Food and beverages will be available for sale. For information about the event or river-run registration fee, visit www.ci.avondale.az.us.
26 — Tolleson is hosting a Community and Pet Health Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Veterans Park, 8601 W. Van Buren St. The expo will highlight health information and services for
community members. The pet expo will include Chihuahua and Weiner dog races, pet information and vaccines. Admission is free; $5 each entry fee for dog race. Food and beverages will be available for sale. For information, visit www. tollesonaz.org.
NOVEMBER
2-3 — The Litchfield Park Festival of the Arts runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day in downtown Litchfield Park. The festival will feature more than 250 artists and live entertainment. Admission and parking are free. For information, call 623-7346526 or visit www.litchfield-park.org.
2 — Goodyear’s Wag & Tag is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Roscoe Dog Park, 15600 W. Roeser Road. The event is for owners and their pets and will feature rescue and adoption organizations, pet-related vendors and a photo booth for the upcoming holiday season. Admission is free. For information, call 623882-7525 or visit www.goodyearaz.gov/rec.
2 — The Southwest Valley Writers Conference runs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Avondale City Hall, 11465 Civic Center Drive. The theme of the conference is “Ignite the Spark, light the fire.” Participants will have the opportunity to connect with agents, editors and other writers. The event will feature speakers and workshops. Registration cost varies from $75 to $95 per person. For information, call 602-971-9055 or visit www.avondalewritersconference.org.
10 — Litchfield Park is hosting a free Veterans Day concert for its Arts in the Park series from 3 to 5 p.m. on the front lawn of the Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Blvd. For information, visit www.litchfield-park.org.
11 — Avondale is hosting a Veterans Day celebration and barbecue picnic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the City Hall amphitheater, 11465 W. Civic Center Drive. Food tickets are free for veterans and their immediate family with valid ID. For all others, admission cost is $5 per person. Take a lawn chair or blanket. For information, visit www.ci.avondale.az.us.
11 — Buckeye is hosting a Veterans Days tribute starting at 9 a.m. at Benbow Veterans Memorial Park, 411 N. Monroe Ave. Admission is free. For information, visit www.buckeyeaz.gov.
11 — Tolleson is hosting a Veterans Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Veterans Park, 8601 W. Van Buren St. The annual celebration will honor all veterans in the community. The event
will include guest speakers, live music, bounce houses and crafts. Admission is free. For information, visit www.tollesonaz.org.
16 — Buckeye is hosting its Fall Demolition Derby starting at 6 p.m. at the Helzapoppin Rodeo Arena at Miller Road and the Roosevelt Irrigation District Canal. Admission is $10 per person 15 and older; and $5 per person for 14 and younger. For information, visit www.buckeyeaz.gov.
DECEMBER
7 — The Goodyear Ball Park is hosting Home Plate for the Holidays 6 to 10 p.m. at the park, 1933 S. Ballpark Way. The event will feature a tree lighting ceremony and Santa Claus. Food and beverages will be available for sale. Admission and parking are free. There is a nominal fee for activities. For information, call 623-882-3120.
7 — Buckeye is hosting Hometown Holiday Boutique & Winter Wonderland starting at 9 a.m. at the Sixth Street Plaza, 517 E. Monroe Ave. Admission is free. For information, visit www.buckeyeaz.gov.
7 — Litchfield Park is hosting Christmas in the Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Litchfield Park Town Center. The event will feature a craft show at 9 a.m. and parade at 10 a.m. The day will also include live entertainment, a snow area and a visit from Santa. For information, visit www.litchfield-park.org.
13 — Avondale is hosting a holiday celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. at 495 E. Western Ave. The festival will feature crafts, food, music and a snow area. There will be a special appearance by Santa and other holiday characters. Santa will also be available for pictures. Admission is free. For information, visit www.ci.avondale.az.us.
14 — Buckeye is hosting the Glow on Monroe Electric Light Parade starting at 6:30 p.m. at 517 E. Monroe Ave. Admission is free. For information, visit www.buckeyeaz.gov.
13-14 — Tolleson is hosting Luces de Navidad at Veterans Park, 8601 W. Van Buren St. The event kicks off with the Festival of Lights Parade down Van Buren Street Saturday at 7 p.m. A carnival with rides and games will be open 5 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free to the community; food and beverages will be for sale. For information, visit www.tollesonaz.org.
