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TABLE OF
SPOTLIGHT ON
Spring/Summer Vista 2011 was conceived and designed by Michael Clawson and Jonathan Barnes. All photos by Michael Clawson unless otherwise noted. The cover was photographed by Michael Clawson and designed by Jonathan Barnes. The hands are those of students at Trinity Lutheran School in Avondale.
WELCOME TO
David Letterman may joke about how Arizona is the Wild West — and maybe there’s an element of sarcastic truth to that — but beneath the jokes the state grinds ever forward. Behind the headlines, our humanity thrives.
Nowhere is this more clear than in the West Valley, where average people go about their lives working, learning, teaching and playing in the communities that they created, communities to which they are unofficial stewards.
No single politician, or group of politicians, makes a city great. Businesses hold very little sway as well. Cities and communities are made great by the people in them. And nowhere in the state are the people greater than out here in the West Valley, from the bustling central corridor of Avondale and Goodyear, to the green and quaint serenity of Tolleson and Litchfield Park, to the agriculturally bountiful and sun-drenched lands of Buckeye. For the people of the West Valley, this is all home.
Cities and communities are made great by the people in them. And nowhere in the state are the people greater than out here in the West Valley ...
As Arizona makes steps to remake itself — its budget, its image, its politics — so does the West Valley. That job falls to the people living here. For it to work its residents must be the best versions of themselves. They must rise above the economy, the headlines and the negativity so that they may become proud Arizonans. Butchers, bakers, farmers, teachers, store owners, police offi cers, construction workers, fi refi ghters, clerks, secretaries, doctors … these people, and many more, are the threads that make the wonderful tapestry that is the West Valley. Arizona has seen hard times. But it will rebound. And when it does, it will be the people within its
boundaries who can lay claim to its renewed greatness.
We’re naming this issue of our biannual Vista magazine The Best of Us , with “us” being the entire population of the West Valley. But “us” also refers to something grander: it is the collective force of people who make the West Valley so magnifi cent. It’s an idea that we’re all members of this community, and that together we can make it thrive. In this Vista we honor a cross-section of community members, people who are bringing out the best in themselves and, in turn, their communities. They are the people who make this grand experiment work.
EVENTS LISTING AND MORE ONLINE
Looking for something to do in the West Valley? You can start with the Vista events listing on Page V20, which includes a number of prominent events, including the Litchfield Park Trout Derby, pictured above. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive listing of events on a daily and weekly basis, please visit the Calendar section at westvalleyview.com.
eye exams can detect many problems and treatment can be applied to prevent any serious, long lasting effects. Healthy eyes also need to be examined regularly to keep your vision in top shape. Our staff can answer questions and help you choose eyewear if needed.
SPOTLIGHT ON
All together now
Spirit of cooperation flows through West Valley mayors
No man is an island, and for that matter, neither is a city.
Five municipalities, with populations as few as 5,000 residents and as large as 70,000, make up the Southwest Valley.
Avondale leads in population but is closely followed by Goodyear with 65,000 residents. Buckeye is in the middle with about 53,000 people and Tolleson is just larger than Litchfield Park with about 7,000 residents.
All these figures are bound to change when the 2010 Census numbers are published, but one fact remains true: issues facing residents in each city are not unique to that city and are often handled from a regional perspective.
“A mayor’s job is a full-time job,” Goodyear Acting Mayor Joe Pizzillo said.
He was named mayor after a shuffle in the City Council left the position vacant. He will be replaced by a permanent mayor in the March election, but until then he’s filling the shoes as best he can, he said.
“I’m a firm believer that we’re all in this together,” he said.
“We still cooperate and deal and discuss and talk about a lot of things that are unique not only to us individually but to us as a West Valley city.”
Jackie Meck
Buckeye Mayor
Teamwork among the cities is a must, said Avondale Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers.
“I think the No. 1 key thing we do that through is with communication,” she said. “We really cannot read each other’s minds and figure out what one is doing with the other.”
The mayors’ communication efforts go beyond phone calls and e-mail correspondence. Every month, all
for a breakfast and a dinner where no one comes to the table with an agenda.
“I thought it was important that we get to know each other on a different level,” Lopez Rogers said. “My thought is, food always makes people comfortable.”
“The purpose is for the city leaders to get to know each other, then to talk about what’s currently impacting us and what
five meet
East meets west as Tolleson Mayor Adolfo Gamez, right, shakes hands with Buckeye Mayor Jackie Meck as Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo, second from right, Avondale Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers and Litchfield Park Mayor Tom Schoaf look on.
AVONDALE
Population: 74,000
Median age: 29.43
Median income: $75,000
Land area: 54 square miles
2010-11 fiscal-year city
budget: approximately $157.5 million
City Hall location: 11465
W. Civic Center Drive
Phone number: 623-333-1000
Mayor: Marie Lopez Rogers
Vice Mayor: Jim McDonald
Council Members:
Jim Buster, Stephanie Karlin, Frank Scott, Charles Vierhout and Ken Weise
City manager: Charlie McClendon
Police Dept address: 11485 W. Civic Center Drive
Police non-emergency number: 623-333-7000
Police chief: Kevin Kotsur
Fire Dept. address: 11485 N. 107th Ave.
Fire chief: Paul Adams
Fire non-emergency phone number: 623-333-6000
Post Office: Avondale Post Office, 401 W. Western Ave. 623-925-2924
BUCKEYE
Population: 52,764
Median age: 30
Median income: $38,000
Land area: 375 square miles
2010-11 fiscal-year city budget: $159.3 million
City Hall location: 530 E. Monroe Ave.
Phone number: 623-349-6000
Mayor: Jackie Meck
Vice Mayor: Brian McAchran
Council Members:
Robert Garza, Elaine May, Ray Strauss, Craig Heustis and Eric Osborn
Town manager: Stephen Cleveland
Police Dept address: 100 N. Apache Road, Suite D
Police non-emergency number: 623-386-4421
Police chief: Mark Mann
Fire Dept. address: 404 S. Miller Road
Fire chief: Bob Costello
Fire non-emergency phone number: 623-349-6000
Post Office: 51 E. Monroe Ave. 623-386-3117
GOODYEAR
Population: 64,600
Median age: 35.2
Median income: $77,606
Land area: 190 square miles
2010-11 fiscal-year city budget: $255 million
City Hall location: 190 N.
Litchfield Road
Phone number: 623-932-3910
*Acting Mayor: Joe Pizzillo
*Council Members: Frank Cavalier, Gary Gelzer, Sheri Lauritano, Joanne Osborne and Dick Sousa
City manager: John Fischbach
Police & Fire Dept address: Venida Business Center, Bldg. E, 175 N. 145th Ave.
Police chief: Mark Brown
Police non-emergency number: 623-932-1220
Fire chief: Interim Paul Luizzi
Fire non-emergency phone number: 623-932-2300
Post Office: 875 S. Estrella Parkway 623-882-9148
*Elections will take place March 2011
LITCHFIELD PARK
Population: 5,097
Median age: 45
Median income: $86,726
Land area: 3.5 square miles
2010-11 fiscal-year city budget: $7.8 million
City Hall location: 214 W. Wigwam Blvd. Phone number: 623-935-5033
Mayor: Tom Schoaf
Vice Mayor: Paul Faith
Council Members:
Tim Blake, Diane Landis, Peter Mahoney, John Romack, and Paul Stucky
City manager: Darryl Crossman
Police Dept.: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
Police non-emergency number: 602-876-1011
Fire Dept.: Goodyear Fire Department
Fire non-emergency phone number: 623-932-2300
Post Office: 591 Plaza Circle 623-935-2089
TOLLESON
Population: 7,083
Median age: 29.4
Median income: $38,773
Land area: 6.6 square miles
2010-11 fiscal-year city budget: $67 million
City Hall location: 9555 W. Van Buren St.
Phone number: 623-936-7111
Mayor: Adolfo Gamez
Vice Mayor: Kathie Farr
Council Members: Clorinda Erives, Jose “Diego” Espinoza, Linda Laborin, Albert Mendoza and Juan Rodriguez
City manager: Reyes Medrano Jr.
Police Dept address: 8350 W. Van Buren St.
Police non-emergency number: 623-936-7186
Police chief: Larry Rodriguez
Fire Dept. address: 9169 W. Monroe St.
Fire chief: George Good Fire non-emergency phone number: 623-936-8500
Post Office: 8805 W. Van Buren St.; 623-907-0206
Education SPOTLIGHT ON
The school that Harold built
Longtime principal talks success
Garden Lakes Elementary is the school that Harold Waltman built.
He’s been the only principal at the Avondale school since it opened in 1990, and has spent the last 21 years molding the campus, building the curriculum and hiring the right teachers.
But Waltman, who is a “young 66 years old,” recently announced his plans to retire at the end of this school year.
“I think I always knew I wanted to be a principal,” he said. “My mom was a school secretary when I was growing up, and I was one of those kids who always liked school. I enjoyed teaching, but I wanted to have an effect on more children and I thought I could being a principal.”
His keys for a successful school are to hire good teachers and help make them better, get the community involved and simply to treat everybody like real people.
“So many schools and teachers and principals think the parents are their adversaries, but they’re not. They’re our friends,” Waltman said. “They know more about their kids than we do.”
