West Valley View: West August 9, 2017 by Times Media Group

westvalleyview.com

The Voice of the West Valley for 32 years August 9, 2017

School board member removed from Westar campus

By Connor Dziawura

Liberty Elementary School District board member Kathy McNamara has been banned from Westar Elementary School’s campus for one year after what police call “a disturbance” on the facility’s campus on August 2.

The Goodyear Police Department served her with the letter of trespass on August 3 at the request of Superintendent Dr. Andy Rogers, according to police.

Although the trespass letter would typically prevent McNamara from being on the Westar campus, the Goodyear Police Department makes exceptions in the case of schools in which the individual has an attending child, said Lisa Kutis, GPD public information ofﬁcer.

McNamara will still be allowed in the school parking lot and front ofﬁce to pick up or drop off her daughter, Kutis said. She

can also attend school functions in which her daughter is a participant. Any other campus visitation would violate Arizona Revised Statute 13-1502, constituting a criminal trespass in the third degree.

McNamara said she believes the ban stems from her concern about changes Rogers made to her daughter’s gifted services program at Westar, as well as the removal of her daughter’s teacher.

“I really believe I was removed because I’m asking ‘hard questions’ and not getting answers,” McNamara said.

Rogers said that is not the case.

“The reason for this is two separate incidents of verbal abuse and disruptive conduct,” he said. “Additionally, she refused to follow the directions of a staff

Westar...continued on page 5

Arts nonproﬁts granted $3K prizes

By West Valley View staff

Who says the arts are dying? For two West Valley organizations, they’re not.

Avondale’s Catitude Gallery and Studio, and the Litchﬁeld Park-based West Valley Youth Orchestra were each awarded $3,000 grants thanks to the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

pastels, woodcarvings and photography. The gallery also hosts workshops, for which a schedule will be announced soon.

for our next year’s camp, which will be next June.”

Nearly $2.4 million in grants were awarded statewide. This is familiar territory for both organizations, which are repeat winners.

“We’re very excited about that,” said Bonnie Lewis, executive director of Catitude Gallery and Studio. “For the second year we’ve received that grant.”

Catitude Gallery and Studio, which is closed until late September, displays a variety of artistic mediums, including paintings,

The West Valley Youth Orchestra is an outlet for aspiring young musicians to improve their musical talents through practices and performances.

Both organizations have big plans for the money, which they hope to funnel back into their popular programming.

“We generally use it for our summer music camp that we have and to give scholarships and extra things for the kids,” said Mary Wilkening, board chairwoman for the West Valley Youth Orchestra. “They have to pay for the camp, but it helps us with our budgeting for the camp. So this will be

Catitude Gallery and Studio will use the grant to support its Follow Your Art Jr. program, a partnership between the gallery and the city of Goodyear that provides summer workshops on drawing, painting and 2-dimensional design portfolios.

“Our mission, as an agency of the state of Arizona, is to imagine an Arizona where everyone can participate in and experience the arts,” said Steve Wilcox, communications director for the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

The state and the National Endow-

Liberty Elementary School District board member Kathy McNamara was issued a trespass notice by the Goodyear Police Department on behalf of Superintendent Dr. Andy Rogers. (West Valley View photo by Ray Thomas)

GRAND OPENING | AUGUST 12TH & 13TH, 2017

ZANJERO TRAILS STETSON COLLECTION

Trails Stetson Collection Located just off the 303 and Cactus | 623-399-4763

single-family homes from the $240s

Directions: Take the AZ-303 Loop and exit onto W. Cactus Rd. Take Cactus Rd. to Perryville Rd. and turn left. Community will be ahead on your left.

We’re celebrating the Grand Opening of our newest community, Zanjero Trails Stetson Collection, located in Surprise, just off the 303 and Cactus! Tour the designer-decorated models, and experience the community amenities including playgrounds, plenty of green space, scenic views of the White Tank Mountains and easy access to area schools.

Enjoy a cool treat on us and present this ad to receive a $5 coffee gift card!*

Here are even more reasons to call Zanjero Trails your home:

• Charter and public schools nearby

• Minutes from Prasada retail and dining options

• Easy access to special event and professional sports venues

With a variety of different floorplans and personalization options, your family is certain to find the perfect Beazer Home during our huge Grand Opening weekend. Take advantage of Grand Opening pricing this weekend and we will pay your closing costs!**

GET MORE IN A NEW HOME

The West Valley View is a controlled-circulation weekly. It is published every Wednesday, and distributed free-of-charge to homes and in high-trafﬁc locations throughout Avondale, Goodyear, Litchﬁeld Park, Buckeye and Tolleson.

PUBLISHER

Steve T. Strickbine

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor

Niki D’Andrea, 480-898-5612 ndandrea@westvalleyview.com

Managing Editor

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, 480-641-4518 christina@westvalleyview.com

Assistant Editor

Connor Dziawura, 623-535-8439 cdziawura@westvalleyview.com

Designers

Shannon Mead, smead@westvalleyview.com

Tonya Mildenberg, tmildenberg@westvalleyview.com

Production Manager

Courtney Oldham, 480-898-5617 production@westvalleyview.com

ADVERTISING STAFF

advertising@westvalleyview.com

Rachael Freireich, rachael.f@westvalleyview.com

DeAna Janco, deana.j@westvalleyview.com Julius Tiritilli, Julius.t@westvalleyview.com

Classiﬁed and Obituaries

Elaine Cota, 480-898-7926 ecota@westvalleyview.com

Kimberlee Watson, 480-898-5653 kwatson@westvalleyview.com

Circulation Director

Aaron Kolodny, 480-898-5641 aaron@westvalleyview.com

Photographer Ray Thomas, rthomas@westvalleyview.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Home delivery of the West Valley View is free within Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchﬁeld Park and Tolleson, as well as select portions of Glendale, Waddell and West Phoenix, generally west of State Route 101, east of Johnson Road, north of Pecos Road and south of Northern Avenue. Requested mail subscriptions within Maricopa County: $75 per year; $40 for six months. Out of county and state: $88 per year; $45 for six months.

The West Valley View is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, and for subscription information, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services, please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegratedmedia.com. (c)

Avondale mayor elected MAG Transportation Policy chairman

By West Valley View staff

Donate blood, possibly win a car

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

In appreciation for giving blood through August 31, United Blood Services donors are automatically entered to win a 2017 VW Passat R-Line, donated by Valley Volkswagen dealers.

To make a donation, call 1-877827-4376 or visit bloodhero.com, enter city or ZIP code. All blood types are needed, however, Type-O

negative is in greatest demand. A West Valley donation center is located at 14270 W. Indian School Road, at Litchfield Road, in Goodyear. There will also be a blood drive from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday August 26, at St. Peter Episcopal Center’s Celebration Hall at 400 S. Old Litchfield Road in Litchfield Park.

Avondale Mayor Kenn Weise was recently elected chairman of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Transportation Policy Committee.

The MAG Regional Council established the Transportation Policy Committee in 2002 to oversee the development of the 20-year Regional Transportation Plan and to guide transportation planning in the region.

The TPC is made up of 23 members representing cities and towns across the region, the business community, the Arizona Department of Transportation, Maricopa County, the Native American Indian Community, and the Citizens Transportation Oversight Committee. The committee provides a unique opportunity for business representatives to have a direct say in developing transportation policy for the region.

The TPC is charged with developing regional transportation policy positions for Regional Council consideration and provides oversight for the implementation of Proposition 400.

Weise served a one-year term as vice chairman as a prerequisite to his new designation as chairman.

Arts...continued from page 1

ment for the Arts provide the basic budget that allows the Arizona Commission on the Arts to offer these grants. This year’s awards were bolstered in part by an additional $1.5 million provided by the state for the commission. The additional funding stems from interest accumulated on the state’s Rainy-Day Fund, and it is part of its fiscal year 2018 budget.

“Really it is that access to quality arts experiences regardless of where you live in the state. That is our primary goal,” Wilcox said. “And, in particular with the community investment grant program, we’re looking to partner with Arizona nonprofit arts organizations and their efforts to deliver that quality arts programming in their communities.”

Whether you’re a homeowner or professional excavator, every digging job requires a call — even small projects — so be sure to:

• Call 811 at least two working days before starting any digging project

• Wait for the site to be marked

• Respect the marks

• Dig with care

Natural gas lines can be

call

and Southwest Gas at 877-860-6020 immediately, whether you’re our customer or not.

For more information about natural gas safety, visit swgas.com/safety or call 877-860-6020

one

Avondale Mayor Kenn Weise previously served as vice chairman of MAG’s Transportation Policy Committee. (Photo courtesy City of Avondale)

Litchfield Park native keeps Navy wing flying

By Kayla Good, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs

A 2016 Verrado High School graduate and Litchfield Park native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the premier naval air installation in the Pacific Northwest region.

Airman Recruit Sythe Waxler is an information systems technician serving with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10.

A Navy information systems technician is responsible for taking care of computers and ports along with printers that keeps the command’s accounts running so that the crew can do its job.

“I have a great work environment,” said Waxler. “Everyone who needs help is kind and relies on us so they can do their jobs.”

According to Navy officials, Wing 10 has continued to fly combat missions in direct support of the troops on the ground and delivered traditional maritime capabilities, real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Beginning in the 1960s, the P-3C Orion, a land-based, long-range anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft, replaced the P-2V Neptune fleet. After 50 years of service and the 50th anniversary of Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force, the P-3C Orion is being phased out of the fleet and replaced by the P-8A Poseidon, according to Navy officials. The P-8A is a modified Boeing airframe featuring a fully connected,

state-of-the-art, open architecture mission system designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Navy officials explained.

“Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10 mans, trains, and equips P-3 and P-8 squadrons to deploy anywhere, anytime,” said Capt. Robert W. Patrick, commodore of CPRW-10.

“These forces are the nation’s first choice for broad area maritime surveillance and rapid response around the world. This is critically important, as we are the eyes and the ears of our national defense, putting pressure on strategic locations around the world. Our sailors are the single biggest asymmetric advantage that allow us to succeed at our missions. Without our sailors’ agility and expertise, we would not be able to do what we do.”

Waxler is part of a crew striving

to be the best Naval Aviation Wing, which has a mission to safely build and maintain a team of sailors capable of conducting prompt and sustained combat operations.

“Everybody is very close within the squadron,” Waxler said. “We are like a family. Everyone helps everyone. There is never a moment when someone is not going to lend a hand.”

According to Navy officials, the Navy continues to meet milestones on the mission and is providing an aircraft with superior capabilities to the men and women in uniform that will have a lasting legacy promoting a global maritime strategy.

“Serving in the Navy is a tradition for me,” Waxler added. “My grandma, grandpa, dad and brother have all served in the Navy. My dad inspired me to join the Navy. He had an impact on me to do this work.”

Avondale offering free fall landscaping classes

By West Valley View staff

Avondale is getting ready to begin a series of free classes on water conservation and landscaping. Learn how to create a healthy, vibrant landscape without the water waste by attending a class in Avondale.

Courses are taught by master gardeners, certified arborists and horticulturists. Classes are offered at Avondale City Hall building, 11465 W. Civic Center Drive, or Avondale Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive.

Course dates and times vary. Advanced registration is required, as space is limited and class can be canceled due to low registration. Register by calling Esmie Avila, Avondale Water Conservation coordinator, at 623-3334422 or email eavila@avondaleaz.gov.