JANUARY
11-12 — Litchfield Park is hosting a Native American Art Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The festival will feature traditional and contemporary Native American jewelry, pottery, basketry, beadwork and more. The event includes entertainment and learning opportunities. Admission is $5 per person; children 12 and younger are free. For information, call 623-935-9040 or visit www.litchfield-park.org.
19 — Litchfield Park is hosting a free concert for its Arts in the Park series from 3 to 5 p.m. on the front lawn of the Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Blvd. For information, visit www.litchfield-park.org.
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COFFEE from V10
year period of ever-dropping revenue beginning in 2007.
“From 2007 to 2008, we saw a 26 percent decline. From 2008 to 2009, a 30 percent drop, and from 2009 to 2010, a 14.5 percent drop. Two-thousand-eleven was the first year we saw an increase, with 4.5 percent,” Joe said. “It worried us, but we also knew that everyone else was struggling and that the economy was in the tank.”
The Blantons also had some ideas up their sleeves to stay afloat even with the sinking economy.
Changing service, social media
The economy isn’t the only thing that has changed in the last eight years the Millstone Café has been open; so did the technology.
In 2005, the café was opened with just a simple website that didn’t see a facelift for a few years.
Today, in addition to a new website, Hortencia said most of her new customers find out about the Millstone online from online review sites such as Yelp.
To take advantage of this marketing, Joe aims to make at least a handful of posts to the café’s Facebook page a day.
“There are definitely people looking at it. We do a ‘daily special’ on Facebook and people come in and ask for it,” he said. “Even if it’s just two posts a day, or just advertising the soup of day, I try to do it so it keeps popping up on people’s phones to keep our name out there.”
Another order of change the Blantons called for was a slightly different menu.
The Millstone Café sells anything and everything your corporate Starbucks might, such as coffee, tea and smoothies, as well as lunch items such as sandwiches.
One thing that the Blantons thought might separate their
business from other coffee shops was offering a dinner service. Beginning in 2012, the café’s hours were extended and the menu revamped to offer more hearty foods three nights a week.
“That was our best year in like four years; we had a 37 percent increase, just by adding the dinner service, which I think had a lot to do with it,” Joe said.
American dream
While being flexible about the menu to draw more customers into the café was a profitable decision, it also proved to be exhausting.
“The increase in revenue was a relief, but it almost killed us because we were so tired,” Joe said. “We were working 15-hour days.”
This year, the Millstone Café is back to only being open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch and is closed on Sunday.
Revenues so far seem to be matching last year’s despite not offering dinner service anymore.
“It’s hard to say exactly what it is,” Joe said. “Whether our social media marketing is working, or people have more money to spend, or now more people know us from dinner service, but we’re definitely seeing a lot of new customers almost daily.”
For Hortencia, hard work was one of the keys to keeping the café open throughout the down times.
“A lot of small businesses close. It’s gotten bad and we’ve struggled, we’ve gone weeks without paychecks,” Joe said. “For me, it’s just the thrill of owning your own business and knowing that once we get out of this recession, things could be pretty good.”
— Rachel Trott
came from spending hours beside her grandmother who was a professional chef.
“I always baked with her and obviously ate a lot of her food. We have her cheesecake recipe, the lemon cake is hers,” Cartwright said.
Cartwright and her husband, Dale Cartwright, who is also a baker and co-owner of the shop, work together to modify her grandmother’s recipes and the base for the cupcake batter.
Many times, she said, they would experiment and have customers test new flavors and creations.
Currently, they have 32 flavors available, including seasonal favorites and the bake-shop staples, such as chocolate, vanilla and red-velvet.
For those cooking at home, Cartwright recommends being open minded to unique flavors, including some odd ones.
Their Guinness Beer and Bacon cupcake is a prime example of a successful experiment.
Cartwright says she likes to do the girly cakes, but leaves the “dude cakes” such as the pool table and poker game cake to her husband.
Although the couple started their cupcake store three years ago when the economy still wasn’t doing so well, Cartwright said she and her husband believed in consistently making a quality product.
“Consistency in everything we do has truly paid off,” she said.
— Charity Yodis
CUPCAKES from V10
KREATIVE KUPCAKES owner Leah Cartwright sprinkles toasted coconut onto uncooked cupcakes at her Avondale business.