He’s also worked to develop a strong partnership with Westview High School
right across the street, which opened a year before Garden Lakes.
“It’s like we’re all one big family,” Waltman said. “That would be hard to duplicate somewhere else; it takes a long time.”
Waltman has been a staple in the Pendergast Elementary District for almost four decades, having previously served as principal at Desert Horizon for 10 years and an assistant principal and seventhgrade math teacher before that.
“The thing that’s most impressive to me — and this sounds pat but it’s so true with him — is that every decision he makes is based on what’s best for kids,” Assistant Principal Tim Ramsey said. “Sometimes that’s not always the easiest type of decision to make, but it’s the best one.”
Waltman’s most memorable times are when former pupils return to the school or recognize him out in public, he said.
“Lots of time you don’t get that feedback, but those are the moments,” he said.
While he’s not very good with names, Waltman said he remembers pupils’ faces
EXCELLENT GROWTH
When the economy went tumbling down, more people turned back to education just to survive. As a result, Estrella Mountain Community College’s enrollment was up by 13 percent this year. Since the campus received accreditation in 1997, its enrollment has almost tripled to 8,100 students.
To help accommodate the growth, the college continues to expand under the leadership of EMCC President Ernie
,
Last year, it opened Mariposa Hall, a Gold LEED certified building that comprises 25,000 square feet with nine classrooms, two nursing labs, one multi-purpose lab and faculty office space.
Principal Harold Waltman stands next to one of his sign slogans outside Garden Lakes Elementary School in Avondale.
Lara
pictured above.
When it comes to great educators, Beverly Hurley, pictured left, is the queen bee this year. The Buckeye Union High School District leader was named the Arizona Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators.
Cathy Stafford in the Avondale Elementary District won the award for large school districts and Roger Freeman with the Littleton Elementary District took the top honor for medium-sized districts.
Estrella Mountain Community College is committed to helping you find success in your academic journey. Whether you are beginning college for the first time, or returning after a long absence, Estrella Mountain is here to guide you, every step of the way.
The expert and caring faculty and staff at Estrella Mountain will help you successfully complete a liberal arts, math, science, or occupational degree while giving you the opportunity to enjoy the kind of college experience you want. Day, evening, online, and hybrid classes make it easy for you to fit your school schedule into your busy life. Innovative facilities offer instant access to information through wireless connections, fl exible learning spaces and state-of-the-art technology that prepares you for the future. Success is within reach.
EDUCATION from V8
and tries to visit every classroom almost every day.
“If you’re ever having a bad day, all you have to do is walk into a kindergarten classroom. They’re always glad to see you,” he said.
Waltman also spends at least one morning a week greeting every pupil who walks onto campus.
“We found out a long time ago that the most important thing for kids is to be recognized as individuals, so we make it a point to do that,” he said.
The hardest part about being a principal is when a child is struggling and the reasons are out of his control, he said.
“You do the best that you can to help school be a safe and happy place for them and a successful place,” Waltman said. “Where the rest of their life might not be very successful and we can’t fix some of that stuff. It’s difficult for all of us.”
To help put a smile on people’s faces, he often puts silly sayings on the school’s marquee. Recently, “Zip a Dee Doo Dah” donned the message board, but Waltman once put up the words, “For sale.”
“It was just a joke, but parents came in
and said, ‘What are you doing, selling the school?’” he said. “Sometimes I put really strange stuff up there on purpose just to see what reaction I’ll get.”
One guy even asked how much they wanted for it, Waltman said.
Another thing he’s known for is wearing a different tie practically every day. For his 60th birthday, pupils in kindergarten through third grade made paper ties in art class and wore them to an assembly.
“I think we’re in the danger as school people of taking ourselves too seriously,” Waltman said. “We want school to be a fun place. It’s an important place to learn, but it’s a lot easier if it’s fun.”
That could be one of the factors that led Garden Lakes to be labeled an “Excelling” school four years in a row.
“Last year was the first time we missed it in five years, but we expect to be back there this year,” Waltman said. “It’s fairly difficult to maintain Excelling once you get there. We’re very proud of what they did last year and we didn’t miss it by much. Our goal is to be the very best school we can be every day, no matter what the rating happens to be.”
– Emily McCann
EXCELLENT SCHOOLS
With 67 public schools scattered across the West Valley, it can be hard to stand out in the crowd. But when last year’s school labels were released by the Arizona Department of Education, four campuses rose above the rest. Estrella Foothills and Millennium high schools held on to their their excelling labels from the year before. (Above, Millennium culinary teacher Chris Contreras stands in the school’s test kitchen with his students.) Estrella Mountain and Palm Valley elementary schools also held on to their excelling labels, while six others dropped from the highest ranking.
The state uses the assessment program AZ LEARNS to monitor achievement levels of public and charter schools. It gives one of six labels: excelling, highly performing, performing plus, performing, underperforming and failing.
EXCELLENT PROGRAMS
If any group should be allowed to toot its own horn, it would be the marching band at Millennium High School. The 124-member outfit took second place at the Field Show USA competition last October in Washington, D.C.
The inaugural event featured five high schools from across the country invited to perform in the shadow of the White House. They were selected based on recommendations of outstanding bands throughout the years.
SPOTLIGHT ON
Some West Valley figures are larger than life, much like outlaw Billy Moore, or the tall pirate statue that was stolen last year from atop a Goodyear tavern.
The same probably can be said for Roman Comer, 77, a colorful personality and the owner of Roman’s Oasis, 16825 W. Yuma Road, the bar from which the 300-pound statue was stolen.
“If Billy Moore was an outlaw, then I must be an in-law,” Comer said with an easy laugh. “People may compare me to Billy Moore, but I certainly hope they don’t start shooting at me.”
memorabilia and accents of the Southwest. The design style is that of Comer’s own personality — eclectic and robust.
Comer’s statue, Captain Morgan, an advertising symbol for the Captain Morgan Rum Co., was stolen Sept. 9 then quietly returned 20 days later. It was restored then placed back atop the famous bar, which is a series of interconnected rooms decorated with kitschy NASCAR
As for Moore, he is a reputed outlaw who has been credited with settling Avondale, even though he was not the first person to own land there, or even the area’s biggest landowner.
Some people dispute the outlaw label and argue the closest that Moore, af-
fectionately dubbed “Uncle Billy,” ever got to being a legal renegade was putting the iron shoes on a real outlaw’s horse.
Details of his life are unclear, but he spent $30 and acquired 280 acres under the Desert Lands Act of 1877. The tract eventually became part of Avondale.
Now a legendary figure in the West Valley, Moore died May 26, 1934, at age 92 and is buried in a Phoenix cemetery.
Since 1954, Billy Moore Days has been an annual festival and parade in Avondale, but that took a turn last year.
The Avondale City Council, citing financial issues, voted in August to postpone the next parade until 2012.
For Comer, the Goodyear tavern opera-
A commemorative stamp of former West Valley resident Bill Mauldin. See
Goodyear business owner
Roman Comer sits in his bar, Roman’s Oasis in Goodyear.
PERSONALITY from V12
tor, the decision came as unexpected and disappointing news, since Comer has particpated in the Billy Moore parade since he began operating Roman’s Oasis on Sept. 1, 1987.
Comer said he savors the reputation he has enjoyed as both a parade participant and as a business owner; however, Comer said he doubts that people in future years will speak of him and Billy Moore in the same breath.
“Well, I hope they do,” Comer said. “And if they do, that’s great.”
In the meantime, two former West Valley figures continue to command attention from a remembering public.
They are Bill Mauldin, a political cartoonist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, and Bob Stump, a former U.S. congressman from Tolleson.
In March 2010, Mauldin, a former Tonopah-area resident and student at Litchfield Elementary School, had a U.S. postage stamp issued in his honor.
He became famous during World War II for his cartoons published in the Stars and Stripes newspaper, depicting two
infantrymen he named Willie and Joe.
He died Jan. 23, 2003, at age 81.
Stump, a World War II Navy veteran, owned a cotton and grain farm in Tolleson for many years before embarking in 1959 on a long political career in the Arizona House and Senate.
Stump was a Democrat when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representa-
FROM BASEBALL GLOVE TO SADDLE
Larry Gura, a retired Major League Baseball player, and his wife, Cindy, both pictured above, are the operators of Dale Creek Equestrian Village, 13424 W. Camelback Road, a stable just north of Litchfield Park.
“Business has been good,” Larry said. “The stable is really going well.”
The Guras took over the stable, which has a 31-year history, in 2000. Larry pitched 16 seasons with the Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs before leaving professional sports.
His wife grew up on the 43-acre ranch, which her parents opened in 1945. The stable usually has from 40 to 60 horses.
Larry, 63, said some people still recognize him from his baseball days, but most of them don’t know about his past. When asked if he tosses the ball around much, he said he had helped some local high school teams out, then shrugged and said, “Other than that, not much.”
tives in November 1976, but he later switched his party affiliation to Republican in 1981.
He served until Jan. 3, 2003. He died June 20, 2003, at age 76. See
Billy Moore, Avondale’s famous outlaw (maybe)
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SPOTLIGHT ON
Religion
Out of darkness, light
Buddhists use faith to forget, forgive and move forward
It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.”