For details, visit http://bit.ly/2uCw0iE.

The classes, all of which are from 6 to 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted, are as follows:

• Thursday, August 17, The Dirt on Compost, Avondale City Hall

• Thursday, August 31, Vegetable Gardening in the Low Desert, Avondale

City Hall

• Thursday, September 7, Basic Irrigation Parts, Troubleshooting and Repair, Avondale City Hall

• Thursday, September 21, Landscape Watering by the Numbers, Avondale City Hall

• Saturday, September 30, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., All About Grass: Homeowners’ Guide to Lush Lawns, Avondale Civic Center Library’s Zane Room

• Saturday, September 30, 2 to 4 p.m., Landscape Gardening Q&A, Avondale Civic Center Library’s Zane Room

• Thursday, October 12, Pruning Basics, Avondale City Hall

• Saturday, October 21, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., The Nature of Design: Rainwater Harvesting, Creating Water and EnergyEfficient Landscapes, Avondale Civic Center Library’s Zane Room

• Thursday, October 26, Container Gardening, Avondale City Hall

• Thursday, November 2, Growing Fruit Trees in the Desert, Avondale City Hall

• Tuesday, November 7, HOA Landscape Irrigation Management, Avondale City Hall.

Airman Recruit Sythe Waxler.

(Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force)

member and police were enlisted to escort her off campus. These incidents are violation of district policy. The incidents occurred on Wednesday, August 2. We expect that all staff are to be treated with respect and courtesy.”

The Arizona School Board Association’s policy states, “No person shall engage in conduct that may cause interference with or disruption of an educational institution.”

Rogers added the decision was based on the way “McNamara interacted with staff.” Any kind of verbal abuse is unacceptable and requires appropriate actions, he said.

McNamara said she was unaware of reports of verbal abuse and disruptive conduct.

According to Kutis, a police report was ﬁled for these incidents.

“I didn’t even know what the claim was,” McNamara said. “I have not seen any report. I was not told by the ofﬁcers when they arrived to my door.”

Kutis explained that a Goodyear police officer was told about a disturbance and heard somebody crying in the courtyard. The officer was on campus since it was the first day of school.

According to state law, a school’s chief administrative ofﬁcer can ask a person to “leave the property if the administrator has reasonable ground to believe that the person will interfere or disrupt the lawful use of the property and this can be enforced by any peace ofﬁcer.”

Since her appointment to the board in June, McNamara has raised concerns over the governing body’s transparency and Rogers’ performance. She said she believes Rogers’ actions are politically motivated.

“The only way all of these problems are going to go away is if Dr. Rogers is removed,” McNamara said.

She encourages residents to attend school board meetings and participate in elections.

“School board elections have never been a high priority for people and they need to be, because it’s your children’s future,” McNamara said.

She said other personnel, including teachers as well as parents, have been removed from the school by Rogers. Rogers has been with the district for 10 years. McNamara’s children have been students there since 1997.

While no charges have been ﬁled, the Goodyear Police Department is investigating, according to Kutis.

“Since this incident occurred, the Goodyear Police Department has received statements from witnesses to this incident,” Kutis said. “An investigation will be conducted and, if it is determined that a criminal violation occurred, then charges could be ﬁled.”

Jared Garcia to study at West Point

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Buckeye Union High School student Jared Garcia is spending the summer at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, to which he accepted an appointment earlier this year.

Garcia is part of the International Baccalaureate program and will graduate May 18 in the top 1 percent of his class. Since Garcia was a child, he wanted to become a commissioned ofﬁcer in the army, Steven said. He is a longtime member of the Boy Scouts and has

reached the rank of Eagle Scout.

Garcia applied to West Point in August 2016. He received two nominations from Sen. John McCain and Rep. Raul Grijalva. He accepted his appointment in February. He is in boot camp through August and was unavailable for comment.

Garcia is raising funds for start-up fees to attend the academy through GoFundMe, https://www.gofundme.com/jareds-westpoint-academy-startup.

Dr. Andy Rogers is superintendent of the Liberty Elementary School District. (Photo courtesy Liberty Elementary School District)

Community leaders, parents celebrate Marionneaux dedication

By Israel Gonzalez

Local community leaders and more than 100 parents and students celebrated the dedication for Buckeye Elementary School District’s newest school, Marionneaux Elementary School, on July 28.

The new school, located at 24155 W. Roeser Road, is built on 15 acres of land and is 86,174 square feet. Tamara Caraway, executive vice president of Hunt and Caraway Architects, hopes the school will become a notable place in the community.

“My dream, vision, wish for the Marionneaux Elementary School community and the city of Buckeye community is that this school be a very special place that unlocks the secrets of learning, providing that place where you remember your favorite teacher,” Caraway said.

The new school will serve kindergarten through eighth-grade students and was built with a warm, educational environment in mind.

“We want to create an environment for our parents, our students and our community members that it is a very warm welcoming school,” said Nick Forgette, Marionneaux Elementary School principal. “We want to create that bond, that partnership with our community to help raise our students. To help educate our students.”

The facility features three main buildings, one dedicated to kindergarten through fifth-grade classes, another for sixth-grade through eighth-grade classes and the third housing a gymnasium, kitchen and library. The sixth-grade through eighth-grade building was built to emulate a middle school, Forgette said.

The school is also one of the few with its own gymnasium. Marionneaux features state-of-the-art technology in the STEM and science classrooms, including an interactive tablet wall with more than 30 touch points. It is the first time this wall has been used in the country, Forgette said.

“We’ve been planning this project for the past 14 to 15 months,” Forgette said. “A lot of intentional thought went into the planning of the educational programming and the facilities itself.”

Marionneaux was designed to be safe and secure, with the front office door being the only open entrance during school hours. The school has large fields, multiple basketball courts and many playgrounds.

Even Buckeye Mayor Jackie Meck was impressed.

“Schools were and are so very important to our town, now city,” Meck said. “Ensuring our children to receive a good education is also one of the most important components a city can provide its residents. The city of Buckeye is thrilled to have a great relationship with the Buckeye Elementary School District.”

Marionneaux Elementary School is the eighth school in the Buckeye Elementary School District and has more than 700 registered students for the school year that began August 2. Forgette is excited for the new year.

“We’re just excited to finally see the project all come together,” Forgette said. “We want to get kids in here for Meet the Teacher Night and have those kids walk through the doors on August 2. Ultimately, that’s what we’re here for.

That’s what it’s about.”

Buckeye Mayor Jackie Meck, Buckeye Elementary School District Superintendent Dr. Kristi Sandvik, and Marionneaux Elementary School Principal Nick Forgette praise the staff and leaders of the new facility. (West Valley View photo by Israel Gonzalez)

Community leaders involved with the planning and construction of Marionneaux Elementary School participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 28. (West Valley View photo by Israel Gonzalez)

YOUR TEAM. YOUR ADVANTAGE.

Choose the Medicare Advantage plan that gives you a team approach to care.

Let us help you find the Cigna Medicare Advantage HMO plan that’s right for you. Call 1-855-698-9674 (TTY 711) 8 am to 8 pm 7 days a week. Or visit Cigna.com/yourAZmedicare to learn more.

All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. Cigna-HealthSpring is contracted with Medicare for PDP plans, HMO and PPO plans in select states, and with select State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Cigna-HealthSpring depends on contract renewal. Cigna Medicare Advantage plans are offered to employers and individuals in Maricopa County, Pima County and select Zip codes in Pinal County, Arizona. Cigna complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Cigna cumple con las leyes federales de derechos civiles aplicables y no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, nacionalidad, edad, discapacidad o sexo. ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, free of charge are available to you. Call 1-800-627-7534 (TTY 711). ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-627-7534 (TTY 711). Díí baa akó nínízin: Díí saad bee yániłti’go Diné Bizaad, saad bee áká’ánída’áwo’dęˇ ęˇ’, t’áá jiik’eh, éí ná hóló˛ , kohjį’ hódíílnih 1-800-627-7534 (TTY 711). All pictures are used for illustrative purposes only. 896127 04/17 © 2017 Cigna. Some content provided under license. H0354_17_45272 Accepted 04292017

OUR READERS’ VIEWPOINTS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Curious about school districts

Editor:

School taxes and bonds are the lion’s share of our ever-increasing property tax. Each election cycle, the school districts propose new bonds or overrides on current bonds. In a recent statement by our Goodyear mayor, she touted, while other small towns have only one school district, Goodyear is served by six school districts. No wonder our school taxes keep going up. I would like to know why Goodyear has six school districts?

Rich Kane Goodyear

Honored for service

Editor:

I had a pleasant and emotional experience recently while dining at a wellknown restaurant in Goodyear recently with my wife. I was wearing my U.S. Navy ball cap that evening and we ordered our dinner and drinks and sat down to a nice meal. When it was time to pay the bill, I handed my waiter my credit card and he informed me that someone had picked up my tab and to thank me for my service. I asked who it was and he said the person wanted to remain anonymous.

I told him to tell the person that it wasn’t necessary for them to have done that. A “thank you” would have sufficed but I appreciated their kindness and recognition. If they are reading this letter, I want to thank them again. When I am having my coffee at McDonald’s, I often have people—young and old—come over to me and shake my hand. Boy, it is a change from 50 years ago, but certainly it’s a change for the better. When you see a veteran, thank him or her.

Hugh Bonnar Buckeye

Agrees with Trump

Editor:

The recent order from President Trump to exclude transgenders from the military was met with relief from military leaders and hostility from the

left. Shouldn’t anybody who wants to serve our country be allowed to? Actually, no. Indeed, the military has many restrictions on who can serve in the military. Anyone with preexisting physical or mental conditions, like heart conditions, ulcers, agoraphobia, anorexia or suicidal tendencies to name a few, cannot.

Dr. Paul R. McHugh, former psychiatric-in-chief for Johns Hopkins Hospital, referred to transgenderism or gender dysphoria as a mental disorder. In a June 2015 Wall Street Journal article, he goes on to say that sex change is biologically impossible. Gender identity does not trump biology. He states that like anorexia, transgenderism produces a distorted view of one’s body that requires psychiatric intervention. In addition, the suicide rate among transgenders is 20 times higher than average producing a national suicide rate of 41 percent. This factor alone should disqualify transgenders from serving.

In addition to their serious mental disorder, transgenders serving in the military would burden it with privacy issues, expensive hormonal treatments, sex-reassignment surgeries and various related protocols that would diminish the combat readiness and fighting capability of our armed services.

President Trump was right to overturn President Obama’s reckless social engineering of our military at the expense of our national security. Serving in the military is not a right but a privilege to those who qualify.

Igor Shpudejko Goodyear

Letters should be local

Editor:

The front page banner of the West Valley View proudly proclaims it to be “The voice of the West Valley for 32 years.”

With that statement in mind, I agree completely with the letter in the July 26 edition that stated the need to “rein in” letters to the editor. I don’t see stories about national politics in the West Valley View and I don’t expect to. Yet week after week, multiple letters to the editor are focused on national issues, attacking from both sides. Debates rage

on between a few constant contributors that, while amusing to some, probably have more of us skimming the first few words or looking at the writer’s name and then quickly turning the page. The new owners should add more West Valley news. You should share information from city council meetings, planning and zoning meetings and from our local police and fire departments. Talk to our West Valley chambers of commerce. Report on how legislation at the state level is affecting us out here, west of the State Capitol. And, please, stop publishing letters that don’t have a specific tie to the communities you serve.