WORSHIP DIRECTORY
Abundant Harvest Church
919 N. Dysart Road, Suites N and O, Avondale
623-810-2355
www.ahconline.org
Avondale Apostolic Church —
Truth
Tabernacle
825 N. Central Ave., Avondale 623-932-0893
www.avondaleapostolic.com
Christ Community
United Methodist Church
104 W. Western Ave., Avondale 623-932-3480
www.myccumc.com
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
10930 W. Garden Lakes Parkway, Avondale 623-772-9275
Coldwater Church
15 N. Fifth St., Avondale 623-249-9694
www.coldwaterchurch.com
Cornerstone
Christian Center
11301 W. Indian School Road, Avondale 623-877-3220
www.cornerstoneaz.org
Desert Springs
Worship Center
10714 W. Fourth St., Avondale 623-936-4166
Faith Harvest
Corte Sierra Elementary 3300 N. Santa Fe Trail, Avondale 623-444-9762
www.faithharvest.com
First Baptist Church
Garden Lakes 2517 N. 107th Ave., Avondale 623-936-7148
www.gardenlakesbaptist.com
First Southern Baptist Church of Avondale
1001 N. Central Ave., Avondale 623-932-2723
www.fsbca.org
Gateway Baptist Church
528 E. Western Ave., Avondale
623-877-9179
www.gatewaybaptistavondale.com
Goodyear Friends Inc.
104 N. Dysart Road, Avondale 623-932-2292
Grace Walk
Community Church
La Joya Performing Arts Center 11650 W. Whyman Road, Avondale 623-907-8991
www.gracewalkchurch.org
Harvest Outreach
Christian Center
715 E. Western Ave., Avondale 623-932-6453
www.harvestoutreachaz.iconosites.com
Heritage Baptist Church
La Joya High School
11650 W. Whyman Ave., Avondale 623-882-2351
www.HeritageBaptistAZ.org
Iglesia Armonia
918 S. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 623-760-2025
www.iglesiaarmonia.com
Iglesia La Luz Del Mundo
7 E. Kinderman Drive, Avondale 623-882-8487
In His Presence
Christian Church
316 N. Central Ave., Avondale 623-688-3447 www.ihpcconline.com
Kingdom in the Valley
13048 W. Rancho Santa Fe Blvd., Avondale 623-584-3113 www.kivcc.org
Lighthouse Baptist Church
Collier Elementary School
350 S. 118th Ave., Avondale 480-721-2206 www.lbcavondale.com
La Misión
Assembly of God
11147 W. Buckeye Road, Avondale 623-936-3703
Morning Star Baptist Church
500 S. Seventh St., Avondale 623-932-4320
New Life Covenant Church
541 E. Main St., Avondale 623-932-1670 www.avondalechurch.com
Pathway Bible Church 2150 Rancho Santa Fe Blvd., Avondale www.pathwaybibleaz.com
Primera Iglesia Bautista de Ant 12610 W. Whyman St., Avondale 623-932-5723
Rose of Sharon World
Evangelistic Church 919 N. Dysart Road, Suite W, Avondale 602-446-5790 www.wecintl.org
The Sanctuary Community Church 1233 S. 111th Ave., Avondale 623-936-6793
St. Thomas Aquinas
Catholic Church
13720 W. Thomas Road, Avondale 623-935-2151 www.stacc.net
St. William Catholic Church 11001 W. Third St., Avondale 623-936-6115
Sufficient Grace
Christian Center Homewood Suites 11450 W. Hilton Way, Avondale 480-522-5196
Temple of Faith
201 E. Main St., Avondale 623-695-6670
Trinity Lutheran Church
830 E. Plaza Circle, Avondale 623-935-4665
Word of Life
Christian Center
1435 N. Central Ave., Avondale 623-932-2055
www.wordoflifechristiancenter.net
Avondale
Buckeye
Arlington Baptist Church
32700 W. Arlington Road, Buckeye 623-386-1447
Buckeye Christian Church
214 S. Fifth St., Buckeye 602-386-3513
Buckeye First Assembly
23230 W. Highway 85, Buckeye 623-386-4783 www.buckeyefirstassembly.net
Buckeye Light & Life Church
304 E. Roosevelt Ave., Buckeye 623-386-4759 buckeyelightandlife.com
Buckeye Seventh Day Adventist
501 N. Fourth St., Buckeye 623-386-4588 www.buckeyesda.org
Buckeye Worship Center
104 W. Corona St., Buckeye 623-340-4289
Calvary Chapel
25555 W. Durango St., Buckeye 623-282-1086 calvarychapelbuckeye.com
Camino de Santidad
First Assembly of God Church
23230 W. Highway 85, Buckeye 623-386-1376 www.buckeyefirstassembly.net
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1002 Eason Ave., Buckeye 623-386-4188
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
22487 W. Sundance Parkway, Buckeye 520-421-0322
Community Church of Buckeye
A United Methodist Church
810 Eason Ave., Buckeye 623-386-2674
www.ccobumc.weebly.com
CrossPointe Church
Tartesso Elementary School
29677 W. Indianola Ave., Buckeye 623-313-5857
Crossroad
Baptist Church
Verrado Middle School cafeteria
20880 W. Main St., Buckeye 623-341-0490