That’s a quote by Dalai Lama XIV, and it’s one that could apply to Wat Promkunaram Buddhist Temple in the West Valley.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the massacre that occurred there, which saw the death of six monks, a nun, a monk-in-training, and a temple worker.
But that’s not something Buddhists at the temple like to dwell on.
“I think deep down inside, we still think about it. Something had been taken away, it cannot return. But I think everyone had already coped with what happened. Life goes on,” said Achariya Weerasa, secretary-general for the Thai Cultural Council of Arizona, which is headquartered at the Waddell temple at Cotton Road and Maryland Avenue.
An incident like the one that occurred in 1991 not only affects the monks, but the entire community as well, Weerasa said. Because of their culture and faith, “we put everything behind and look forward to what’s happening in the future.”
“Buddhists stress three things: Do no evil, do only good, and purify the mind.”
Phra Bill Callaway Buddhist monk
There exists an entire generation of youths under the age of 21 who “don’t really know the history of the temple. They come to the temple and learn later what happened,” Weerasa said. “But let’s give them strength. They have questions for us, but we teach them that sad things we … don’t keep. We always keep the good things.”
Bill Callaway — or “Phra Bill” as he’s known at the Temple — is an American who, upon retiring as a real estate appraiser five years ago, set off to Thailand
Chabad of Goodyear: Mazel tov!
The local Jewish community has something to celebrate. Thanks to the vision, passion and efforts of Rabbi Berel Zaklikofsky, the Southwest Valley will finally land its first synagogue this year.
“We’re talking about a place that the Jewish population has grown so much, there hasn’t been anyone to help them, to serve them,” Zaklikofsky said. “In fact, there’s a very, very big void that I have heard about from quite a few people in the area. There are Jewish centers in Glendale, Sun City, Phoenix and Scottsdale, but none here.”
That will soon change.
The New York rabbi plans to move to the area in the coming months, and will begin operating the Chabad Jewish Center of Goodyear out of his new house. In time, the center will move out of his home and into its own facility, where the rabbi promises to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To learn more, e-mail Zaklikofsky at jewishgoodyear@gmail.com.
Phra Bill Callaway meditates Feb. 4 at the Wat Promkunaram Buddhist Temple in Waddell.
At Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Buckeye, Pastor Richard Burrell advocates for three things: faith in Jesus Christ, self-reliance and social services.
“One thing you’ll always hear me talking about is self-reliance,” Burrell, pictured right, said.
Six years ago, Burrell launched Buckeye Outreach Social Services, or B.O.S.S., as a nonprofit arm of the church.
The organization offers a wide range of services, from assistance with housing and jobs to drug counseling and help with women’s issues, he said.
While Burrell lives to help people in need, he admits at times he and his church have taken a hit. A few years ago when Burrell made the decision to offer HIV/ AIDS testing, counseling and an embrace of patients suffering from the disease, not everyone in his ministry was happy and some members left.
Still, Burrell marches on and is proud of the fact that his church was the first in Arizona to stand up for and wholeheartedly embrace the HIV/ AIDS community.
“I’ll keep fighting,” he said.
St. Peter’s: Celebrating diversity
Gae Chalker is unique. She’s a woman and she heads a local parish.
“Within Catholic and evangelical traditions, women are excluded from preaching and celebrating the sacrament,” Chalker, pictured left, said. “But the Episcopal Church is known for being a very inclusive community where everyone is welcome.”
At the Litchfield Park sanctuary, church-goers will find a diverse community: seniors, singles, young families, gays, lesbians, Republicans, Demo-
crats, new Christians, life-long Catholics, and a variety of cultures represented under one roof.
The church is also known for its Montessori pre-school; outreach to the poor, homeless and incarcerated; its candlelight Taize services of prayer, chant and silence every fi rst Sunday of the month; and its Sunday meditation sessions.
To learn more about St. Peter’s or to take part in its celebration of diversity, visit www.stpetersaz.com.
SPOTLIGHT ON
Bryan Kilgore has his hands in everything. From paint to pen to acoustic guitar, this man’s hands have remarkable abilities.
“It’s a God-given talent. I thank God for it,” the 35-year-old Avondale artist said. “I remember being at my cousin’s house, I must have been in the first grade. He was up in the room drawing a picture, and he had the table light on it, and I was just mesmerized by it. Ever since then I just knew I loved drawing.”
His cousin would eventually give up the art form, but Kilgore, realizing that the pencil is mightier than the sword, would find ways to harness his skills for a cause greater than himself.
“Apparently, I’m good at motivating and inspiring people of all ages in a positive way,” said Kilgore, who’s also an art teacher at Freedom Elementary School in Buckeye. “I make them think in creative ways, in ways they normally wouldn’t see things, in a different perspective, in a way to enhance their life.”
Perhaps that’s because art had a way of enhancing his own life.
Kilgore remembers being the “designated poster-drawer” throughout his
youth. In high school, his creative talents took off. An art piece entered into a contest by his teacher would eventually win him a scholarship to Grand Canyon University.
There he began creating murals, and since, he’s conjured up countless scenes on walls and in windows of schools and city structures. It was also in college when Kilgore began honing his skills in the realm of music.
“Ever since I was younger, my mom made me sing in a choir. So, I’ve always been singing, I just didn’t have the musical background,” he said.
As for ability to play an instrument, Kilgore would be the first to admit that his talent, for the longest time, was a bit out of tune.
“I was in band when I was little. I couldn’t even play ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ on the saxophone. I was horrible,” he said. “But in college, it just clicked.”
Today, Kilgore sings and plays acoustic guitar, he performs praise and worship music at his church, and helped write and compose a Christian hip-hop musical a few years back. He even has an album out that serves as a soundtrack to
Logos, a Japanese animation series of biblically inspired graphic novels he created.
And that’s just one of Kilgore’s comic series. He’s got another called Bre Bre & BJ, which he created and based on his children in 2006.
Some of Kilgore’s publications are now available in the Avondale Public Library system, and one day — all things permitting — Kilgore said he’d like to see his comics turned into an animated cartoon series.
“I grew up on that kind of stuff,” he said. “I loved Saturday morning cartoons.”
Kilgore is also a member of the Avondale Municipal Art Committee. Currently, he and his students in the Liberty Elementary School District are working on a mural of Larry Fitzgerald for Black History Month. The giant portrait of the Arizona Cardinals wide receiver joins the likes of Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk on a classroom’s superhero-themed wall.
Avondale artist Bryan Kilgore takes aim at his next art project.
It’s through this wall that Kilgore said he hopes his students will learn the true meaning of being a hero — and it’s through his own artand faith-filled existence that Kilgore feels moved to do even more.
“I know for a fact I inspire, I motivate people,” he said. “I think all my life I’ve been prepared to serve, through my life as a school teacher and as a servant. I feel called by God to serve, and I feel that’s where I should go next.”
So what’s the subsequent logical step for Kilgore in his colorful life? Make a run for the Arizona House of Representatives in 2012, if it weren’t obvious enough.
“With the time that we’re in right now. I really believe I have something to offer. I want to help paint our future in a positive way,” he said.
To learn more about Kilgore and his array of artistic works, visit www.bryankilgore.com.
– Frank Morris
DECORATING THE WEST VALLEY
Goodyear-based Art League West is transforming the West Valley — for the brighter. The 14-year-old organization of amateur and professional artists has been involved in the community, working to promote creativity through education, demonstrations, and of course, displays of visual art itself.
If you’ve been one of the thousands of people to attend the art walks on Western Avenue, you’ve
probably met an artist — or 12 — from Art League West. It’s this organization, along with the city of Avondale, that makes these art walks a reality. More examples of what these artists can do can be found at Avondale’s Civic Center Library. That’s where you’ll spot a giant wall-sized mural depicting children’s fantasy themes, as well as a brand new art gallery showcasing these artists’ pieces.
Estrella Animal Hospital
William L. Joslin, D.V.M.
Valery K. Stevens, D.V.M.
Ken Herman, D.V.M
Hours Mon. – Thurs. – 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Fri. – 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Every other Sat. – 8:00 am to 12 Noon 10865 W. Indian School Road Avondale (623) 877-1088
SPOTLIGHT ON
Mark your calendars
No shortage of events in West Valley
One thing about the West Valley that makes it great is the sheer number of events. Residents of Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchfield Park and Tolleson don’t have to travel to downtown Phoenix or the East Valley for world-class events. We have plenty of them right here to keep us busy throughout the year.
Here is a small sampling of some of the more prominent events of the West Valley, in chronological order:
Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival
The annual two-day event is put on by the Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Arizona Game & Fish Department, and centers on the flowing waters where the Salt and Agua Fria rivers join the Gila River.
Goodyear resident Heidi Vasiloff was one of the founders of the 9-year-old event. Its first year was just a meeting at Avondale’s Estrella Mountain Community College explaining to local dignitaries what the group wanted to do with the Arizona Game & Fish Department’s Base and Meridian Wildlife Area near the river.
“The story we wanted to tell was the
river is why we settled in this area in the first place,” Vasiloff said in a 2009 issue of the View. “The river should be our crown jewel.”
So they took a vote about conducting an annual event, and by this posting, you know the result.