Kenneth Judd Buckeye

Appreciates help from neighbors

Editor:

Make no mistake, community is alive and well in the West Valley.

My husband and I have lived in the Rancho Santa Fe Community for more than 21 years. During the most recent monsoon, our large tree in our front yard was uprooted and blown over into the street. No sooner had my husband and I started the clean up when five neighbors showed up with their own tools to help us. Instead of a job taking all night, it only took four hours. Thank you neighbors and friends!

Rhonda Hancock Avondale

Residents fearful of police

Editor:

I read with horror of the death of the suicidal Avondale man last week and the unarmed woman in Milwaukee who called 9-1-1 for help and instead was shot and killed by the police. Every day there are stories just like these across our nation and it is terrifying. I understand that police have much to fear in this time of guns proliferating throughout the land without background checks and with little or no training. Some don’t understand that the more guns that are out there, the less safe we are. Studies have shown that to be true. We are now in a situation where people are afraid to call their police, and the police are afraid for their lives. There has to be something that we can do to protect those who need to call for their help. The more guns that are on the street, the more deaths we see.

Eileen Fein Goodyear

McCain is a warrior up to the task

By David Leibowitz

The neurosurgeon speaking about the glioblastoma assailing Sen. John McCain described this form of brain tumor using terms like “aggressive” and “relentless,” a warrior force that can be slowed down, stymied for the time being, but never defeated.

Funny thing. That’s exactly how I’ve always thought of John McCain himself.

As indomitable. Unbreakable. Persistent in the extreme. As, to be frank, one of the last unconquered men or women this nation has ever produced.

As news of the senator’s brain cancer made the rounds, it quickly became fashionable in certain circles to make political points about McCain’s health care coverage, or to suggest that McCain’s voting record, his role in the “Keating Five” abomination and his Republican politics somehow have undermined his status as an American hero.

If you came to this space looking for such smarm, by all means feel free to stop reading here. Let me be abundantly clear: If you don’t think being shot down at 550 mph over Hanoi and surviving five

and a half years as a prisoner of war at the hands of North Vietnamese torturers deserves the word “hero,” you’re a fool. End of story.

As a journalist, my path has crossed McCain many times over the years, with the great man always fast-witted, frank, quick with a joke and irascible as hell.

In 1996, I shadowed him from sunup to deep night around the Republican National Convention in San Diego. The most vivid memory? Watching his press secretary comb his hair before a TV interview, because McCain’s war injuries had left him unable to raise his arms enough to complete that simple task.

about McCain’s imprisonment: The two years he spent in solitary confinement, alone with his daydreams and prayers; the tap code he and his fellow prisoners devised to communicate between the walls of the Hanoi Hilton; the endless hours of beatings he suffered at the hands of subhumans like The Bug and Slopehead; and the offer of early freedom that McCain’s sense of honor compelled him to turn down.

In 2000, when the memoir Faith of My Fathers hit bookshelves, I found myself returning time and again to the chapters

On Election Night, November 4, 2008, when McCain fell short in his second run at the presidency, he took the stage at the Arizona Biltmore and gave a concession speech that should be regarded as one of his finest moments –10 minutes of humility and grace in the wake of a turbulent campaign that saw McCain lose, but not become a loser. His closing lines that night have stayed with me ever since.

“I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our

present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here,” McCain told us that night. “Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.” It is in that spirit, I am sure, that McCain now faces the final, toughest fight of a life well lived. He is 80 years old now, and maybe the science and the smart money says glioblastoma, undefeated, wins this battle, too. But we are not talking an ordinary human being here. We are talking about someone so much larger than life, he positively dwarfs it, a true warrior from a line of warriors, a man who has faced captors and cancer, heartbreak and defeat and managed to still stand tall all the while. If ever a man alive could beat cancer, it’s McCain. Screw the smart money. I’d say that brain tumor is in for the fight of its life.

David Leibowitz has called the Valley home since 1995. Contact david@ leibowitzsolo.com.

David Leibowitz. (Photo courtesy Advisor Group)

Business Briefcase

By Niki D’Andrea

Hello, readers, and welcome to another edition of Business Briefcase! Thanks to the monsoon season, we saw streets and washes all over the West Valley ﬂooded last week, and several of our communities experienced power outages, particularly Buckeye, where ofﬁcials had to temporarily close Buckeye Municipal Airport and set up a cooling center with the American Red Cross at Buckeye Union High School. I hope everyone is safe and sound after the storms, and that damage and inconvenience were kept to a minimum. Now, on to the news.

The Glass Guru has opened a new location in Goodyear . This latest outpost of the glass franchise, located on Estrella Parkway just off the I-10 freeway, is owned by Jeff Aviles, who has operated a Glass Guru franchise in Peoria

since 2014. The company provides residential and commercial glass and window repair, restoration and replacement. “We will operate with integrity and honesty,” Aviles said. “We will treat you and your home with respect and professionalism. We will arrive on time and follow through on commitments.” For more information, call Aviles at 623925-8174 or email goodyear@ theglassguru.com.

The Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce will host a Lunch N Learn from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 15, at the chamber ofﬁces, 289 N. Litchﬁeld Road in Goodyear (just south of Van Buren Street). The topic is “Separating Myths When It Comes to Saving and Investing,” and the event is hosted by Lifetyme Financial Group.

Lunch will be provided; RSVP required. Call 623-932-2260. Puff & Fluff Grooming and Pet Sitting launched its third Valley location on August 6 at 221 N. Litchfield Road in Goodyear (on the corner of Litchfield Road and La Vista Drive). Owner Liz Illg opened her first two locations in Phoenix in 2013 and 2015. All three locations are full-service grooming spas. “We are delighted to expand our reach to West Valley residents, who can expect excellent service and high-quality grooming at an affordable price,” Illg said. To celebrate its grand opening in Goodyear, Puff & Fluff is offering limited free nail trims and baths for dogs on Sundays August 20 and 27, respectively, on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, the spa will offer a 20 percent discount on Sunday,

August 13, and Monday, August 14, and new clients receive 25 percent off services Tuesday, August 15, through Saturday, August 19. Also, through Saturday, August 12, customers will receive a free “poop bag” and treat bag with the purchase of any service. For more information, call 623932-4847 or visit puffandﬂuffspa. com.

That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading, and stay cool out there!

Maria R. DiLeo, M.D.

Gema Fernandez, M.D.

Raymond D. Suarez, M.D.

James M. Johnson, M.D.

Cari L. Cowling, M.D

Erica McLaughlin, M.D.

Briggs J. Geier, D.O.

Kim Roberts, W.H.N.P.

Agua Fria Owls look to take flight

Knights preparing for second season with Nick Gehrts

By Casey Pritchard

Westview’s football team went through a change last year when Nick Gehrts took over the program, but the Knights finished 8-3 in his first season at the helm, and will look to improve on that in 2017.

“I think the first year is always that transition period where it’s a blur for everybody, and everybody is getting their feet wet,” Gehrts said. “I think everybody is on the same page now, and everybody is buying in to the very minimal things we do differently. They’ve been good about it and they’ve

busted their butts all summer long.”

The summer was crucial for Westview, which has an inexperienced team heading into the season. Only a handful of athletes with significant playing time returned from last year.

“We look young, and by young I mean just inexperienced,” Gehrts said. “We were very senior-heavy last year, so a lot of the juniors have to step up and fill those roles, and the sophomores, too.”

Gehrts scheduled several 7-on-7 passing competitions over the summer to try to get his players as many quality repetitions as possible. The Knights also went to camp at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

“That was really good, too,” Gehrts said. “And they were there every day getting after it, so we had a really good summer.”

Westview’s success last year was predominantly based on its rushing attack, which amassed 3,803 yards. More than half of that came from Tyler Vasko, who had 2,055 yards and 23 touchdowns. However, Vasko graduated, leaving the Knights with a big hole to fill.

“I think we’ve got three good running backs that are going to be able to replace him,” Gehrts said.

One of those running backs is BillyJoe Juarez, who’s been Vasko’s backup the last two years. He had 27 carries for 132 yards last season.

“I think he’s going to have a good year,” Gehrts said.

Albert Curry, a junior who was the JV running back last year, is another guy the Knights will rely on this year.

“He’s faster than Vasko is,” Gehrts said. “He’s not as strong as Vasko, but I think that’s going to come with time.”

D.J. Romero is the third running back. He only had seven carries for 31 yards last year, but Gehrts said he’ll get quite a few carries this year and will add extra depth to the position.

“We had the depth last year, but we didn’t need it,” Gehrts said. “But I think if we can rotate those three backs and get those fresh legs in there, I think those three can do it by committee.”

Senior Scott Fallers is the quarterback. He played wide receiver last year, but has made the transition to signal caller and impressed Gehrts during summer competition.

“He’s looked really good,” Gehrts said. “He’s come a long ways over a year. One of my buddies I played with at Illinois State (Kevin Brockway), he moved down here and has been working with Scott all summer. It’s been a really good experience for me, and Scott getting to work with him. He brings a ton of knowledge, also.”

Protecting Fallers and blocking for the trio of Knights running backs will be an offensive line of fresh faces, as four starters have to be replaced.

“It’s been a work in progress, but we’re moving along about where I thought,” Gehrts said. “They’ve got a ways to go, but coach (Willie) Chaffee does a good job with them. It’s a big difference than last year. I think we’re quicker than we were last year up front.”

Gehrts expects the defense to be the strongest entering the season. He attributes that to the number of returning defensive starters, and to defensive coordinator George Burgess and defensive backs coach Rudy Pacheco.

“Those guys have just gotten smarter in recognizing formations and what they can run out of those formations,” Gehrts said. “So, it’s more mental than it was last year. Physically, the capabilities have been there, but once they pick up that mental side, it’s been good, and they really impress me.”

Key defensive players are Joel Zurita

and Mathew Mendez on the line, cornerback Elijah Boykins and safety Antonio Gilbert. Defensive tackle Dominick Russell, who had 71 tackles last year, including 17 for a loss, is another critical defensive player.

“He’ll be a junior, and he was a unanimous first team (all-region) selection last year, so I’m excited to see what he does this year,” Gehrts said.

Westview has the same schedule as it did last year, with home and away games reversed. The Knights open the season hosting Chandler Basha at 7 p.m. Friday, August 18. Basha’s new head coach is Rich Wellbrock, who previously coached at Desert Edge. Westview beat Basha 54-36 last season.

“For me, it’s kind of an important game. I don’t know how to explain it, having the relationship I have with Wellbrock,” Gehrts said. “I think they’re going to be a significantly different team than they were last year, especially having Wellbrock. They’ll be ready, we’ve got to be ready, and I think it will be a much closer game than it was last year.”

Westview High School head football coach Nick Gehrts instructs players and fine-tunes plays during practice. (West Valley View photo by Ray Thomas)

Estrella Foothills to host USA Basketball Open Court

By West Valley View staff

West Valley children ages 6 to 17 can participate in the USA Basketball Open Court program starting August 13 at Estrella Foothills High School.

The goal of USA Basketball Open Courts, presented by Nike, is to provide children a safe and fun environment in which to play basketball.