www.crossroad-az.org
Desert Baptist Church
201 W. Baseline Road, Buckeye 602-386-7636
Desert Hills
Baptist Church
Odyssey Institute
1495 S. Airport Road, Buckeye 623-202-2822 www.dhbcb.org
Elevation Church
Inca Elementary School
23601 W. Durango St., Buckeye www.elevationbuckeye.com
First Southern Baptist Church of Buckeye
405 N. Third St., Buckeye 623-386-5614 www.buckeyebaptist.org
Grace Fellowship Church
1300 N. Miller Road, Buckeye 623-393-8386
www.graceinbuckeye.com
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Buckeye Congregation
23427 W. Pioneer St., Buckeye 623-386-2775
Liberty United
Methodist Church
19900 W. Highway 85, Buckeye 623-386-4090 www.libertyunitedmethodist.com
Lifeway Church
18926 W. Latham, Buckeye 623-853-0686
www.lifewaychurchaz.com
Living Water
Lutheran Church
The Odyssey Academy
6500 S. Apache Road, Buckeye 623-266-1835 www.livingwateraz.org
Mountain Vista
Community Church
Youngker High School auditorium
3000 S. Apache Road, Buckeye 623-474-5757 www.mtvistaonline.org
Jehovah’s Witnesses 14038 W. Yuma Road, Goodyear 623-932-1708
King of Kings Church
14130 W. McDowell Road, Suite 222, Goodyear 623-385-6607 www.kingofkingspca.org
Palm Valley Church
431 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 623-536-2106 www.palmvalley.org
The Refinery
Christian Church
600 N. Bullard Ave., Suite 10, Goodyear 623-925-2000 www.therefinerycc.com
Sunday School - 9:30am Sunday Morning Service - 10:30am Sunday Evening Service - 6:00pm Wednesday Service - 7:00pm
Collier Elementary School
350 S. 118th Ave., Avondale
The River Church
Millennium High School auditorium
14802 W. Wigwam Blvd., Goodyear 623-262-4969 www.theriverchurchaz.com
River in the Desert Christian Fellowship
918 S. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 602-628-4465
The Rock
877 N. Sarival, Goodyear 623-932-1009 therockaz.com
St. John Vianney Catholic Church and School
539 E. La Pasada Blvd., Goodyear 623-932-3313 www.sjvaz.net
Skyway Church of the West Valley
14900 W. Van Buren St., Goodyear 623-935-4858 www.skywaychurch.com
Vineyard Church
255 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 623-932-2500 www.azvineyard.org
Vision Baptist Church
Desert Thunder Elementary 16750 W. Garfield St., Goodyear 623-687-7118 www.visionbaptistchurch.com
West Valley Assembly of God 1781 N. Central Ave., Goodyear 623-932-5737 www.westvalleyassembly.com
West Valley Church of Christ
18604 W. Lower Buckeye Road, Goodyear 623-695-5623 www.wvcochrist.org
West Valley Fellowship
18503 W. Van Buren St., Goodyear 602-525-8467
West Valley United Pentecostal Church
16277 W. Jackson St., Goodyear 623-692-6850
Litchfield Park
The Church at Litchfield Park
300 N. Old Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park 623-935-3411
www.churchatlitchfieldpark.org
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
301 W. Wigwam Blvd., Litchfield Park 623-536-2098
Desert Joy
Christian Fellowship
Dreaming Summit Elementary School 13335 W. Missouri Ave., Litchfield Park 623-872-0721 www.desertjoy.org
Desert Springs Community Church
East Campus
447 S. Old Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park
623-435-2105 dscchurch.com
Iglesia Bautista
Bilingue
13500 W. Maryland Ave., Litchfield Park 602-761-0334
Lighthouse Fellowship
3015 N. Jackrabbit Trail 623-853-1050
www.lighthousefellowshipaz.webs.com
Litchfield Park
First Baptist Church
901 E. Plaza Circle, Litchfield Park 623-935-3163
FREE Church Listing
Litchfield Park
Seventh-Day
Adventist Church
901 E. Plaza Circle, Litchfield Park 541-944-5342
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
400 S. Old Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park 623-935-3279 www.stpetersaz.com
Westpointe Baptist Church
Wigwam Creek Middle School 4510 N. 127th Ave., Litchfield Park 623-521-3549 www.westpointebaptist.org
Peoria
Fresh Start Church
14185 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria 623-979-4392
www.freshstartaz.com
Pentecostal Deliverance COGIC
8668 W. Mountain View Road, Peoria 623-486-7782
South Peoria Baptist Church
9000 W. Olive Ave., Peoria 623-486-1556 www.spbch.com
A Church of Grace
8 S. 92nd Drive, Tolleson 623-936-4629 www.achurchofgrace.com
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