Due to the possibility of high water flows, this year the event will be held at Estrella Mountain Regional Park, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave. in Goodyear. Event dates are March 5 and 6.
Litchfield Park Spring Art and Culinary Festival
The annual two-day festival features hundreds of artists selling their wares along the streets of Old Litchfield Road and Wigwam Boulevard in downtown Litchfield Park.
The city has a similar fall festival as well, Festival of the Arts; however, the spring event incorporates culinary delights, including cooking demonstrations as well as wine and beer tastings. Musicians are also scattered throughout the event to entertain the crowds.
The event draws about 45,000 people
LUKE DAYS
The annual two-day event is an open house and air show for Luke Air Force Base, which contributes $2.1 billion a year into the local economy.
This year’s show is being called “70 Years of Thunder” and will feature numerous performances by various groups, including the Thunderbirds, Golden Knights, Red Bull Aviation and Red Eagles Air Sports.
“The Thunderbirds are always the headliner and they’re always fantastic,” said Maj. Brian Healy in a 2009 View story.
The Thunderbirds are the U.S. Air Force’s aerial demonstration team. The squadron was activated in 1953 as the 3600th Air Demonstration Unit at Luke.
Currently, the Thunderbirds are based at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas and tour the world performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in F-16 jets.
Officers serve a two-year assignment with the squadron, while enlisted personnel serve three to four. Replacements must be trained for about half of the team each year, providing a constant mix of experience.
Show dates this year are March 19 and 20 at the Air Force base, which is just west of Litchfield Road between Northern and Maryland avenues.
View
photo by Ray Thomas
to the streets over two days.
“People who come to the festival absolutely fall in love with it,” said Candy Vermillion, an event organizer, in a 2010 interview with the View. “For those who have never visited, it is one of the most popular festivals in the Southwest.”
And she’s not talking the southwest portion of the state, she means the country.
This year it will take place on March 12 and 13 and center on the Litchfield Branch Library area, 101 W. Wigwam Blvd.
Helzapoppin’ Senior Pro Rodeo
The annual event is big on rodeo but also features some mutton bustin’ action. What is mutton bustin’ you ask? Read on, courtesy of the 2005 West Valley View archives: West Valley View: What the heck is mutton bustin’, anyway?
Nick Karpenko, then 8: I don’t know.
WVV: You just signed up to do it, and you don’t know what it is? What do you think it is?
Nick: I think it’s sheep you ride on and try to win.
WVV: How do you win?
Nick: I don’t know.
WVV: What the heck is mutton bustin’, anyway?
Bobby Joe Ruth, then 6: I don’t know.
WVV: You don’t know, either?
Bobby Joe: You ride sheep.
WVV: Aha! So you do know what it is! You were just being coy with the paparazzi, weren’t you?
Bobby Joe: Um … yeah.
Fear Farm
WVV: What the heck is mutton bustin’, anyway?
Josiah Karpenko, then 7: I don’t know.
WVV: “You don’t know? What if they make you get into a cage with a big, mean lion? Would you still want to do it?
Josiah: No. But there are no lions. Just sheep.
WVV: What do you have to do with the sheep in order to win? Do you have to wrestle them? Race them? Beat them at checkers?
Josiah: No. You just sit on it and ride it, and you win a bike.
This year’s Helzapoppin’ Rodeo is marking 80 years of events at the Helzapoppin Arena, 613 N. Fourth St. in Buckeye, and will also have a Western Weekend Vendor Fair both days in the arena’s parking lot.
This year the rodeo will be March 19 and 20.
This 11-year attraction is not for the faint of heart.
Long-time West Valley resident and farmer Ken Sheely has turned his fields into haunted houses where more than 125 “haunters” are waiting to scare visitors to death.
“Nothing like having some kids to scare,” Brian Louder told the West Valley View in 2007. Louder has been working at the annual event for the past seven years. “I get a thrill out of it. If you’re into scaring people, this is the place to be.”
Last year, the event had five separate haunted houses to walk through, including one where the haunters got up close and personal to their customers, touching them at times to pull them out of a trap and move safely from enemy fire.
The event runs Thursday through Sunday in October, with select dates in September as well. Fear Farm is just north of McDowell Road on the east side of 99th Avenue.
WHOOPEE DAZE FESTIVAL
The annual four-day event initially celebrated the founding of Tolleson; however, the most popular attraction in the city has grown to become much more.
Its first day, Youth Day, is reserved for students to participate in various activities, followed by three days of carnival fun, sports tournaments, musical entertainment and plenty of craft and food vendors. The Saturday morning parade is also a crowd pleaser.
And for those wondering where the name came from, here is the answer, courtesy of Shirley Caudle, the 51-year-old festival’s first queen.
“At one point when I was really little, we had what we called Gold Rush Days, but then it just fizzled out,” she said in a View story from 2007. “So P.J. Green and some of the other business owners in Tolleson got together and said, ‘We need to have some kind of thing once a year.’ Somebody said, ‘Oh, whoopee,’ in the conversation and that’s how the actual name came about.”
The event runs this year from April 7 to 10 at Tolleson Veterans Park, 8601 W. Van Buren St.
EVENTS from V21
SMALL TOWN, BIG PLANNER
Ask around the city of Tolleson who is most responsible for an event running smoothly or that police station being built and odds are the answer is the same: John Paul Lopez.
The Assistant City Manager is in his 10th year with the city, though he has been working his favorite event, the Whoopee Daze Festival, much longer.
Lopez — who graduated from Tolleson Union High School in 1985 — recalls working at the founders day celebration first as a Boy Scout and then as a teenager with various groups.
The reason it’s his favorite still, “We bring top-quality entertainment and it’s free,” he said.
Director
Winter Trout Derby
Tierra Verde Lake in Litchfield Park is the site of this annual January event.
About 1,000 trout are brought in from a Colorado-based fish hatchery each year. The day-long event attracts upwards of 600 people.
The annual fi shing event originally “started as a catfi sh derby for the Fourth of July,” Sonny Culbreth said in the View in January. “It was too hot one year and the fi sh wouldn’t bite for anything.”
The Litchfield Park Recreation director had heard of trout derbies and began looking into the prospect.
“So I checked into a trout derby and found out we could do one as long as the lake is cold enough,” he said. “And in January it is cold enough.”
Native American Art Festival
Another event that takes place near downtown Litchfield Park, this 19-yearold festival features Native American
artists and performers.
A staple of the event in the past has been musician Arvel Bird. The Southern Paiute is a regular festival entertainer throughout the southwest U.S.
“Anytime I get to play the flute or violin, it’s a good day,” said Bird, who began playing at age 9, in a 2009 View article. “Music has been my way of life. I let my violin and flute do the singing for me. Everyone takes away what they want and need; it’s very fulfilling to me and satisfying.”
The event is conducted over a weekend in January at Scout Park, 200 W. Fairway Drive. It features more than 170 different artists representing several tribes.
IMS Arizona Marathon
Now in its third year, this trek takes runners throughout the West Valley.
The 26.2-mile course starts in the Verrado community of Buckeye, and meanders through Goodyear, Avondale, Litchfield Park and west Phoenix, passing several area landmarks, before reaching its conclusion at Westgate City Center in Glendale.
PARK PLANNER
Wander through any of the worldclass events that bring thousands of people to the streets of downtown Litchfield Park and chances are you’ll see Sonny Culbreth Culbreth — who has two titles for the city, recreation director and assistant city manager — is the calm behind the scenes, making sure things go off without any major mishaps.
Always smiling and friendly, his easy-going personality has rubbed off on the Litchfield Park events, making them some of the best the West Valley has to offer.
Local officials, such as mayors, cheer on runners as they cross the finish line.
The event is the brainchild of Litchfield Park resident Debra Undhjem, who paired her love for running with her passion for the West Valley, and managed to forge community partnerships that would result in the regional multi-city marathon.
“My imagination was never great enough to know that it would be embraced so wholeheartedly,” she told the View this year.
The February event also features a health and fitness expo.
EVENTS from V22
BATTER UP
America’s pastime has become the West Valley’s pastime now that Major League Baseball Spring Training has clobbered a home run into two local stadiums: The Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds play at the Goodyear Ballpark, and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox play at Glendale’s Camelback Ranch.
The games take place throughout March at the new stadiums. Tickets vary in price, though each ballpark has affordable tickets that start around $10 or lower. And unless two popular teams are playing each other, most games never sell out, which means decent tickets can be purchased at the stadium the day of the game.
Goodyear Ballpark is at 1933 S. Ballpark Way, Goodyear. Camelback Ranch is at 10710 W. Camelback Road, Glendale. Tickets can be purchased at the gates of each stadium the day of a game or by phone by calling 1-800745-3000.
Education For All Students
• Swim lessons (all ages)
• Water aerobics
• Tennis (all ages)
Special Events
Kiwanis Litchfield Park 10K, 5K, 1 Mile Fun Run & Celebration of Life Walk (Registration Fee Required) Check in 6:30 a.m. Participants receive a goody bag, t-shirt and a raffle ticket for prize drawings. Food, drink and an Award Ceremony.