The sessions at Estrella Foothills High School are scheduled for 2 to 7 p.m. Sundays from August 13 to October 29. Open Court sessions are free and open to children of all ability levels.

The complete schedule and more information can be found at usab.com/ opencourt.

As one of USA Basketball’s youth development initiatives, the Open Court program connects players to local facilities, and the free-play environment allows children the opportunity to enjoy basketball while earning prizes for participation.

Each participating facility conducts 12 sessions that are broken down into one- or two-hour time blocks for 6 to 9 year olds, 10 to 12 year olds and 13 to 17 year olds.

All participants must submit a waiver signed by a parent or guardian before participating in their first session. Waivers are available at each program location.

The program encourages free-play, inclusion, development and fun through basketball stations and games and is designed to emphasize the concept of playground basketball. Each Open Court program is supervised by USA Basketball licensed coaches.

Open Court participants earn points by attending sessions. Also, bonus points may be earned when a player brings a friend, comes to consecutive sessions, has perfect attendance or makes a social post about their experience. At the end of the 12 sessions, participants can trade in points earned for custom USA Basketball Youth Development and Nike prizes. Participants will have the opportunity to earn at least one prize through their involvement in Open Court. The breakdown of how to earn points can be found online, as can the available prizes. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado,

and chaired by retired Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in International Basketball Federation-sponsored international competitions, as well as for some national competitions, and for the development of youth basketball.

The USA Basketball Youth Development division is tasked with the development of youth basketball initiatives that address player development, coach education and safety, while promoting, growing and elevating the game.

Current USA Basketball Youth initiatives include coach licensing and education; organization accreditation; coach academies; regional skill camps for boys and girls; open court programs; and a 14U National Tournament for boys and girls.

The goal of USA Basketball Open Courts, presented by Nike, is to provide children a safe and fun environment in which to play basketball. (Photo courtesy USA Basketball)

Owls look to take flight in Ross Crow’s 2nd year

By Casey Pritchard

Coach Ross Crow had a rough first season with Agua Fria in 2016. The Owls went 2-8, failing to make the state playoffs for the third year in a row.

Moving forward in his second campaign, Crow sees a few things that the team could improve upon to find success.

“The comfort level of the kids with the coaching staff is a huge factor, and our knowledge of kind of what buttons to push with each kid in order to get the most out of them,” Crow said. “That familiarity with each other and the relationships, that’s kind of the biggest thing, I think.”

Agua Fria’s wins last season came against Phoenix Washington and Phoenix Barry Goldwater. The Owls were just 1-4 in region play.

“We improved game by game,” Crow said. “That kind of developed and evolved, even though the record didn’t necessarily show it.”

Many of the Owls’ players were seniors, but the experience level didn’t match.

“As juniors, they didn’t play a ton

behind the seniors that graduated the year previous,” Crow said.

Even though Agua Fria was senior heavy, several underclassmen had the chance to see the field, which should help this year.

“Last year, we started a freshman on the offensive line, a sophomore wide receiver and defensive back, and our quarterback played five games as a junior,” Crow said.

That was Nathanial Verduzco, who finished the year 52 of 116 for 639 yards and four touchdowns. Despite that experience, he still has to compete for the starting job this year.

“That’s the good thing, we’ve got a handful of guys at each position group that are in direct competitions for their positions, and it probably won’t be settled until game one,” Crow said. “The experience obviously doesn’t hurt his chances to win the job, but I’m really pleased with the guys we have competing, not only for quarterback, but running back, offensive line. We’ve got some real position competitions

going on right now.”

Zachary Vierhout is competing with Verduzco for the starting quarterback position. Vierhout played JV last year, and is also a good wide receiver, Crow said.

At running back, Eriyon Ward and Nicholas Murguia are battling for the starting nod. Crow said he plans on playing both of them because, with different personnel groups, the Owls will use either one or two backs in the backfield.

“None of them are the bruising, punishing running-back type, but they’re all quick, fast and elusive; that’s really good,” Crow said. “We’ve definitely upgraded this year’s team in terms of athleticism.”

Ward played JV last year, while Murguia was on the freshman team.

“Our freshman team was pretty talented, so we’ve got a number of sophomores that are going to play some key roles for us this year,” Crow said.

One of those is offensive lineman Carson Kennedy. He moved from the freshman team to varsity last year and started five games at left tackle. This year, he was named a captain by his teammates.

“He’s kind of the leader of the O-line and we can plug him into any of the five positions,” Crow said. “He kind of directs the troops out there, he can tell guys who to block and where to go. That’s a good thing to have. He’s got all of the physical tools, but he’s super smart, a good student, knows the game really well. I haven’t seen this much out of a sophomore, so it’s pretty unique.”

Strategically, Agua Fria was pretty balanced in its offensive attack last year. The Owls rushed for 1,310 yards and passed for 1,047. Crow said he will take whatever opponents give him.

“I don’t have any preference in terms of we want to pass X number of plays, or we want to run X number of plays, we do what works,” Crow said.

“If the passing game is working one particular game, and the running game is working another game, we’ll take what they give us. We want to be balanced and unpredictable to the defense, all those things, but we also want to be successful. Whatever gives us the best

chance of success, we’ll take it.”

Defensively, the Owls have an intense group. At times, Crow has had to rein them in a bit to limit the amount of contact at practice.

“We’ll change the tempo from a fullspeed tackle live drill, to more of a thud-type drill where guys aren’t going to the ground, because we don’t want to kill our teammates. We don’t want to beat our teammates up,” Crow said.

“The guys, defensively, have just been getting after it. All 11 guys are getting to the football, and getting to it in a bad mood. It’s nice because in the past we’ve had to encourage them to ramp up the physicality, and ramp up the enthusiasm and intensity. Now, we’ve got to hold them back a little bit. So, we’re definitely nastier this year. This is an intense game.”

Following a losing season, Crow and the Owls talked goals while at summer camp at Northern Arizona University. He was pleased with the conversations the athletes had when setting goals, he said.

“The team has very lofty expectations for themselves, and we do as well as coaches,” Crow said.

“We feel we’re going to be much improved this year, but I don’t think we’re necessarily too concerned with putting a number on wins and losses. We’re just concerned with lining up every Friday and playing whoever is in front of us, and competing and giving our best effort every single night, and whatever happens at the end of the night, happens.”

Agua Fria opens the season at 7 p.m. Friday, August 18, hosting Gilbert Campo Verde. The Owls were shut out by Campo Verde 43-0 last year.

Nick Thyfault, middle linebacker for the Agua Fria High School Owls, takes part in blocking drills before the first game. (West Valley View photo by Ray Thomas)

FOOTBALL

e-readers and borrow library eBooks at Goodyear Branch Library, 14455 W. Van Buren Street. For information, call 602-652-3000.

What’s Cookin’?

Practice culinary skills while making food and drinks at 5 p.m. at the Dr. Saide Recreation Center at 1003 E. Eason Avenue, Buckeye. For information, call 623-349-6350.

Preschool Storytime

The Tolleson Public Library at 9555 W. Van Buren Street invites preschool-age children to read books, sing songs and take part in activities at 11 a.m. For information, call 623-936-2746.

Tolleson Union High School District No. 214 School Board Meeting

ert Vista Boulevard, Buckeye, from 9 a.m. to noon. Visitors can get library cards and check out and return books. For information, call 623-349-6300.

Baby Time

Babies ages 0-24 months can take part in an interactive lap-sit program with books and music at 11:15 a.m. at the Goodyear Branch Library, 14455 W. Van Buren Street. For information, call 602-6523000.

CPR & First Aid Training

Learn CPR and how to react in emergencies such as bleeding, shock and burns from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Dr. Saide Recreation Center, 1003 E. Eason Avenue, Buckeye. Registration for this class is $35$45. For information, call 623-3496350.

Friday

11

Visitors can get library cards and check out and return books. For information, call 623-349-6300.

Writing Workshop: Creative Consumption

Fantasy author Sam Sykes will teach six workshops at the Avondale Civic Center Library, 11350 Civic Center Drive. Sykes is the author of The Aeon’s Gate Trilogy and the Bring Down Heaven series. Don’t miss the ﬁrst session at 11:30 a.m. Registration is required. For information, call 623-333-2602.

Soulful Expressions Open Mic Night (Ages 13+)

Old Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park invites people desiring to deepen their meditation practice or try meditation for the first time to join them on Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m. All faiths are welcome. For information, call 623-935-3279.

Monday

14

e West Valley View publishes on Wednesday. e 9 Days a Week calendar — a listing of entertainment events such as concerts, theatrical performances, events for schools, churches, county parks and nonproﬁt groups — runs every issue.

Events must be open to the public to be considered and generally must be held within the View’s coverage area, which is south of Northern Avenue, west of Loop 101, plus all of Tolleson, extends to Estrella on the south and Tonopah on the west. Events such as concerts and theatrical performances that fall outside of the View’s circulation area will be considered as there are no concert halls or theater venues within our boundaries.

9 Days a Week calendar items print on a space-available basis; the only way to guarantee that an item will print is to purchase an advertisement.

Submissions must reach our oﬃce by 4 p.m. Wednesday to be considered for the following Wednesday publication. Submissions must be in writing and may be emailed to news1@westvalleyview.com or faxed to 623-935-2103.

AUGUST

Wednesday

Tolleson Union High School District Board will meet at 6 p.m. 9801 W. Van Buren Street. For information, call 623-478-4001.

Hospice of the Valley Support Group

Hospice of the Valley Support Group will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, 918 S. Litchﬁeld Road, Goodyear. For information, call 623-932-2394.

Thursday

10

Crazy

Tabletop Gaming for Tweens & Teens

Bring a friend for fun games like Dutch Blitz, Set and Bananagrams at 3:30 p.m. at the Litchﬁeld Park Library, 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard. For information, call 602-6523000.

Preschool Art Studio

Litchﬁeld Park Branch Library at 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard invites preschool-age children to partici-

pate in an hour of art at 10:30 a.m. Registration is required. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Needle & Thread

The Avondale Civic Center Library at 11350 Civic Center Drive invites adults to bring a coffee mug and materials to join fellow crafters for needlework, knitting and crocheting at 10:30 a.m. For information, call 623-333-2602.

Storytime

Bring toddlers ages 2 to 4 to enjoy an interactive story with songs and games that grows vocabulary at 11:15 a.m. at the Downtown Buckeye Public Library, 310 N. Sixth Street. For information, call 623-349-6300.

Digital Drop-In

Litchﬁeld Park Branch Library at 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard invites kids in grades K-2 to join a math program from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. The season will run for seven weeks. Registration is required. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Preschool Time

Help prepare preschoolers for reading through music, books, games and crafts from 10:15 to 11 a.m. at the Litchﬁeld Park Branch Library, 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Festival Sage Rec Center Bookmobile

The Bookmobile, a library on wheels, will be at 26501 W. Des-

Arizona Family College Savings Program

Director Dena Leger of The Arizona Family College Savings Program will speak to teens and their guardians about how to save for future education expenses at 4 p.m. at the Litchﬁeld Park Branch Library, 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Solar Eclipse Coming to Arizona with Dr. Sky

Radio show host Steve Dates will discuss solar eclipses and ways to properly observe and enjoy them at 4:30 p.m. at the Goodyear Branch Library, 14455 W. Van Buren Street. For information, call 602652-3000.