312 N. 93rd Ave., Tolleson 623-936-7107
The Bridge Community Church 10 S. 93rd Ave., Tolleson 623-399-8540 www.bridgeworshipcenter.com
Fellowship
Open Doors Ministries Church
9302 W. Monroe St., Tolleson
602-908-0608
www.opendoorsministrieschurch.org
Wings As Eagles
International Church
Country Place Elementary School
10207 W. Country Place Blvd., Tolleson 800-450-0966
www.waeic.com
Tonopah
Valley Baptist Church of Tonopah/Wintersburg
37702 W. Indian School Road, Tonopah 623-393-0211
www.tonopahvalleybaptistchurch.org
Cotton Lane
Waddell
Community Church
6240 N. Cotton Lane, Waddell 623-935-1776
Wat Promkunaram Buddhist Temple of Arizona
17212 W. Maryland Ave., Waddell 623-935-2276
W. Phoenix, Glendale, Sun City, Surprise
Alleluia Lutheran Church
8444 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix
623-849-4327
www.AlleluiaChurch.com
Beth El Congregation
1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix
602-944-3359
www.bethelphoenix.com
Beth Emeth
Congregation
13702 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West 623-584-7210 www.bethemethaz.org
Calvary United
Methodist Church
7949 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix 623-849-1676 www.calvaryumcphoenix.org
Camelback
Community Church
7634 W. Camelback Road, Glendale 623-846-3497
www.camelbackcommunity.com
The Carpenter’s House of Worship
Independence High School
6602 N. 75th Ave., Glendale 623-266-2469 www.thechowchurch.org
Central Christian Church
8600 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale
623-937-2741
www.centralaz.com
Davids 400
7905 N 71st Ave., Glendale 602-400-1056
www.davids400.com
The Door Christian Fellowship Church
7342 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix 623-848-0849
First Church of Christ, Scientist 8228 W. Orangewood Ave., Glendale 623-937-9258 www.christianscienceaz.com
First Country Baptist Church
12844 W. Santa Fe Drive, Surprise 623-583-9838
www.firstcountrybaptist.org
Grace Walk Community Church
7840 W. Lower Buckeye Road, Phoenix 623-907-8991
www.gracewalkchurch.org
Hamblen Chapel
Evangelical Methodist Church 1614 S. 111th Ave., Phoenix 623-936-9524
In Him Church
Kellis High School
8990 W. Orangewood Ave., Glendale 623-930-6351 www.inhimchurch.org
Kingdom in the Valley Christian Church
15002 N. 25th Drive, Phoenix 623-584-3113 www.kivcc.org
Love Life Church
8016 W. Camelback Road, No. 108, Glendale 623-872-4998 www.lovelifechurch.com
Our Lady of the Sun Catholic Church Inc.
12546 W. Peoria Ave., El Mirage 623-974-4133 www.ourladyofthesun.com
Real Life Ministries
Arizona Charter Academy 16011 N. Dysart Road, Surprise 623-933-4999 www.rlmdestiny.com
St. Andrew’s
Episcopal Church
6300 W. Camelback Road, Glendale 623-846-8046
www.standrewsglendale.azdiocese.org
St. Andrew’s Reformed Episcopal Church
The Chapel at Faith
Lutheran Church 801 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix 623-377-8698 www.saintandrewsrec.com
St. Paul Lutheran Church
6301 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix 623-846-2228 www.stpaullutheran-az.com
Streams
Christian Church
6532 N. El Mirage Road, Glendale 623-363-7450 www.streamschurch.org
Temple Beth Shalom
Jewish — Reform 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City 623-977-3240 www.templebethshalomaz.org
Thomas Road
Baptist Church
5735 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix 623-247-5735 www.trbcphx.org
Turning Leaf Community, A Church of the Nazarene
Heritage Elementary School
6805 N. 125th Ave., Glendale 602-743-3790 www.tlcnaz.org
West End Baptist Church
9101 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix 623-877-2815
West Valley Family Church
6115 N. 91st Ave., Glendale 623-872-1734
EVENTS from V22
24-26 — Buckeye is hosting Buckeye Days, Parade Cattle Drive and Sr. Pro Rodeo Friday through Sunday. The parade, which will feature a herd of cattle, will take place on Monroe Avenue. Some events will also be held at the Sixth Street Plaza, 517 E. Monroe Ave. The rodeo will be held at the Buckeye Equestrian Center, 10300 S. Miller Road. Admission to many events, including the parade, is free. Tickets for rodeo can be purchased at the Buckeye Equestrian Center. For event information, visit www.buckeyeaz.gov.