Spring Art & Culinary Festival - Free admission and parking - Library Lawn & Town Center. Sat.-Sun. 10a.m.-5p.m. daily. Over 200 art booths, wine garden with wine and beer tastings, culinary and Wine demonstrations. Great food, live music and much, much more Arts in the Park Concert Series - Free - Front lawn of the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, 4-6p.m., Featuring a Litchfield Park Favorite...Mary Hoffman Arts in the Park Concert Series - Free - Front lawn of the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, 7-9p.m., Thaddeus Rose and Friends; A show you don’t want to miss!
West Valley Health Care Directory
Assisted Living
La Loma Care Center
14260 Denny Blvd. Litchfield Park (623) 537-7400
Palm Valley Rehabilitation 13575 W. McDowell Rd. Goodyear (623) 536-9911
Cardiologists
Heart & Vascular Center of Arizona
9305 W. Thomas Rd., #270 20940 N. Tatum Blvd., #325 1331 N. 7th St., #375 (602) 307-0070
Dentists
Patrick Martin, D.D.S.
Gary R. Gibbs, D.D.S. 14044 W Camelback #200 Litchfield Park (623) 535-5488
Family Practice
Healthy Life
Family Medicine
750 N. Estrella Pkwy., Ste. 60 Goodyear (623)889-3477
John Monroe, M.D. Sarah Peterson, PA-C
Internal Medicine
Samuel Figueroa M.D. PLC Internal Medicine & Total Vein Care 2970 N. Litchfield Rd., Ste. 110 Goodyear (623) 535-6638
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Estrella Womens Health Ctr. 10240 W. Indian Sch. Bldg. 2 Phoenix (623) 846-7558
Palm Valley Women’s Care
Miles W. Howard, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. William Sun, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. Thylma Sta. Maria, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. 10815 W. McDowell, #301 Avondale (623)433-0106 13555 W. McDowell #204 Goodyear (623) 535-0740
West Valley Women’s Care
Mystie L. Johnson, M.D.
James M. Johnson, M.D.
Raymond D. Suarez, M.D. Gema Fernandez, M.D.
Brunilda Rosario, D.O.
Kim Roberts, W.N.P. Meaza Ejigu, N.P. 9305 W. Thomas Rd. #155 Phoenix (623) 936-1780
Optometrists
West Valley Vision Center
Christopher Furey, O.D., P.L.C. Brent Wilson, O.D. Steven Holt, O.D. Stacee Burson, O.D. 2580 N. Litchfield Rd. Goodyear (623) 932-2020
Physicians & Surgeons, MD
Estrella Mountain Medical Group
Mark Lonquist, M.D.
Emese Torok, F.N.P.
Susan Scott, F.N.P.
Rukiya Chavers, F.N.P.
13555 W. McDowell Rd. #103 Goodyear (623) 932-1157
Kevin Houlihan, M.D.
3000 N. Litchfield Rd. #120
Goodyear (623) 935-0735
Megan Blackburn, M.D.
C. Jason Vastine, F.N.P. 10815 W. McDowell Rd. #204 Avondale (623) 433-0100
IMS - Integrated Medical Services
See ad on pg. 32 for doctors or visit website www.imsaz.org
Physicians & Surgeons, DO
Howard Norman, D.O. General Practice
Lea Way, PA-C, FNP-C
Jeffrey L. Zuberbier, PA-C
Tiffany Hamstra, FNP-C 425 N. Central Ave. Avondale (623) 925-0361
Fitness
Southwest Valley Family YMCA
2919 N. Litchfield Rd. Goodyear (623) 935-5193
Strong Kids, Strong Families, Strong Communities
Medical Facilities
Banner Estrella
Medical Center
9201 W. Thomas Rd. Phoenix (623) 327-4000
www.BannerHealth.com/Estrella
Banner Thunderbird
Medical Center
5555 W Thunderbird Rd. Glendale (602) 865-5555
www.BannerHealth.com/Thunderbird
West Valley Hospital 13677 W McDowell Rd. Goodyear (623) 882-1500 www.wvhospital.com
Medi Spas
Golden Apple® Skin Laser & Veins
2970 N. Litchfield Rd., Ste. 110 Goodyear (623) 535-0504
www.goldenapplemedicine.com
Retirement Living
La Loma Village 14154 Denny Blvd. Litchfield Park (623) 537-7500
Urgent Care
Good Night Pediatrics 10320 W. McDowell Rd. Bldg. L Avondale (623) 643-9233 8801 W. Union Hills Dr. Peoria (623) 241-9026
Wound
(623) 536-9911
NATHAN LAUFER, M.D. Medical Director ASHISH PERSHAD, M.D. Interventional Cardiology
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Football coach Jeff Bowen leads Westview to greatness
The West Valley is fortunate to have many fine coaches in a multitude of sports. One who particularly stands out is Westview High School football coach Jeff Bowen.
He is the region’s longest-tenured gridiron leader since Kelly Epley stepped down at Agua Fria.
Bowen has coached for 24 years, the last eight of which have been at Westview, where he has compiled a 63-34 overall record and an 11-6 playoff mark.
The Knights have made playoff appearances in each of the last six seasons, including trips to the state championship game in 2007 and ’08. They have advanced to the quarterfinals all six seasons.
“We have never lost in the first round,” Bowen said. “We didn’t make it the first two years, but have made it every year since.”
Westview has become a perennial playoff contender despite not having many blue-chip athletes and a willingness to face any opponent.
“He’ll play anyone in the state,” Westview Athletic Director Mike Warren said.
Four Knights have received NCAA Football Championship Series (formerly Division I) scholarships during Bowen’s
“We preach community, school and the football program. Jeff Bowen Football coach
years at the helm.
Shelley Smith played at Colorado State University before being drafted in 2010 by the NFL’s Houston Texans. Jourdon Grandon is playing at the University of Arizona, and Guy Reynolds and Vince Kenner are at the University of Idaho.
Several factors have contributed to the success, Bowen said.
“I have an administration that supports me,” he said. “I have a great coaching staff.
“We haven’t had many kids move to play at Westview. We do it with neighborhood kids that grow up wanting to play Westview football. We have hardworking neighborhood kids that have busted their butts and that has led to success on the field.”
The decision to hire Bowen at Westview was an easy one for Warren, who had worked with Bowen at Phoenix North Canyon High School. It’s worked out great.
“It was an easy decision to hire Jeff when I was looking for a football coach,” Warren said. “It was very important to me to bring him in. We were very fortunate to hire him.”
Bowen epitomizes what an athletic director looks for in a football coach, Warren said.
“Jeff is a workhorse,” Warren said. “I think he is one of the best football coaches in the state. He works on working to get better. That’s who he is and that translates to his players.
“In addition to winning games, he brought in boosters and has his kids involved in the community. The football program is always really important and sets the table for other sports.”
Community involvement is important to Bowen.
“Our players are involved with the
View photo by Ray Thomas
Football coach Jeff Bowen calls a play to a Westview football player.
Local heroes
West Valley students move to the big leagues
The West Valley has had its share of prominent athletes move on from local high schools to greater heights.
Perhaps the most famous alumnus among West Valley athletes is Agua Fria’s Randall McDaniel.
An all-state performer for the Owls, McDaniel went on to become an AllAmerican at Arizona State University before moving on to a star-studded 13-year career with the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame and into the Pro Football Hall of Fame the following year.
Following McDaniel’s path leading from Agua Fria to the Vikings is Everson Griffen.
Griffen was the Vikings’ fourth-round
draft pick out of the University of Southern California in 2010 and played in 11 games as a rookie defensive end.
A pair of former Owls — Aaron Altherr and Sammy Solis — has been drafted by Major League Baseball teams in the last few years and are progressing through the farm system on separate teams.
Altherr was the ninth-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009. He played for the Gulf Coast League Phillies and Williamsport Crosscutters in 2010 and was named the Phillies No. 10 prospect by Baseball America.
Altherr batted .287 with seven doubles, three triples and 10 RBI the Gulf Coast League. That performance earned him a promotion to Williamsport, where he batted .304 with a home run, six doubles, a triple and 15 RBI.
Left-handed starting pitcher Sammy
factors we judge kids on. For the most part we have had really good kids in the program.”
Solis was the 2010 second-round selection of the Washington Nationals out of the University of San Diego.
Solis pitched two games for Hagerstown in Low Class A before performing well for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a 2-0 record, including earning the victory in the league championship game with a 3.58 earned run average in 27 2/3 innings. He struck out 15 and walked eight. Baseball America named Solis the Nationals’ No. 6 prospect.
Nick Hysong, the 2000 Olympic gold medal winner in the pole vault, still holds the state high school record for the event, clearing 17 feet, 4 ¾ inches while competing for Tolleson High School in 1990.
Brent Fisher, a left-handed pitcher,
“Our players do the West Valley passing camp. They work our championship football camp. Our players have also been highly involved with the Race for the Cure, raising funds for breast cancer awareness.
“We preach community, school and the football program. Those are the three
Bowen also is active off the gridiron. He has served on the Arizona Football Coaches Board of Directors for several years and he is currently the organization’s acting president.
Bowen’s career path was determined early in life and Warren is pleased with the choice.
It was always his intent to follow a career path in coaching, Bowen said.
“The people who influenced me the most when I was in high school and college were my teachers and I always knew I would teach and coach,” he said.
“At this point, you expect the success,” Warren said. “As long as he is here, our football program will be good.”