Texas Hold ’Em

Come down to the American Legion Post 53 at 402 E. Narramore Avenue, Buckeye, from 5 to 10 p.m. for Texas Hold ’Em. Games are held in the Hazelton Hall and have a $10 buy in. For information, call 623-327-0227.

Saturday

12

The Avondale Civic Center Library at 11350 Civic Center Drive invites poets, comedians and musicians to share their art with others from 5 to 7 p.m. Arrive at 4:30 p.m. to sign up for a performance slot. For information, call 623-333-2602.

Verrado by Bashas’ Bookmobile

The Bookmobile, a library on wheels, will be at 21064 W. Main Street, Buckeye, from 9 a.m. to noon. Visitors can get library cards and check out and return books. For information, call 623-349-6300.

Paws for Reading

Preschoolers and school-age children can visit Goodyear Branch Library with a parent to practice reading with a registered therapy dog. The Paws for Reading program starts at 2 p.m. at 14455 W. Van Buren Street and has helped improve children’s reading skills as well as conﬁdence. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Sunday

13

Buena Vista Bookmobile

The Bookmobile, a library on wheels, will be at 2000 S. Apache Road, Buckeye, from 1 to 2 p.m.

Toddler Time

Help prepare children ages 2-3 for reading through music, books, games and more from 11:15 a.m. to noon at the Litchﬁeld Park Branch Library, 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Baby Time

Bring babies ages 0-24 months for an interactive lap-sit program with books and music at 11:15 a.m. at the Litchﬁeld Park Branch Library, 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Babies & Books

The Avondale Civic Center Library at 11350 Civic Center Drive invites parents to bring their babies ages 0-2 from 10:15 to 11 a.m. to promote early development. Babies will learn with books, music and playtime activities. For information, call 623-333-2602.

Avondale City Council Meeting

Wildlife Encounters

Come down to Wildlife World Zoo, at 16501 W. Northern Avenue, Litchﬁeld Park, at noon, 2 p.m. or 4 p.m. to learn about the zoo’s wild animals from its knowledgeable professionals and see the animals foraging and ﬂying. This show is free with admission. For information, call 623-935-9453.

Contemplative Prayer & Meditation

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at 400

Avondale City Council meets at 7 p.m. in the Avondale Council Chambers, 11465 W. Civic Center Drive. For information, call 623333-1000.

Craft it Up

Join fellow crafters in this needlework/knitting/crochet group at 11 a.m. and work on new or current projects at Sam Garcia Avenue Library, 495 E. Western Avenue, Avondale. Be sure to bring materials and a coffee mug. For information, call 623-333-2601.

Hope

Stop by Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church’s Classroom C at 918 S. Litchﬁeld Road, Goodyear, for the Hope support group from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The goal of the group is to provide help for those struggling with any mental disorder by sharing experiences and supporting others. For information, call 480-994-4407.

EON Business Meet-up

Meet fellow businessmen and entrepreneurs to share ideas, ask questions and receive advice at 6 p.m. at the Buckeye Library Coyote Branch, 21699 W. Yuma Road. For information, call 623-349-6354.

Teen Leadership Club

Teen Leadership Club is a group that creates and carries out new programs for the Goodyear Branch Library. Reservations required before the 5 to 6:30 p.m. event at the Goodyear Branch Library, 14455 W. Van Buren Street. For information, call 602-651-3507.

Tuesday

nights have 17 games including Quickie, Early Bird, Double Action and a $1,000 progressive game. Come down to 35 N. Dysart Road, Avondale, to support the area’s youth and veterans. For information, call 623-932-4960.

Code Club

The Coyote Branch Library invites kids age 8-12 to come to 21699 W. Yuma Road, Buckeye, at 5 p.m. to learn how to create video games and websites. Registration is required. For information, call 623-349-6300.

Buckeye Council Meeting

Buckeye City Council will meet at 6 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 530 E. Monroe Avenue. For information, call 623-349-6000.

brary hosts a weekly open-play group at 495 E. Western Avenue, Avondale, at 11 a.m. for children through age 5 to have fun and grow their social skills. For information, call 623-333-2601.

Teen Volunteer Days (Ages 12-18)

noon. Visitors can get library cards and check out and return books. For information, call 623-349-6300.

Movies @ Your Library

Join other families at the Coyote Branch Library at 21699 W. Yuma Road, Buckeye, at 3 p.m. as they cool off and watch Max 2: White House Hero. Snacks will be available for purchase. For information, call 623-349-6300.

In Stitches in Goodyear

Thursday

Chess Club for Tweens & Teens

Are you a chess whiz? The Litchﬁeld Park Branch Library at 101 W. Wigwam Boulevard invites kids ages 11-16 to learn or practice their chess moves from 4 to 5 p.m. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Toddler Storytime

Bring children ages 2-3 at 11:15 a.m. to listen to stories and music at the Goodyear Branch Library, 14455 W. Van Buren Street. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Blood Drive

Bingo

The American Legion Post #61 hosts bingo each Tuesday night starting at 6:45 p.m. These bingo

The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive from 1 to 5:15 p.m. at the Avondale Public Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are available. For information, call 1-800-733-2767.

Wednesday

16

Make a Difference

Big Brothers and Big Sisters and Read On Buckeye are working together to ﬁnd tutors and mentors. Give elementary students the help they need to succeed this year. Training will be provided for interested volunteers. Attend a meeting at The Den at the Verrado Coffee Company, 1829 N. Verrado Way, Buckeye, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For information, call 602-812-3946.

Come & Play with Me

Sam Garcia Western Avenue Li-

Teens looking to meet new friends and volunteer for school credit can meet at the Avondale Civic Center Library’s Volunteer Days from 3 to 5 p.m. at 11350 Civic Center Drive. For information, call 623-333-2602.

Computer Class

Master mouse skills, Microsoft Word, basic internet, eBooks and more at 6 p.m. at the Coyote Branch Library, 21699 W. Yuma Road, Buckeye. For information, call 623-349-6314.

Community Center Bookmobile

The Bookmobile, a library on wheels, will be at 201 E. Centre Avenue, Buckeye, from 11 a.m. to

17

Playgroup (Ages 0-5)

Connect with other parents and caregivers as your children build their social skills during Avondale Civic Center Library’s openplay group at 10 a.m. The library will provide toys and an indoor play space at 11350 Civic Center Drive. For information, call 623333-2602.

Adult Book Discussion

Stop by the Avondale Civic Center Library at 11350 Civic Center Drive to pick up and read a copy of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce before the library’s discussion at 1 p.m. For information, call 623-333-2602.

Enjoy tea and coffee and meet fellow crafters and work on crochet, knitting or sewing projects. Come by the Goodyear Branch Library at 14455 W. Van Buren Street from 1:30 to 3 p.m. to join. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Fit & Strong

Come to the Community Center at 201 E. Centre Street, Buckeye, from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. for exercise. This is a program for older adults and people with lower extremity osteoarthritis that strengthens and improves ﬂexibility. For information, call 623-349-6600.

Baby Time

Bring babies through age 2 for an interactive lap-sit program with books and music at 11:15 a.m. at the Goodyear Branch Library, 14455 W. Van Buren Street. For information, call 602-652-3000.

Toddler Storytime

Bring children to the Tolleson Public Library at 9555 W. Van Buren Street, so they can hear picture books read aloud and play with other toddlers at 11 a.m. For information, call 623-936-2746.

Buckeye man hopes public switches gears on lowriders’ reputation

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Buckeye resident Al Luna is clearly passionate about lowriders.

When the Air Force veteran describes what patrons will see at the Showcase Supershow Custom and Classic Car Show at WestWorld of Scottsdale on Saturday, August 12, his voice changes. There’s a spark in his tone.

“You’re going to be amazed,” Luna said. “You won’t believe what you’ll see: the cars, the displays, the colors, the interiors, the craftsmanship, the chrome, the gold, the engraving, the stereo systems, the lights.

“People who have never seen it before at that magnitude leave going, ‘Wow. I didn’t know people could paint like that, or do airbrushing like that.’ They are so artistic.”

Luna is a lowrider owner himself, who is customizing a candy apple red 1954 Chevy truck. He’ll appear at the

show as part of the Lowrider Legacy Exhibit, which celebrates the history and roots of the culture. Frequently, the community gets a bad rap.

“The lowrider community is involved in a lot of things other than just lowriding,” he said. “We do benefits. We do toy drives in December every year. Last year, we bought more than 800 hot dogs and hamburgers for the event. They were all gone.

“We stay pretty busy. There’s always a car show going on, too.”

The Showcase Supershow Custom and Classic Car Show will feature hundreds of cars, according to James Rivas, a Mesa resident who is with the organizer, Motor Sports Showcase. The vehicles will range from Chevys from the late 1950s through the 1960s, to newer cars like Camaros. A portion of the proceeds go toward scholarships.

“People put on car shows to make money,” Luna said. “I get it. That’s what you do. With Richard (Ochoa of Motor Sports Showcase) and his team, their focus isn’t just on that. They bring the community together and help with scholarships to ASU or wherever the student wants to go.”

This is the first time the company is having it in the summer and it’s a first for WestWorld.

“Normally, we do it earlier in the year,” said Rivas, also known as Mega 104.3’s “Manic Hispanic.” “We try to stay away from the heat. It’s usually outdoors and a family outing, sort of picnic-type thing. Since we decided to do it in the summer, we were a little nervous. But I think we’re going to have more than 400 cars, bikes and trucks.”

It will have music, thanks to Rivas,

who serves as entertainment director, too. Among the performers are Kid Frost, who is dubbed an “OG lowrider legend,” DJ Kane of the Kumbia Kings, comedian Joey Medina and the Gap Band Experience.

“The Gap Band Experience is an oldschool band who used to be called the

lowrider...continued on page 19

Al Luna, of Buckeye, prepares his 1954 Chevrolet 3100 truck for the upcoming lowrider custom car show at WestWorld on August 12. (West Valley View photo by Ray Thomas)

Goodyear woman publishes ﬁrst children’s book

By Glenn Gullickson

A West Valley elementary school teacher is finding another way to teach through a book she’s written for children.

Stacey Hill’s first book, Goose and Moose Visit the Beach, was released July 4.

“I’m a teacher at heart. I’m still teaching through my book,” said Hill, who teaches at Copper Trails School in Goodyear.

The 49-year-old Goodyear resident said she’s teaching a lesson of caring with a book aimed at youngsters from 3 to 8 years old attending pre-school and elementary school.

“This is a story about being kind and showing that you care about someone even if you don’t know them,” Hill said. Hill said the story was inspired by her sons, Austin, 15, and Lucas, 12, with the book’s title characters given the boys’ childhood nicknames.

“They are the world to me. They are the characters,” said Hill, noting that Goose and Moose also share the boys’ interests in computers and sports. In the story, Goose and Moose are

lowrider...continued from page 18

Gap Band,” Rivas said. “They just don’t have Charlie Wilson. We wanted to give a little Latin ﬂavor, too, with DJ Kane. We’re bringing a couple of artists we pay a lot on the Cruisin’ with the Manic Hispanic show.”