24 — Avondale is celebrating art and music from 6 to 9 p.m. at City Hall, 11465 W. Civic Center Drive. Local artists will be displaying their community art and attendees can enjoy a glass of wine and an indoor concert. For information, visit www.ci.avondale.az.us.
25 — The Kiwanis Club of Litchfield Park is hosting the Winter Trout Fishing Derby from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tierra Verde Lake Park, 301 S. Old Litchfield Road. The derby will include fishing with more than 1,000 pounds of trout stocked in the lake. The event will also feature food, giveaways and prizes. Registration opens at 6 a.m. Admission is $6 per pole for ages 16 and older; $4 per pole for ages 15 and younger. Attendees must take their own fishing equipment and bait. For information, visit www.litchfield-park.org.
FEBRUARY
8 — The West Valley Hospital is presenting its annual Heart and Sole 5K Run/Walk & 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk at the Goodyear Ballpark, 1933 S. Ballpark Way. Registration fee varies from $15 to $25. The run will start and finish inside the ballpark. Check-in is at 6 a.m. and race starts at 8 a.m. For information, call 623-882-7525 or visit www.goodyearaz.gov/rec.
8 — Buckeye is hosting the Buckeye Air Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Buckeye Municipal Airport, 3000 S. Palo Verde Road. The event will have aircraft displays, a car show, helicopter rides and police and fi re demos, just to name a few. Admission and parking are free. For information, visit www.buckeyeairfair.com.
9 — Litchfield Park is hosting a free concert for its Arts in the Park series from 3 to 5 p.m. on the front lawn of the Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Blvd. For information, visit www.litchfield-park.org.
14-16 — Litchfield Park is hosting the Wigwam Festival of Fine Art from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day on the front lawn of the Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Blvd. The free festival features Western, Southwest and Native American fine art. For information, visit www.litchfield-park.org.
15 — Tolleson is hosting a daddy daughter dance from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Wigwam, 300 W. Wigwam Blvd.
The dance will include contests, prizes, raffles and treats. Cost is $45 per couple for Tolleson residents and $20 for each additional ticket; $55 per couple for non-residents and $25 for each additional ticket. Tickets go on sale Jan. 6 and must be pre-purchased at the Tolleson recreation department, 9555 W. Van Buren St. Deadline to purchase tickets is Feb. 7. For information, visit www.tollesonaz.org.
22 — A Tale of Two Cities Parade & Festival starts at 10 a.m. The cities of Avondale and Goodyear are hosting the event, which is an international celebration highlighting cultures from around the world. The community event will feature crafts, food, entertainment, parade fl oats and more. The parade will start at Goodyear Community Park, 3151 N. Litchfi eld Road, and travel down Thomas Road between Litchfi eld and Dysart roads. The festival begins immediately after the parade at noon at Estrella Mountain Community College, 3000 N. Dysart Road. Admission is free. There is no cost to park at EMCC or Palm Valley Elementary School, 2801 N. 135th Ave. For information, call 623-882-7525 or visit www.ci.avondale.az.us or www.goodyearaz.gov/rec.
23 — West Valley Mavericks is hosting the Flavors of the West Festival from noon to 6 p.m. in downtown Litchfield Park, along Old Litchfield Road, south of Wigwam Boulevard. The festival will feature unlimited food tasting, live entertainment cooking demonstrations and more. For event and pricing details, visit www.flavorsaz.com.