– Mike Russo
Fiesta Bowl Youth Clinic,” Bowen said.
SPORTS from V33
Photo courtesy Shawn Wood/Studio
SPOTLIGHT ON
Say hello to your tour guide
Park Ranger brightens the day at Estrella Mountain park
Patricia Armstrong didn’t set out to be a park ranger; it just kind of happened.
Armstrong, who works at Estrella Mountain Regional Park in Goodyear, puts together ranger programs to teach visitors all about Arizona’s deserts and what they have to offer.
“Being out in nature helps brains work better,” she said. “Being in nature elevates your mood, so it makes you happy, which is especially important these days when times are tough and people have a lot of worries. It’s a really good way to make yourself a little happier, get out, get healthy, breathe some fresh air, look at the beauties all around us. Arizona is one of the most biologically diverse places in the world.”
The best part about Armstrong’s job is the creativity she gets to use when putting a program together. Not only that, but she learns new things every day. After five years on the job, there are not many questions that stump her anymore.
“Most of the time I know the answer
to most things, and if I don’t know the answer and somebody asks me a question, I go and look it up and I have more information,” Armstrong said. “That’s very helpful to me.”
Before working at Estrella, Armstrong led tourists through the desert on horseback rides at the White Tanks Riding Stables. She would take people on one- to two-hour rides and tell them about the desert.
“I actually pretended I was a park ranger,” Armstrong said. “So I learned about the different plants, just something to talk to people about as we were riding by, point out interesting things we saw in the park.”
Armstrong has a bachelor’s degree in history and has done coursework for a master’s in archeology. In addition to taking people out at the White Tanks on horseback, she also worked part time at the Phoenix Zoo as a mule handler at Harmony Farm. When someone would ask her a question during her horseback rides, she would go to the zoo and find
the answer, helping increase her knowledge of the area.
“After a few months I pretty much had heard all the questions and had most of the answers,” she said.
Becoming a park ranger was still not on her radar, though. One day while looking in the want ads, she saw that a position was open and she decided to apply.
“It seemed very fateful to me, because who hasn’t wanted to be a park ranger?” she said. “It’s one of the fun jobs.”
She applied, not thinking she would actually get it, and aced the interview because of her vast knowledge of the desert.
“It’s actually a wonderful job that really suits me because I love teaching people, I’m interested in everything, and a park really encompasses everything.”
Armstrong’s ranger programs include
Park Ranger Patricia Armstrong portrays infamous stage-coach robber Pearl Hart on a trail inside Estrella Mountain Regional Park.
SPOTLIGHT ON
Soaring over the Valley Luke pilot, Capt. Chris Morton, recounts the feeling
Isit down in the jet and right away the habit patterns begins: all the switch actuations, all the checks I do, everything that I’ve been trained to do begins. I’ve done it all a thousands of times. It’s almost instinct to get the jet up and running.
You actually start the jet with the canopy open, and that’s always a part that gets my heart pumping. You flip the engine from the off position to the idle position, you flip a switch and start getting fuel flow and then the RPM starts winding up. These things really get your blood moving pretty fast. By the time that canopy comes down, it’s showtime, and it goes from very loud to very quiet.
We hear some chatter on the radio, like from the crew chief, who is checking the jet outside as I’m doing my checks inside. We pass some checks back and forth, but other than that radio talk back and forth and this soft hum I’m sitting in a bubble with very little noise.
Taxiing out to the runway looks strange to people watching because my hands are usually up resting on the glare shield. It looks like the plane is moving itself, but really I’m controlling it with my feet.
During takeoff, it’s almost like you can hear an audible sigh of relief once you
“[At night] we see shooting stars and things like that. It’s incredible. In some respects, it’s very peaceful up there. Everyone is kind of tucked away in their beds down below and we’re up there just keeping an eye on things.
Capt. Chris Morton F-16 Pilot
leave the ground and the gear comes up as it should. Take-off is one of the most critical phases of flight, so when we’re in the air it feels good. Taking off feels a lot like it would in a commercial jet — or even in a sports car taking off after a red light — but it’s more intense. An F-16 isn’t as heavy and doesn’t need as much runway to take off as a commercial jet, so I’m feeling that speed at a more intense level.
On the ground the jets are, of course, very loud. People standing next to them need double hearing protection. But up in the air, with the engine behind you,
you would be amazed how quiet it is. It’s an eerie silence. But then there’s also this excitement as well. My heart rate seems to be linked to the jet’s RPM gauge: as I go faster and faster, I feel more of a rush of what I’m doing. The first time I flew in the front seat I had the sensation I was going to fall out of the seat. The canopy rail literally comes up to my lower mid-section. It’s kind of unnerving, but it provides an amazing view.
The lower you are the more power you
Capt. Chris Morton stands next to an F-16 near the flightline at Luke Air Force Base.
may be in our future,” Litchfield Park Mayor Tom Schoaf said.
Those friendly meals fed a strong working relationship and helped to create a united front when the southwest cities needed to tackle a large project, such as the widening of Interstate 10.
The major thoroughfare of the Southwest Valley touches Tolleson, Goodyear, Avondale and Buckeye. Thousands of people regularly drive I-10 when commuting from home to work and back again.
The roadway was not scheduled for expansion until this year but leaders rallied along with Maricopa Association of Governments to begin the expansion three years early.
The stretch of I-10 through the Southwest Valley was often considered a high-risk accident area because traffic merged from several lanes to two, before the widening.
“It’s a regional transportation corridor,” Tolleson Mayor Adolfo Gamez said. “It could be anyone on that highway.”
Partnering with your neighbors makes economical sense, too, Schoaf said.
Litchfield Park and Goodyear have an agreement for fire and emergency services. Goodyear is paid an annual sum to supply services to Litchfield Park, which
Another figure, Jimmy Ruiz, 66, is a historian and lifelong Tolleson resident who was the town’s postmaster for 28 years before retiring in 2000.
“I take a lot of pride in my Tolleson background,” Ruiz told the View
In 2008, Ruiz and Jim Green, another longtime resident, combined their extensive knowledge of the city and turned it into a book titled Tolleson
“My favorite part is Chapter 5 in which we detail the tremendous contribution made by Tolleson residents in serving in the nation’s armed forces,” Ruiz said.
Goodyear resident Jim McCoy, 89, an enthusiastic World War II veteran, travels the West Valley performing “America’s Freedom — a Salute to our Veterans” to school and community groups.
“It’s a wonderful life,” McCoy said. “In addition, I tell horse and railroad stories, as well as write books, not to mention finding the time to be able to play golf practically every day.”
McCoy, who writes both poetry and prose, said working as a grade-school and college teacher, as well as fathering seven children, have served to keep him active.
Besides his extensive writing, public speaking and intense golf schedule — he typically holds court from his golf cart, where he tells stories and greets friends — McCoy is also a keen humorist. He said, facetiously, that he is thinking of running for Congress in 2012.
would otherwise be without such critical services.
“In almost every situation, there is a benefit on both sides for these different relationships,” Schoaf said. “Given today’s economic reality in which all of the cities are looking for ways to be more cost effective, it gives everyone a shared perspective.”
Many such examples of partnership are alive and well in the Southwest Valley. Partnerships exist in the areas of fundraising, education, domestic violence, transportation and economic development.
A few years back, Snyder’s of Hanover considered Tolleson as a possible place to locate a new facility, Gamez said. When it turned out not to be exactly what the manufacturer needed, Tolleson gave it an alternative location to consider.
“Hanover, instead of turning them away, we asked them to go to Goodyear; we thought that was a good fit for them,” Gamez said. “And what’s good for a business that locates in Goodyear is good for Tolleson, too.”
Today, cities need to look outward in resolving their problems, Buckeye Mayor Jackie Meck said.
Towns across the country have their own sets of unique situations and problems, but that doesn’t mean they can’t draw inspiration and resources from others, he said.
“All of the West Valley is all of us and all of our constituents,” Meck said. “I don’t look at us as apart or separate. We still cooperate and deal and discuss and talk about a lot of things that are unique not only to us individually but to us as a West Valley city. Roads, streets, they all connect.”
– Sara Bisker
The West Valley mayors
Buddhist worshipers
Vanida Vithagarath, right, Prasert Pratumsiri, Mayora Pratumsiri and Suthirat Soimora pray Feb. 4 at the Wat Promkunaram Buddhist Temple in Waddell. The Temple, along with other religious buildings, stands as a testament to the diversity of the people and faiths throughout the West Valley.
RELIGION from V16
20 years, still haven’t been [enlightened]. But then again, I know some who have.”
to learn more about Buddhism. It was a match made in Buddhist heaven, and six months later, he became a monk.
“Buddhists stress three things: Do no evil, do only good, and purify the mind,” Callaway said. “The Buddha believed if you purified your mind and thought no bad thoughts, there wouldn’t be.”
It’s through this mindset that the Thai community at the Buddhist temple has been able to heal and progress, he said.
“I’ve never met anyone on the path to enlightenment or who wasn’t already enlightened that wasn’t really strong into meditation,” Callaway said. “You have to practice it. I know a lot of monks, who for
St. Thomas Aquinas: Big faith
There’s no question about it: St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is big. It’s the largest Catholic church — both in terms of physical size and in congregation numbers — in Arizona. About 20,000 believers attend this Avondale parish, which also has an army of some 1,800 volunteers to keep things going. Overseeing all this is the Rev. Kieran Kleczewski.