Luna has always been fond of lowriders, as his first car was an Impala that he owned for more than 18 years. His wife, Elizabeth, has been by his side –his “shotgun partner” – for 31 years. “I always liked that style of cars,” he

visiting the beach when they meet a dog, a character based on her brotherin-law, who needs help.

Hill said events that happened in the story occurred during family visits to Southern California, where she lived before moving to Arizona in 1992.

Hill said she’s been thinking about writing the book for years, keeping notes in a journal, and was encouraged by a friend, who’s also a writer, who helped her find a publisher.

About a year ago, she submitted her manuscript to Mascot Books, a small publishing house in Virginia that paired her with Canadian-based illustrator Steve McGinnis.

“It was important to me to find the right illustrator,” Hill said. “I had visions of what it would look like.”

The author and illustrator never met, but Hill said she gave McGinnis notes for the whimsical illustrations for each page of the 24-page book.

“He hit the nail on the head,” she said. “His pictures made the story come to life.”

Hill said her book is different from

said. “When I bought one, I wanted to build it in the style of the lowrider, with the 13-inch rims, the custom paint and the look.”

Luna encourages everyone to go to the WestWorld event – if they have an interest in cars or not.

“They are so artistic,” he said. “They are able to paint a picture on the hood of a car that looks like a photo to a T. They’re doing that with an airbrush. They look like glass. It looks like you can reach into the paint and pull the color out. It’s incredible.”

Showcase Supershow Custom and Classic Car Show

2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, August 12 WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road motorsportshowcase.com

$5 parking; admission is $20 to $25; a family four pack is $75 and includes four general admission passes and concession discount. Kids 10 and younger are free.

other ones for children because it includes comprehension questions and a vocabulary list, devices that allow a parent to interact with a child about the book.

“I think that’s what makes it stand out from other picture books,” she said. “The teacher part of me came out in the book. I love read-along time.”

Hill said she read the book to her firstgrade class, which became kind of a focus group for the project, and gave her pupils copies as gifts on the last day of class.

After teaching for 13 years, Hill said she will work as a substitute teacher next year while she promotes the book and literacy in schools and bookstores.

Hill said she hopes the book is the first in a series of The Adventures of Goose

and Moose books, with each story dealing with a character trait.

Already in the works are two books dealing with bravery and responsibility, she said.

Goose and Moose Visit the Beach is available through Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Hill will sign books from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, August 12, at Barnes and Noble, 1446 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear.

Local Author Stacey Hill (center) stands with her sons Austin (left), 15, and Lucas, 12, husband Rob and dog, Lucky, in their Goodyear home, June 16. (View photo by Jordan Christopher)

Buckeye author tells childhood story in ‘G.I. Jack’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Buckeye author Jo Whitmire believes everyone has a story. Whether it’s a 5-year-old child or an 80-year-old senior, there are worthy tales to tell.

That’s one of the reasons she penned the 62-page G.I. Jack: Back in Action, published by Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc. in Pittsburgh. It is available at http://amzn.to/2wbTrPv for $27.

The book tells the story of G.I. Jack and his pal, Scuba Sammy, who remember their days of glory—karate-chopping snakes, moon explorations and octopus fights. Now they’re ready for a new adventure; the kind that toys have when families aren’t watching.

G.I. Jack is based on experiences their father had as a child in Georgia.

“When their dad and his brother saw their sisters playing with their Barbie house, they put G.I. Joe in a Jeep and blew through and ruined it,” she said with a laugh.

Literacy is a family tradition. Whitmire’s mother, a second-grade teacher, brought home children’s books, like

Where the Wild Things Are. As if it’s innate, each Christmas, Whitmire’s daughters asked her to create books for them. Written in 2009, this one was particularly important to her kids, Sarah and Ashley, who are now 14 and 16, respectively.

“Their dad is in the Air Force and he just retired,” she said. “We’ve lived everywhere, including Georgia and Virginia. When we lived in Virginia, at Langley Air Force Base, my daughters would always ask me to write and illustrate books for them for Christmas.”

G.I. Jack’s story blossomed.

“My daughters’ teachers asked me to read it to their preschool and elementary school classes,” she recalled. “The kids really liked it. I kept getting requests to come back and read it. It made my daughters proud.”

The book’s artwork is vintage, representing the toys and books the Whitmires owned as children.

“Their dad had the box with the picture of all the weapons,” said Whitmire, who earned a degree in fashion merchandising from the University of Arizona. “The illustrations are based on 1960s graphics. The kids really thought it was great. Some of it might seem dated, but that worked.”

Whitmire – who moved to Buckeye four years ago – said it’s a true accomplishment to publish G.I. Jack

“I’m super pleased,” she said. “It felt like I captured something, like when you finish a photo album when the pictures are long forgotten. It’s just our little story. It’s sweet.”

City of Goodyear offers senior programs

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

The Goodyear Recreation Department is offering a number of programs for seniors.

Participants do not need to be Goodyear residents to preregister, but they do need to pay in advance where indicated. To register, call 623-882-7525 or visit http://bit.ly/2vvAx9J.

• Lunch and Bunco: Bunco is held behind Goodyear Branch Library, in Community Room C102, 14455 W. Van Buren Street. The building has a separate entrance. It takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month, including September 6. Prizes are awarded in five categories. The cost is $15 and preregistration is required by calling the number above.

• Cards and Games: Play Sequence, Rummikub, Mexican Train or Hand and Foot from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 16, in the fire sta-

tion at the Goodyear Community Park, 3075 N. Litchfield Road. Light snacks and water will be provided. The event is free, but preregistration is required by calling the number above.

• A trip to Peoria Theater Works to see Gypsy is set for 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, September 13. The group will return at 4:45 p.m. The cost is $42 for residents, and $45 for nonresidents. There are no refunds after August 25. Price includes admission and motor coach transportation. Meals not included. Free desserts and coffee will be available after the play. To register, call the number above.

• A “mystery trip” is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, October 28. The only clue is “There’s gold in them there hills.” The group will return at 4:30 p.m. The cost is $22 for residents, $26 for nonresidents. To register, call the number above.

Jo Whitmire of Buckeye reminisces about the writing of her new children’s action adventure fiction book, G.I. Jack Back in Action (West Valley View photo by Ray Thomas)

Workshop teaches ways to reduce stress

By West Valley View staff

Learn about the cutting-edge science behind heart and brain coherence during a free workshop called “The Power of Thought and Emotion,” hosted by Thought Genius, from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, August 18, in Glendale.

Presented by neuroscientist and Thought Genius founder, Jeffrey L. Fannin, Ph.D., attendees will be shown simple strategies on how to identify and respond to daily stressors including negative emotions, ways to create harmony and balance in the body and other topics. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. at the Thought Genius offices in the Atrium Building, 17505 N. 79th Avenue. The workshop, appetizers and beverages are included in the free admission.

Artists sought for Goodyear ‘Big and Small’ exhibit

By Daisy Finch

City of Goodyear officials are in need of creative talent for an upcoming art exhibit called Artwork Big & Small set for September through November at the Goodyear Branch Library.

Artists are invited to submit 2-dimensional artwork that is either smaller than 10 inches by 10 inches or larger than 30 inches by 36 inches that “challenges the viewer’s perspective of the world,” said Laura Kaino, a city arts and culture commissioner.

“The Goodyear Arts and Culture Commission continues to seek creative ways to challenge local artists and to entice emerging artists to participate in arts activities,” Kaino said.

Goodyear’s Arts and Culture Coordinator Guylene Ozlanski added the exhibit is meaningful to the city.

the vision of the community and business leaders, contributing to the development of a skilled workforce, and creating a foundation for defining a sense of place.”

The dates for Artwork Big & Small have yet to be set. But, there will be an artist reception at the library, 14455 W. Van Buren, Suite C-101, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, September 14. Light refreshments will be served and entertainment will be provided at the free event. For more information, call the library at 602-652-3000.

Ozlanski said she encourages all residents to get involved with the promotion and organization of public and community art projects, exhibitions, festivals, performing arts, special events, arts education and fine arts.

For more than two decades, Fannin has been helping individuals reduce stress through brain-mapping and brain training, the science of heart/ brain coherence, neurofeedback and other tools. His programs for achieving optimal brain performance are used by large institutions, corporations, hospitals, police and fire departments and by the U.S. Special Forces. A speaker and author, he has presented his findings to audiences internationally.

“In our daily lives, we all deal with a tremendous amount of pressure which can deplete our energy, our concen-

tration, affect our sleep - and can also impact our ability to make decisions,” Fannin said.

“At this workshop, we will be introducing scientifically proven methods to change our response to stress through neurofeedback and other holistic techniques.”

Thought Genius also offers extensive three-day workshops and private consultations to individuals with PTSD, ADD and other conditions.

“You don’t have to live a life of debilitating stress and poor health. There is a better way,” he said.

To RSVP, call 602-548-9092, email info@thoughtgenius.com, or visit thoughtgenius.com.

“The arts elevate the quality of life for Goodyear residents and a vibrant arts program catalyzes the city’s economic vitality through ‘cultural economy,’” Ozlanski said.

The program does so by “attracting new and visiting populations, integrating

Goodyear’s Arts & Culture program is on the rise, and Ozlanski describes it as “redefining the arts in the West Valley.”

“The strong partnerships with local business and arts organizations have established a fiscally responsible arts program that is developing Goodyear into the destination for the arts in the West Valley.”

White Tanks Southern Baptist Church

Awana program begins August 30 Every Wednesday, 6:30pm - 8:00pm Adult Bible Study: Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Neuroscientist Jeffrey L. Fannin, Ph.D., founded Thought Genius. (Photo courtesy Thought Genius)

Goodyear Splash Pad

The Goodyear Community Park’s splash pad is a popular destination for enjoying free water play with water arches, drop buckets and water cannons. The spray is on a timer and there is a water sensor for turning on the splash pad. Ramadas with shaded picnic tables and grassy areas are available for outdoor events. (West Valley View photos by Ray Thomas)

Clockwise from top left: Stephanie Mishler, of Litchfield Park, introduces her 11-month-old son, Waylon, to a fountain spray so he can beat the heat of a long summer in the West Valley; Milan Blanco, 1, of Goodyear, plays with water from a jet at the Goodyear Community Park splash pad; Madison Rivas, 6, of Goodyear, enjoys a water feature; Brock Lucas, of Waddell, carries his youngest son, Henry, 2, through spraying arches as his other son, Owen, 4, chases after them; From left, Milan Blanco, 1, of Goodyear, and his sisters Avianna, 4, and Lianna, 2, (far right) play with their visiting cousin, Camila Hernandez, 9 (center), under a cooling canopy of water at the Goodyear Community Park splash pad; Owen Lucas, 4, of Waddell, plays with a water cannon at the Goodyear Community Park splash pad; Dio Smith, 5, of Avondale, gets a shower from a water bucket at the Goodyear Community Park splash pad; Lianna Blanco, 2, of Goodyear, runs through the water arches at the Goodyear Community Park splash pad.

Teen takes off at Alabama’s Space Academy

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Amy Bartlett considers herself a “space geek.”

A veteran of the Honeywell Educators at Space Academy, Bartlett was thrilled when her 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa, was accepted to a companion program for kids this year at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

“In 2008, when Alyssa was 5, I attended the Space Academy on a Honeywell scholarship,” said Bartlett, who earned a master’s in space studies with an emphasis in planetary sciences from the University of North Dakota. She teaches in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at ASU.