WEST VALLEY BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Assisted Living
Palm Valley Rehabilitation
13575 W. McDowell Rd.
Goodyear (623) 536-9911
Automobile Dealers
Tom Jones Ford
23454 W. Hwy 85, Buckeye (623) 386-4429 www.tomjonesfordinc.com
Batteries
AZ Battery Store
560 N. Bullard Ave., Ste E-50 Goodyear (623) 853-3321
Business Organizations
Buckeye Main Street Coalition
423 E. Monroe Ave., Buckeye www.buckeyemainstreet.org
Career Opportunities
McLane Sunwest www.mclaneco.com/careers
Goodyear (623) 935-7500
Chamber of Commerce
Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce
508 E. Monroe Ave., Buckeye (623) 386-2727 www.buckeyevalleychamber.org
Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce
289 N. Litchfield Rd. Goodyear (623) 932-2260 www.southwestvalleychamber.org
Construction
CORE Construction, Inc. 3036 East Greenway Road Phoenix (602) 494-0800 www.COREConstruct.com
Credit Union
Alhambra Credit Union 13331 W. Indian School Rd., #205 Litchfield Park (623) 246-5120 www.alhambracu.org
First Credit Union 1310 N. Litchfield Rd. Goodyear (480) 831-2645
Dog Grooming
Little Paws Grooming 623-261-0167
puppy2love@live.com
Day Spa
Massage Envy 1468 N. Litchfield Rd. Suite M3
Goodyear (623) 935-5495
9945 W. McDowell Rd. Suite 107 Avondale (623) 209-3939
9744 W. Northern Ave. Suite 1340
Peoria (623) 872-3689
Estate Auctions
Pot of Gold Estate Liquidations 215 E. Western Ave. Avondale (623) 935-9907
Fabric & Quilting
Sew Much For Quilting www.sewmuchforquilting.com Goodyear (623) 925-9900
Funeral Homes
Thompson Funeral Chapel
926 S. Litchfield Rd.
Goodyear (623) 932-1780
Furniture
Casa Linda Furniture
108 E. Western Ave., Goodyear (623) 925-9292
Lina Home Furnishings
1487 N. Dysart Rd. Avondale (623) 882-9232
Gold Buying
The Gold Guy
1550 N. Dysart Rd., Ste B-6 Goodyear (480) 968-4653
Golf
PebbleCreek Golf Resort
Eagle’s Nest Country Club
3645 Clubhouse Drive (1 mile W. of Litchfied Rd. on Indian School)
Goodyear (623) 935-6761
Raven Golf Club at Verrado
4242 N. Golf Drive
Buckeye (623) 388-3000 www.ravenatverrado.com
Tuscany Falls at PebbleCreek
I-10 W. Exit 126, 1-1/2 mile N. on Pebble Creek Parkway to Clubhouse Drive.
Local office: 7121 W. Bell Road, Suite 200 Glendale, AZ 85308 623-776-7911
District 7
Rep. Ed Pastor (D) 2465 Rayburn HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-4065; pastor.house.gov
Local office: 411 N. Central Ave., Suite 150 Phoenix, AZ 85004 602-256-0551
Mobile office: From 9 to 11 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month: Tolleson City Hall 9555 W. Van Buren St. Tolleson, AZ 85353
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Board of Supervisors
Clint L. Hickman (R)
District 4, which includes Avondale, Litchfield Park, Goodyear, north Buckeye
301 W. Jefferson Ave., 10th floor Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-506-7642 chickman@mail.maricopa.gov
State Legislature
District 4
Sen. Lynne Pancrazi (D)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 315 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-3004; lpancrazi@azleg.gov
Rep. Juan Carlos Escamilla (D)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 126 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-5872; jescamilla@azleg.gov
Rep. Lisa Otondo (D)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 123 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-3002; lotondo@azleg.gov
District 13
Sen. Don Shooter (R)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 200 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-4139; dshooter@azleg.gov
Rep. Darin Mitchell (R)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 307 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-5894; dmitchell@azleg.gov
Rep. Steve Montenegro (R)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 218 Phoenix, AZ 85007
Mary Rose Wilcox (D), Supervisor
District 5, which includes Goodyear, Tolleson, Avondale, south Buckeye 301 W. Jefferson Ave., 10th floor Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-506-7092
mrwilcox@mail.maricopa.gov
District 19