“I think probably what I do best is I’m a teacher. I’m a teacher of faith, a teacher of church and history, and drawing out of our past, work to set the vision for us as we move into the future,” Kleczewski said.
Along with developing plans for a Catholic high school on the church grounds, Kleczewski is working on ways to address “our large immigrant population and dealing with your young people dropping out of school, trying to keep them engaged,” he said.
On top of all that, the father said he tries to pass on an appreciation for music and the arts, “the kinds of things that make us all humans.”
To be a part of the big plans at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, visit www.stacc.net.
Meditation plays a big role in the Buddhist faith, but the important thing to keep in mind when practicing meditation, Callaway said, is to choose a form — there are about 40 total — that works best for you, and to stick with it.
“Then some magical things happen,” he said. “You’ll see some things you wouldn’t believe.”
Buddhism plays such a huge role in the Thai community, Weerasa said: “I think it’s kind of the heart and soul. For us, we believe in kindness, the good nature of things, and in doing good.”
Weerasa described Thai Buddhists as “a humble people.”
“We don’t get really angry when something bad happens, or try to get revenge,” she said. “There’s just acceptance, a lot of forgiveness, because something happens for a reason.”
And for those interested in Buddhism or Thai heritage, Wat Promkunaram exists for a reason: It is a place of hope and love and faith, Weerasa said.
“We only do good stuff, we only do good things,” she said. “Whoever wants to harm us, we give them love. They get angry with us, we give them more love back.”
For information on Wat Promkunaram Buddhist Temple of Arizona, visit www. watprom.com.
– Frank Morris
SPOTLIGHT ON
Chef Matthew Steffen has visited the Nubian dairy goats responsible for producing the cheese raviolis complementing his pork saltimbocca dish at Red Allen’s in Litchfield Park.
Crow’s Dairy in Buckeye, where the goats live, is a family-owned and operated farm delivering fresh goat cheese to the restaurant at the Wigwam Resort, 300 E. Wigwam Blvd.
More than locally produced milk has been incorporated into the Chef de Cuisine’s menu, which focuses on “sustainability, locality, seasonality and tasteality,” he said.
“My concept behind what a good meal is, to me, is knowing where your food comes from. You go to a lot of restaurants and they prepare a good meal but just because it’s good food, doesn’t mean it’s good for you,” he said. “What I like to do is use a lot of local farmers so we can actually go to the place and see where it comes from and kind of get a feel for the food to know exactly how it’s raised, whether it be beef, vegetable, or a produce of some sort.”
Whole chickens are bought, then roast-
Chef delivers back-to-basics food
“I think there’s a beautiful thing to the simplicity of food.”
Matthew Steffen Chef de Cuisine
ed and boiled for use in chicken pot pies. Fish from trout farms in Sedona supply the protein for entrees and sandwiches and the more than 130,000 chickens nesting at Hickman’s Family Farms in Glendale and Buckeye lay the main ingredient for hollandaise sauce used on the eggs benedict.
Knowing where your food comes from is inspirational, Steffen said.
“You can feel proud of what you’re serving,” he said. “When you go to the grocery store and you pick up a piece of cheese, you don’t really know what’s in that cheese until you look at the ingredients label.”
Not the case at Red Allen’s. Not only is
the food simple, most of it — from English muffins to corned beef — is prepared in-house.
Steffen wouldn’t have it any other way, he said, it’s a trend people of the Southwest Valley appreciate.
“I think there’s a beautiful thing to the simplicity of food,” he said. “Do I think that’s re-inventing the wheel? Absolutely not, but I think it’s going back to the basics and make sure everything I touch out there — everything I’m putting on a plate — I’m taking the time and dedication to make sure it’s absolutely perfect.”
Red Allen’s serves food from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. More information is available by calling 623-8561094 or viewing the Web site www.wigwamresort.com/dining.html
– Sara Bisker
Chef Matthew Steffen, left, and Julio Lerma cook up some breakfast and early-lunch meals Feb. 9 at Red Allen's restaurant in Litchfield Park.
Toppings: Be creative and keep it fresh. Old tomatoes don’t do a burger justice, but crisp lettuce paired with your favorite cheese — perhaps an aged cheddar or bleu cheese — will give it personality.
Meat: Chuck or browned sirloin or a combination of the two make for a good patty. Keep the meat a little fatty, about an 80/20 ratio. Some fattiness in meat is good because that’s where the flavor is.
Bread: Start with a nice, thick buttery bun. Brioche or challah are good options. Add a mist of water and sprinkling of salt to the top. Take it to the next level by grilling or toasting it.
Sauce: Again, be creative. Go beyond the A1 sauce and instead mix together mayonnaise with diced jalepeño or garlic, and onion. Some liquids such as soda or a stout beer can be used to baste the burger with, too.
Cooking: When cooking the patty, don’t smash the meat. If you press it on the grill, the juices will run and with it the flavor. Cook it on a hot grill — hotter the better. Searing the outside creates a crunchy exterior and juicy center. Most importantly, don’t overcook it. And here’s a big tip: medium rare is where all the flavor is.
graduated from Tolleson in 2005 and was the seventh-round selection of the Kansas City Royals that June. He pitched five seasons with the Royals’ organization before having his career curtailed by injuries.
Another pair of Tolleson graduates made their marks on the gridiron: Mike Bell and Marcus Thomas.
Bell, a 2001 graduate, earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 2009 New Orleans Saints. He broke into the NFL in 2006 with the Denver Broncos and played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns in 2010.
When he was in high school, Bell was the second player in state history to rush for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons, earning him a college scholarship to the University of Arizona.
Thomas still holds the state single-season and career rushing records at 3,573 and 5,878 yards, respectively.
Thomas, who gradated from Tolleson in 2003, went on to star at the University of Texas at El Paso and played briefly in the NFL for the Detroit Lions.
Westview has produced four graduates who have played professional football in recent years:
• Nick Harris has put together a 10year career in the NFL, punting for the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions.
• Wide receiver Andrae Thurman has played with the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans of the NFL, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, the Dallas Desperadoes of the Arena Football League and Las Vegas of the United Football League.
• Drisan James played for Boise State University in one of the more memorable bowl games in collegiate history, the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, in which the Broncos upset the University of Oklahoma, 43-42 in overtime. He went on to play for the Hamilton Tigers of the CFL.
• The most recent former Knight to play professional is Shelley Smith, who was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2010 following a standout career at Colorado State University. Smith started the season on the Texans’ 53-man roster before finishing the year on the practice squad.
Kole Calhoun, a 2006 graduate of Buckeye Union High School, enjoyed a highly success collegiate career at Yavapai College and ASU. He was the eighthround draft pick of the Los Angeles
Angels of Anaheim in 2010 and batted .292 with seven home runs and 42 RBI. He also had 14 doubles, four triples and 39 walks for the Orem Owlz.
– Mike Russo
Tolleson graduate Mike Bell
DIRECTORY OF
Avondale, Goodyear
Abundant Harvest Church
919 N. Dysart Road, Suite N and O Avondale 623-810-2355
www.abundantharvestchurch.org
Avondale Christian Assembly
541 E. Main St., Avondale 623-932-1670
www.avondalechurch.com
Calvary Chapel
3673 S. Bullard Ave., Goodyear 623-925-2440
www.calvarygoodyear.org
Christ Community
United Methodist Church
104 W. Western Ave., Avondale 623-932-3480
www.myccumc.com
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church
918 S. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 623-932-2394
www.christevangelical.org
Christ Presbyterian Church
925 N. Sarival Ave., Goodyear 623-882-0721 www.cpcgoodyear.org
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
425 S. Estrella Parkway Goodyear 623-925-0106
Citrus Road Community Church of the Nazarene 418 S. Citrus Road, Goodyear 623-932-2733
www.crccnazarene.com
Coldwater Church 15 N. Fifth St., Avondale 623-249-9694 www.coldwaterchurch.com
Compass Church
16060 W. Van Buren St., Goodyear 623-935-3060 www.compasschurch.info
Cornerstone Christian Center
11301 W. Indian School Road, Avondale 623-877-3220 www.cornerstoneaz.org
Crossings Church
Desert Edge High School 15778 W. Yuma Rd Goodyear 623-239-1096 www.goodyearcrossings.org
Desert Springs
Community Church
14440 W. Indian School Road, Goodyear 623-435-2105 www.dscchurch.com
Estrella Falls Baptist Church
Centerra Mirage Elementary 15151 W. Centerra Drive South Goodyear 623-932-2723 www.estrellafallsbc.org
Estrella Mountain Church
10485 S. Estrella Parkway, Goodyear 623-386-0300 www.emcaz.org
Faith Harvest
Corte Sierra Elementary
3300 N. Santa Fe Trail Avondale 623-444-9762
www.faithharvest.com
Faith on Fire Church
13770 W. Van Buren St., Goodyear 602-690-1442
www.faithonfirechurch.com
First Baptist Church
Garden Lakes 2517 N. 107th Ave., Avondale 623-936-7148 www.gardenlakesbaptist.com
First Southern Baptist Church 1001 N. Central Ave., Avondale 623-932-2723 www.fsbca.org
Gateway Baptist Church 12409 W Indian School Rd, Ste C312 Avondale 623-628-8885
Goodyear Church of Christ
807 N. La Jolla Blvd., Goodyear 623-932-1042 www.goodyearchurchofchrist.org
Harvest Outreach
Christian Center
715 E. Western Ave., Avondale 623-932-6453 www.harvestoutreachaz.com
Heritage Baptist Church
Rio Vista Elementary 10237 W. Encanto Blvd., Avondale 623-882-2351 www.HeritageBaptistAZ.org
Holy Family
Independent
Catholic Church
918 S. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 602-750-3411 www.holyfam.webs.com
In His Presence Christian Center
Comfort Suites 15575 W. Roosevelt St., Goodyear 623-688-3447 www.ihpcconline.com
Jehovah’s Witnesses
14038 W. Yuma Road, Goodyear 623-932-1708
King of Kings P.C.A.