“I was blown away by it. I was so inspired by the program to teach teachers about STEM education. We brought back lessons to implement within our classrooms. Some of that may have rubbed off on her. I think that’s what made her interested in going when she was older. I’m glad Alyssa has the space geekiness that I have.”

An incoming freshman at Agua Fria High School, the teen was part of the Space Academy program, which is

designed for students who have an interest in space exploration.

More than 750,000 trainees have graduated from Space Camp since its inception in Alabama in 1982, including STS-131 astronaut Dottie MetcalfLindenburger, European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and NASA Expedition 48 astronaut Dr. Kate Rubins. Last year, children and teachers from all 50 states and 69 international locations attended.

As part of her application, Alyssa had to answer two essay questions, design a mission patch, describe a science project using the scientific method and provide two letters of recommendation. She reported on the effects of vinegar on an egg.

She received an academic scholarship to attend Space Academy for exceling academically and participating in a gifted program.

Alyssa’s weeklong educational program promoted science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and trained students and adults with hands-on activities and missions based on teamwork, leadership

and problem solving.

She spent the week training with a team that flew a simulated space mission to Mars. The crew participated in experiments and successfully completed an extravehicular activity (EVA), or spacewalk, and returned to Earth in time to graduate with honors.

“We experienced many different simulators,” she said. “They had a chair that simulated the reduced gravity on the moon. They also had a simulator that spun you in all directions, as if you were going out of control.”

Her daily experiences reinforced the lessons she was learning.

“We went to many presentations,” she said. “We listened to people who worked for places that helped build things for NASA. We listened to (retired astronaut) Clay Anderson and heard about his experiences, which was really great. “

The group also worked on their respective missions, which mirrored lunar or shuttle endeavors. Each had its

own mission control setup.

The weeklong program was a learning experience for Alyssa.

“I think I learned the most about teamwork and team building,” said Alyssa, who hopes to intern at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “That is really important. I know with high school and the rest of my future career, it’s going to be very important to work with other people.

“I did get a lot of experience, as well, dealing with more scientific things. And, I know that Space Camp is going to look good on any resume.”

Alyssa Bartlett, of Litchfield Park, proudly displays the spacesuit and scholarship medal she earned while attending Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. (West Valley View photo by Ray Thomas)

Experience Matters seeks volunteer mentors and tutors

By West Valley View staff

Local nonprofit Experience Matters is seeking adults ages 50 and older to serve as volunteer mentors and reading tutors for Buckeye elementary school students.

Buckeye Family Resource Center is hosting an information session from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 16, at 210 S. Sixth Street, Building 700. The same day, The Den at the Verrado Coffee Company will offer a session from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There will be a third session at the Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, August 24.

For more information, contact Sandra Freyer at sfreyer@emaz.org or 602-812-3946. To register, visit https:// www.tfaforms.com/4626772.

Developmental research shows that just one adult in a child’s life increases the likelihood that he or she will flourish and become productive adults, ac-

cording to childtrends.org.

In light of this, Experience Matters has partnered with Big Sisters Big Brothers of Central Arizona in its mentor program, where there are 300 West Valley children waiting to be matched.

Many of these children live in poverty, in single-parent households or have parents who are incarcerated. Provided with a professionally supported, oneon-one mentor relationship, these children can see their unlimited potential.

Experience Matters is also partnering with Read On Buckeye to support early literacy in the Buckeye elementary schools.

Children who do not read at grade level by third grade quickly fall behind and are four times more likely to drop out of high school. But matched with a caring reading tutor, at-risk children are able to significantly improve their reading and comprehension, find joy in reading, and increase their confidence.

Michael Anderson students have promise of college tuition

By Glenn Gullickson

Almost 100 West Valley middle school pupils may not have to worry about college costs, thanks to a program created by a foundation that’s promising to cover the expenses.

The Rosztoczy Foundation recently renewed its commitment to provide college scholarships for most members of the incoming eighth-grade class at Michael Anderson School in Avondale.

It’s a pledge originally made five years ago, according to Tom Rosztoczy, whose family foundation based in Avondale is behind the “Dream Big, Work Hard College Promise” program.

able for the Michael Anderson eighth-graders who go on to graduate from an Agua Fria Union High School District school and who demonstrate financial need by qualifying for the free and reduced lunch program.

Rosztoczy said he thinks about 90 percent of the pupils in the class meet the financial need threshold.

The scholarship will cover tuition for four years at any Arizona state university or community college.

The scholarship will also cover room and board at a university and books at a community college.

morning delivery positions.

Rosztoczy said the idea for the scholarship grew out of passions he and his wife, Jill, have for children and public education.

Since he and his wife are graduates of Agua Fria High School, Rosztoczy said they wanted to do something in the West Valley to make a positive impact.

“If our objective is to help a lot of kids go to college, one piece of that puzzle is the cost of college,” Rosztoczy said.

He said Michael Anderson was selected for the program because the Avondale Elementary School District school serves families in an area that ranks as one of the region’s lowest socioeconomic areas.

“Usually in education, performance has a lot to do with the socio-economic status of the kids,” he said.

The possibility of scholarships could change the way pupils and parents think about education if money for college is not a factor, especially for families where higher education isn’t a tradition, Rosztoczy said.

And if the pupils are thinking differently, that could also benefit the school, he said.

The scholarships will be avail-

Pupils who choose to attend a private or out-of-state school may be eligible for funding equal to pupils attending an Arizona institution.

Rosztoczy wouldn’t say how much he expects the program to cost the foundation, noting that it depends on how many pupils attend college.

The program included an incentive for the school by extending the offer to the eighth graders who joined the class after the program was established if the class achieved the national average score on a standardized test.

Rosztoczy said although the class fell short of that requirement, the foundation will extend the scholarship offer to 58 of the original class of third-graders, plus 36 who have joined the class over the years.

“We really felt like the school had done yeoman’s work,” he said.

The program partnered with the Be A Leader Foundation, which Rosztoczy said helps prepare pupils for college by assisting with nonacademic activities, such as community involvement and other outside activities that can help build a resume.

Rosztoczy said his wife volunteers at Michael Anderson. He serves as a member of the Agua Fria Union High School District Governing Board.

Dolores B Misquez

away on July 23, 2017 She was born on May 31,

nacia Sernas. Dolores has lived in Arizona all of her life

Dolores is survived by her 5 daughters Franc oria Cabrera, Betty Graham, Isabel Enriquez, and Rachel Misquez; 5 sons; Greg, Mario, Albert, Bennie, & Daniel

Condolences may be left for the family at www Avenidas FuneralChapel com

Maria Teresa Wilkerson (Joachim)

E a r l y morning on July 27th, Maria Teresa Wi l k erson (Joachim) left this life whi l e surr o u n d ed by her close s t family members in Pho eni x.

Maria is survived by spouse, Douglas Wilke rso n; daughter and best friend, Charlotte Joachim-Mora; adoring son, Colby Wilkerson; son-in-law, James Mora and grandson, Gabriel Mora. Surviving s ib lings; Silvia, Joe, Tul io, Javier Joachim. Siste r- in-law, Tara Patti Joachim and Julie Kennedy. Brother-n-law Berto Kennedy. Nieces, Yolanda Bliss, and Cla udia, Cassandr a, Clare Joachim and Sally Kennedy. Nephews, David Bliss, Corey Kennedy and many loving extended family members.

Maria' s life was remembered in a service held on August 4, 2017 at Hillsong Church in Mesa. Condolences for the family may be left at www.thompsonfuneralchape l.c o m. Arrangements are under the direction of Thompson Funeral Chapel in Goodyear.

Vilma Rose Giffoni

ence, RI She graduated from Mount Pleasant H

Sam” Giffoni in 1955 Together they traveled on their honeymoon to California to live and

Susan, Joseph and John).

Vilma was a wonderful wife, mother and friend who departed this life on July 31, 2017 She is survived by her husband of 6 1 y e a r s , h e

B u c k e y e a n d A s h l a n d , O R

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also and HE praises her: ‘Many woman do noble things but you surpass them all ’ ” Proverbs 31:28-29

Condolences for the family may be left at www.thompsonfuneralchapel com

Pedro Burnias Jr.

Pedro Burnias Jr, 46 of Avondale died July 17, 2017 in Phoenix

He was a member of New Life Covenant Church and is survived by his wife Melinda M Burnias; daughters Amanda M Silva o f Avondale, Jacqueline Burnias of Avondale;

Marcos Burnias and Isaac Burnias

Avondale; brothers Guadalupe Burnias, Jesse Burnias, Juan Jose

Josephine (Van Sant) Roberts

Josephine (Van Sant) Roberts, 81, of Chandler passed away suddenly Sunday evening, July 23rd 2017 Josie was a native Arizonan who was born June 20, 1936 in Phoenix to Carolyn Rossiter Van Sant Knight and Paul Montgomery Van Sant. She retired from Arizona Public Service Company as a Customer Service Representative. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack L. Roberts and her son Jack Jr.

She is survived by one sister Elena Newman of Buckeye and her daughters Kathleen Hubbell of Chandler, Diane Miller of Phoenix, Janet Eshenbaugh and Karen Peck of Buckeye She is also survived by 7 grandchildren and 8 great-grand children and several nieces and nephews

Services were held at College View Baptist Church, Mesa with Dr Mark Ellington Sr officiating Visitation was at Ganley’ s Funeral Home, Buckeye

A word about obituaries

The West Valley View publishes free obituaries for people who were residents or former residents of the West Valley We also encourage the use of photos with obituaries Photos will be cropped to a head shot, so

high resolution if submitted electronically

paid obituary; call 623-535-8439. Funeral homes may submit obituaries using our online form at westvalleyview.com; click on Submit an Obituary or

us obituaries. Our email is obits@times publications.com.

Susan Jane Leonhardt, 72 of Litchﬁeld Park, AZ passed away July 26, 2017. She was born December 6, 1944 in Sioux City, Iowa to Howard and Bette Holdcroft. The family moved to Arizona in 1978. After many years in the Hallmark business, she returned to her college major of Education. She taught English and Reading at Pendergast Elementary School and Tolleson High School for years before retiring in 2011. She was not only a season ticket holder of the Arizona Cardinals but also a member of the Arizona Cardinals Big Red Service Team. She enjoyed the yearly vacations to Carlsbad, CA with her family.

Sue is survived by her daughters, Lisa Leonhardt, Mandy (Justin) Greene, and Kari (Gabriel) Calderon; sister, Jeanie (Lon) Reams; and four grandchildren, Jacob, Madison, Kaylee and Khloe. She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry L. Leonhardt; parents, Howard and Bette Holdcroft; and brother, Hod Holdcroft.

A memorial service will be held at 5:00 pm, Friday, August 11, 2017 at the Church of Litchfield Park, 300 N Old Litchfield Rd, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Valley or to Colon Cancer research. Condolences for the family may be left at www.thompsonfuneralchapel.com.

Susan Jane Leonhardt

Jerry Lee Coates

Jerry Lee Coates of Avondale, AZ died July 28, 2017 in Goodyear, AZ. He was born December 14, 1934 in Boise, ID. Arrangements are under the direction of Thompson Funeral Chapel of Goodyear, AZ.