Sen. Anna Tovar (D)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 314 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-3392; atovar@azleg.gov
Rep. Mark A. Cardenas (D)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 122 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-3014; mcardenas@azleg.gov
Rep. Lupe Chavira Contreras (D)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 325 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-5284; lcontreras@azleg.gov
District 29
Sen. Steve Gallardo (D)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 313 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-5830; sgallardo@azleg.gov
Rep. Lydia Hernandez (D)
602-926-5955; smontenegro@azleg.gov
1700 W. Washington St., Room 119 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-3376; lhernandez@azleg.gov
Rep. Martin J. Quezada (D)
1700 W. Washington St., Room 324 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-5911; mquezada@azleg.gov
Cities at a Glance
Year of incorporation: 1946
Population: 77,518
Median age: 28.6
Median household annual income: $61,369
Land area: 54 square miles
City Hall: 11465 W. Civic
Center Drive (623-333-1000)
www.ci.avondale.az.us
Mayor: Marie Lopez Rogers
Vice mayor: Frank Scott
Year of incorporation: 1929
Population: 54,542
Median age: 30
Median household annual income: $63,935
Land area: 375 square miles
City Hall: 530 E. Monroe Ave. (623-349-6000)
www.buckeyeaz.gov
Mayor: Jackie Meck
Vice mayor: Brian McAchran
Year of incorporation: 1946
Population: 65,275
Median age: 33.6
Median household annual income: $76,523
Land area: 191 square miles
City Hall: 190 N. Litchfield Road (623-932-3910)
www.goodyearaz.gov
Mayor: Georgia Lord
Vice mayor: Joe Pizzillo
Year of incorporation: 1987
Population: 5,568
Median age: 44.2
Median household annual income: $84,204
Land area: 3.5 square miles
City Hall: 214 W. Wigwam Blvd. (623-935-5033)
www.litchfield-park.org
Mayor: Tom Schoaf
Vice mayor: Paul Faith
Year of incorporation: 1929
Population: 6,704
Median age: 29.4
Median household annual income: $36,000
Land area: 5.75 square miles
City Hall: 9555 W. Van Buren St. (623-936-7111)
www.tollesonaz.org
Mayor: Adolfo Gamez
Vice mayor: Linda Laborin
Council: Jim Buster, Stephanie Karlin, Jim McDonald, Charles Vierhout and Ken Weise
City manager: Charlie McClendon
Police Dept.: 11485 W. Civic Center Drive (623-333-7000)
Interim police chief: Dale Nannenga
Fire Dept.: 11485 N. 107th Ave. (623-333-6000)
Fire chief: Paul Adams
Council: Robert Garza, Michelle
Hess, Craig Heustis, Eric Orsborn and Ray Strauss
Town manager: Stephen Cleveland
Police Dept.: 100 N. Apache Road, Suite D (623-349-6400)
Police chief: Mark Mann
Libraries: Avondale Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive (623-333-2602); Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library, 495 E. Western Ave. (623-333-2601)
Post Offices: Avondale Post Office, 401 W. Western Ave. (623-925-2924); Cashion Post Office, 1216 N. 111th Drive (623-936-1362)
Fire Dept.: 101 N. Apache Road, Suite D (623-349-6700)
Fire chief: Bob Costello Library: 310 N. Sixth St. (623-349-6300)
Post Office: 51 E. Monroe Ave. (623-386-3117)
Council: Wally Campbell, Sharolyn Hohman, Sheri
Lauritano, Joanne Osborne and Bill Stipp
City manager: Brian Dalke
Police Dept.: Venida Business Center, Bldg. E, 175 N. 145th Ave. (623-932-1220)
Police chief: Jerry Geier
Fire Dept.: 175 N. 145th Ave., Bldg. E (623-932-2300)
Interim fire chief: Paul Luizzi
Library: 250 N. Litchfield Road (602-652-3000)
Post Office: 875 S. Estrella Parkway (623-882-9148)
Council: Tim Blake, Diane
Landis, Peter Mahoney, John Romack and Paul Stucky
City manager: Darryl Crossman
Police Dept.: Maricopa County
Sheriff’s Office (602-876-1011)
Fire Dept.: Goodyear Fire Department (623-932-2300)
Council: Clorinda Erives, Jose “Diego” Espinoza, Kathie Farr, Albert Mendoza and Juan Rodriguez
City manager:
Reyes Medrano Jr.
Police Dept. : 8350 W. Van Buren St. (623-936-7186)
Police chief: Larry Rodriguez
Library: 101 W. Wigwam Blvd. (602-652-3000)
Post Office: 591 Plaza Circle (623-935-2089)
Fire Dept. : 203 N. 92nd Ave. (623-936-8500)
Fire chief: George Good Library: 9555 W. Van Buren St. (623-936-2746)