Western Sky Middle School 4095 N. 144th Ave., Goodyear 623-385-6607 www.kingofkingspca.org
Litchfield Park First Baptist Church 901 Plaza Circle, Avondale 623-935-3163
Morning Star Baptist Church
500 S. Seventh St., Avondale 623-932-4320
Palm Valley Church
431 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 623-536-2106 www.palmvalley.org
The Rock
Luke Elementary School 7300 N. Dysart Road, Glendale 623-932-1009 www.therockaz.com
COME GROW WITH US
Uplifting Music/Inspiring Sermons
9:15am - Worship Service/Nursery 10:45am - Contemporary Worship Service/Nursery and Elementary Church School
The Sanctuary Community Church
Avondale Community Center 1007 S. Third St., Avondale 623-936-6793 www.thesanctuarycc.com
Skyway Church of the West Valley 14900 W. Van Buren St., Goodyear 623-935-4858 www.skywaychurch.com
St. John Vianney Catholic Church and School 539 E. La Pasada Blvd., Goodyear 623-932-3313 parish.sjvaz.net school.sjvaz.net
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church 13720 W. Thomas Road, Avondale 623-935-2151 www.stacc.net
Where Jesus is the Focus of Everything We Do
Worship Services:
DESERT SPRINGS COMMUNITY CHURCH 14440 W. Indian School Road Goodyear, AZ 85395 623-435-2105
For complete information: www.dscchurch.com
St. Thomas Lutheran Church
16220 W. Van Buren St., Goodyear 623-925-1095
Temple of Faith
201 E. Main St., Avondale 623-680-6683
Trinity Lutheran Church
830 E. Plaza Circle Avondale 623-935-4665
Truth Tabernacle Church — Pentecostal United 825 N. Central Ave., Avondale 623-932-0893
Vineyard Church
255 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear 623-932-2500 www.azvineyard.org
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 maricopa.gov/dist5
Max Wilson (R), Supervisor
District 4, which includes Avondale, Litchfield Parvk, Goodyear, north Buckeye
301 W. Jefferson Ave., 10th floor Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-506-7642
mwwilson@mail.maricopa.gov maricopa.gov/dist4
State Legislature
District 4
Sen. Scott Bundgaard (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 212 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-3297; sbundgaard@azleg.gov
Rep. Jack W. Harper (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 113 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-4178; jharper@azleg.gov
Rep. Judy Burges (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 220 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-5861; jburges@azleg.gov
District 12
Sen. John Nelson (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 301 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-5872; jnelson@azleg.gov
Rep. Steven Montenegro (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 218 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-5955; smontenegro@azleg.gov
Rep. Jerry Weiers (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 131 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-5894; jpweiers@azleg.gov
District 13
Sen. Steve Gallardo (D)
1700 W. Washington, Room 315 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-5830; sgallardo@azleg.gov
Rep. Richard Miranda
1700 W. Washington, Room 332 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-5911; rmiranda@azleg.gov
Rep. Anna Tovar (D)
1700 W. Washington, Room 323 Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-926-3392; atovar@azleg.gov
Sen. John McCain speaks with members of the media at an event in Goodyear.
District 23
Sen. Steve Smith (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 311 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-5685; stevesmith@azleg.gov
Rep. John Fillmore (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 331 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-3012; jfillmore@azleg.gov
Rep. Frank Pratt (R)
1700 W. Washington, Room 223 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-5761; fpratt@azleg.gov
District 25
Sen. Gail Griffen
1700 W. Washington, Room 302 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-5895; ggriffen@azleg.gov
Rep. Peggy Judd
1700 W. Washington, Room 126 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-5836; pjudd@azleg.gov
Rep. David W. Stevens
1700 W. Washington, Room 312 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-926-4321; dstevens@azleg.gov
For a list of city officials, see Page V7
feel in that jet. I can push the engine faster and I’ll feel it as my body sucks into the seat a little harder and the jet bumps a little on the turbulence — it can be a rough ride. But the higher you go, the smoother the ride gets and the less you notice the speed. The air up there gets very thin and it becomes very calm.
Depending on the mission, we go different speeds. But if the mission takes us up over 30,000 feet we easily go supersonic and faster. Supersonic, or Mach 1, is roughly 760 mph. I will tell you that going supersonic in this jet is very anti-climactic. There’s no tunnel-vision kind of thing, or seeing into the future, no loud bangs. I wouldn’t even know I was going supersonic unless I looked down at the Mach gauge and watched it roll over from .99 to 1.0. That’s the only thing that will give that away. Of course, closer to the ground supersonic is a different story, but up where we’re at it doesn’t even really register to us.
The one sound we do hear, and hear clearly, are the guns. When we do training and fire them off you couldn’t miss it. The guns sit three or four feet from my head and it rattles the whole jet. The firing rate is unbelievable — it’s something like 100 rounds per second. It scares the hell out of you the first time you do it. At night you can see the sparks and it gets pretty wild.
On regular night flight we use these night-vision goggle, or NVGs. They work great but they have only a 40-degree field of view — it would be like holding toilet paper tubes up to your eyes and looking
OUTDOORS from V35
through them. The NVGs, though, provide a cool picture to the Valley because we see the cultural lighting of the Phoenix area and we also see stars that you are never able to see, even on the clearest night. We see shooting stars and things like that, it’s incredible. In some respects, it’s very peaceful up there. Everyone is kind of tucked away in their beds down below and we’re up there just keeping an eye on things.
The F-16 is a 9-G airplane,
talks about gold mining, bird and geology walks and even snake and arachnid feedings.
She gets visitors from all over the world, as well as many locals who are practically neighbors to the park.
“There are people who live right next door to the park that don’t know the park is here,” she said. “That’s amazing to me because this is the oldest park in the county park system. It’s a 30-square mile
which means it can pull turns that will simulate nine times the weight of gravity on the person inside. At 9 Gs I weigh about 1,800 pounds. Not only do I weigh that much, but now I have to fly the jet, and also assess what my adversary is doing and maintain the advantage over him. They’re intense maneuvers. If you’ve seen any movies, like Top Gun or Iron Eagle, you’ll see these guys pulling hard turns and the whole time they’re talking on
park, it’s gigantic. We have lots of stuff going on, so I’m really surprised the local people don’t know about it.”
It’s only fitting that Armstrong is a ranger. When she was young, her family did a lot of camping in Michigan and she became very fond of park rangers. Now, she’s that person.
“It’s really fun being a park ranger because when you tell people you’re a park ranger, everybody thinks you’re interesting right away, even though they don’t know you, and they also think you’re a
the radio. It’s just not possible. At 9 Gs it takes every muscle in my body to keep from going into G-LOC, which is a loss of consciousness due to the blood that’s flowing out of my head and brain and toward my lower extremities due to high-G maneuvers. Going from full-awake to something like an unconscious sleep happens in just seconds. As soon as I rip back on the stick, all my blood gets sucked down.
To help prevent that I wear a G suit that has these bladders in them that squeeze my legs to keep blood from pooling in my lower half. I also do this thing where I tense up all my muscles, and take a deep breath and hold it real tight, like I’m trying to make my face turn red. We call it the L1. So with the bladders and the L1s we can keep enough blood in our brain to stay awake and be able to fly. When we fly high-G sorties we get what pilots call the geasles. It’s when all the little capillaries close to the surface of your skin burst under that extreme blood flow during the flight. They look like the measles and last for several days.
Pulling G’s is fun to talk about, but really it’s killed a lot of good pilots. It’s very serious. Once we’re back on the ground, it’s back to school in a way. Our time in the air is a small fraction of what goes into pilot training here at Luke. As much as we’d like to, we don’t really have the time or the fuel to go chasing clouds. When we’re up there, though, it’s a rush.
— Capt. Chris Morton, 30, F-16 instructor at Luke Air Force Base (as told to Michael Clawson)
nice person,” Armstrong said. “So it’s really cool being a park ranger, and the things I learn about are stuff people are interested in talking about. It’s not like insurance, or stocks and bonds, it’s stuff people are interested in. So it’s a very fun job that I’ve really enjoyed.”
It also gets her recognition around town.
“A lot of people in the supermarket recognize me now,” she said. “Nobody asks for my autograph though. Well, little kids do.”