Jean

parents were Kyle William Lewis & M

e attended Eastern Arizona College and was

Delmar Dee John and they were married in 1948 In 1953 they moved to Buckeye, AZ and began a farming operation They

mother and grandmother She was happiest spending time with her family especially at the cabin in Williams She took excell ent care of her family and looked forward to their visits Jean is survived by her children: Marvin Dee (Marcia), Kathryn (David Osborn – deceased & Terry) Larsen, Beverly (Bill) Probst, Phyllis (Hal) Heiden, Paula (Johnny) Young, 17 grandchildren and 47 great grandchildren

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1002 Eason Ave in Buckeye. Visitation 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Services at 1:30 p.m. Internment at Louis B Hazelton Cemetery on Broadway one mile east of Watson Road

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the American

Mr. Nolan "Ralph" Reed Robertson

Mr. Nolan "Ralph" Reed Robertson, of Congress, AZ, passed away on Frida y , July 28, 20 1 7 at the age of 67 a f te r succumbing to brain cancer.

Ralph was born to parents Nolan and El l en Robertson on S ep te mbe r 13, 1 949 in S a n F rancisco, CA . He grew up as the eldest of 5 children and attended Phoenix Union Hig h Sc hool. In 1974, he married Cynthia Broadnax and the couple had 3 children. They initially lived in East Pa lo Alto, CA where Ralph worked at Lockheed Martin as a data processor. In 1 977 they moved to Arizona w h ere during that time, he worked at several companies in various industries. While t h e y move d aroun d quit e a bit , th e Ro b ertso n' s lived mostl y i n Buckeye , AZ.

Eventually, Ralph went back to school and in 1997 gradua te d wit h hi s Bachelo r degre e fro m DeVr y University. After graduating, he worked in th e IT department at the Arizona Republic. In 2004, Ralph and Cynthia divorced and in 2007, he remarried Arlena Birdwell. In 2010, he retired f r o m his job at the Arizona Republic and he and Arlena moved to Ridgecrest, CA. Eventually they returned to Arizona in 2013 where he worked as a driver at The Meadows treatment center

Ralph had always been skillful when it came to construction and electrical work. When he wasn't working, he enjoyed taking on various projects around the house as well as listening to his HAM radio.

Funeral Services are to take place at Wickenburg Funeral Home on Saturday, August 5th, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. located at 187 N Adams Street, Wickenburg, AZ 85390.

Herbert Quillian Ash

Herbert Quillian Ash, 98 , (March 24, 19 1 9 Pecos, Tx - July 3 0, 2017 Goodye a r , AZ). Born to Mary Hull Quillian Ashe and T h o mas Gregory Ashe with siblings (all deceased) Dr. John Lawrence Ashe (Alice G o odlow) , D r Rob ert W A s h e (He l en Cri tc h l o w ), Howard S. Ashe (Margaret Ba il ey) , Raymond E. Ashe (Mina), a n d

stepbrothers James and Willard Riddle.

Survived by his wife of 75 years Rose Mary Sheffler Ash and children Mary Ha zel Ash Duell ( Albe rt, dec.), Julie Ann Ash Chipps (Samuel Kay e), Lee Jay Ash (Catherine), and Victoria (Vickey) Rose Ash Fox (Dale, dec.). Also survived by 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

H er b g r a d u a te d T emp e Hig h Sc h oo l an d Ari zon a S tate Teacher's College in Tempe (ASU), married and served in the Navy during WWII as a flight instructor, then PBY pilot in the Black Cat squadron in the Pacific and release d as Lieutenant Commander with Distinguished Flying Cross and pursued civ ilian life in California, th en back to Arizona where he r etired in Goodyear Aerospace in 1977 as an aeronautical engineer; working on designing radar for many aircraft including SR-71.

He was an Eagl e Scout, Amateur Rad io (HAM) operator K 7ARR , playe d orga n a n d san g i n variou s groups , called square dancing, was a Mason and member of the Christ Presbyterian Church. Always a gentleman, we will miss you, Dad

AUTOS - WANTED

$ $100-$500+ ABANDONED all as is autos! Good condition more $$$$ Best Prices! Fast, free pickup 623-3292043

CHILD CARE

MAMAS Day Care-Newborns toddlers, individual beds, toy room. Pre-school, weekly crafts, outside play, meal. 15+ years experience. CPR/First Aid Certified, fingerprinted, Vivian 623-849-0426.

CLEANING SERVICES

HOUSECLEANING. Valley wide Honest Detailed Reliable 17 years experience References available 602481-8627

WE Clean bi-weekly, monthly Move-in, move-out Ten years experience 623241-3404

EMPLOYMENT

tures. Full Care $250/month, S elf Care $ 1 5 0/ month. A l s o H ouse share, female prefe r red. Goo d y ear. http://phoenix.craigslist.org /wvl/fgs/6220584782.html, Ca l l Sa mantha 503-851-4115. FREE cute and cuddly kittens to a good home 623-9320651

2000 Cadillac Deville, Cold AC, New rubber, must see to appreciate $3,000 OBO 623910-4832

4-link suspen-

wheels $15,800 928301-8913

CLAYTON HOMES Is currently accepting applications for the

CLAYTON HOMES

Will be hosting a job fair on Saturday 8/12/2017

Between the hours of 8:00am - 11:00am

For all areas of construction Maintenance Personnel Due to increased business and growth Clayton Homes dba Schult Homes 231 N Apache Rd Buckeye, AZ 85326 A Berkshire Hathaway Company

luxe This show and shine is ready to drive All steel body in an awesome teal color with purple flames This street rod has a Turbel transmission Also has cold A/C, led lights, shaved door handles, all leather interior, tinted glass, dual exhaust, tilt wheel and more Priced to sell, let talk, $29,500, obo 602-677-4687. marteesazteca@cox.net.

HARLEY Davidson, 2006 Dyna Low Rider, crimson color All stock, like new, 12,000 miles, extras, $8,200 602777-0158

Nita Jean John (Lewis)

AUTOS -FOR SALE

Classifieds

EMPLOYMENT WANTED

LOOKING for experienced compassionate CNA's Certified Caregivers Part time/ full time. 623-547-7521

HANDYMAN

HANDYMAN -37 years experience Drywall, framing, plumbing, painting, electrical, roofing and more Stan, 602434-6057

JOEL Cedillo- I do construction work! Concrete, Block, Stucco, Bobcat work, Haulaway, Demolition Call for free estimates, 623-707-6072

LANDSCAPING SERVICES

VALLEY LIFE

is a non-profit organization that provides programs and services

men, women, and children with developmental disabilities.

are

in group homes throughout Glendale, Phoenix, Peoria and Scottsdale. Must pass background check. Please apply at www.valleylifeaz.org

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

OFFICE/Retail/Premium/

Affordable suites available. 722' - 2000'. Dysart/ Van Buren/ Litchfield. 602-694-3158

HOMES FOR RENT

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE

KIRBY vacuum cleaner with all attachments, only 3 years old 623-910-4832

SLEEP Comfort beds, set of Twin beds connected, head & feet raise All good! First $999 takes!

Ethan Allen Loveseat, $75 LazyBoy Recliner $40. (602)799-5111

LAND FOR SALE

FAMILY Liquidation- Last 160 acres, $149,900.

Offers accepted. Owner will carry for 3 years at a low 8% interest 1-305-490-4689

and wood floors $2725/Month 928-301-8913

ROOMS FOR RENT

Furnished B/R & private bath, for one person, non-smoker, no pets please, but must like dogs Looking for clean, responsible person $550 plus deposit, utilities included 623-327-9876

WANTED TO BUY

BUYING Silver Dollars, Quarters and Dimes Call me at 623-594-4987 Please leave phone number if not in

O N B Specializes in landscaping and trimming Also Concrete: patios, driveways, sidewalks, additions and more. Free estimates. 623249-0610 Robert. Residential/Commercial.

YARD Work, clean ups, removal, sod installation, irrigation systems, hauling, rock spreading Not a licensed contractor Juan 623-2424161, 623-242-4159

LOST & FOUND

LOST-Cat, small, white and grey July 22nd Crystal Gardens, Avondale 503-8057970

WENDEN, AZ. Beautiful 40 acres, near government land, special price $48,900. Close to Highway 60 off Alamo Road Owner 1-305490-4689

1 to 18 acres, starting $10,000, various locations, payments, owner/agent, 602-510-8900

HOMES FOR SALE

2-3 BEDROOM mobile homes for sale New factory to you homes and lots available Owner financing All age family gated community New homes available 623-935-4296, 623-8265398, 623-853-5739

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

CALL OF ELECTION OF THE BOARD

OF DIRECTORS OF

HARQUAHALA VALLEY

POWER

DISTRICT

Pursuant to A R S Section 16-227(A), the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Harquahala Valley Power District (“District”) hereby gives notice that by resolution of the Board on June 14, 2017, the Board has called an election for the purpose of filling the seats of five Directors at L

Monday, November 6, 2017 Please note that it is the

held by the District must be an owner of at least ten (10) acres of land within the District boundaries that is under, or has previously been under and remains susceptible of, active irrigated cultivation for commercial agricultural production Nomination Petitions signed by five or more qualified electors in the District and Nomination Papers f or n o

District Office located at 160 N Pasadena, Suite 101, Mesa, AZ 85201, no later than 5:00 p m on September 6, 2017

Qualified electors desiring to be candidates for this election may obtain Nomination Papers and Nomination Petitions from the District Office Voters will be allowed t

with

Notice of Intent to Award Contract

Under Sole Source Public Contract Rule

V u l c a n I n d u s t r i e s f o r V u l -

c a n S t a i r S c r e e n s a n d

W a s h i n g P r e s s e s

Notice is hereby given pur-

s u a n t t o C i t y o f A v o n d a l e

P r o c u r e m e n t C o d e A r t i c l e

I I I , 2 5 - 2 3 t h a t t h e C i t y o f

Avondale intends to award a contract to Vulcan Industries for the following gen-

e r a l l y d e s c r i b e d e q u i p -

m e n t : s t a i r s c r e e n s a n d

washing presses Any fur-

t h e r d e t a i l s m a y b e o b -

t a i n e d b y c o n t a c t i n g ,

N a n c y W a l l a c e a t t h e a d -

d r e s s b e l o w , o r b y t e l e -

p h o n e a t 6 2 3 - 3 3 3 - 4 4 7 6

The City believes that Vulc a n I n d u s t r i e s i s t h e s o l e provider of such parts and

e q u i p m e n t t o m e e t t h e

C i t y ’ s r e q u i r e d e q u i p m e n t and operational needs because Vulcan Industries is the original manufacturer

A n y p r o t e s t o f t h i s s o l esource procurement by an Affected Person must be in w r i t i n g a n d m u s t b e r eceived by Marsha Chavez, P r o c u r e m e n t O f f i c e r , a t

A v o n d a l e C i t y H a l l 1 1 4 6 5

W C i v i c C e n t e r D r i v e o n or before August 24, 2017, a t 5 : 0 0 P M A f f e c t e d P e r -

s o n s m a y s u b m i t c o m -

m e n t s d i r e c t l y t o t h e P r o -

c u r e m e n t O f f i c e T h e r i s k

o f t i m e l y d e l i v e r y i s u p o n t h e p e r s o n s u b m i t t i n g t h e p r o t e s t . “ A f f e c t e d P e r s o n ” m e a n s a p e r s o n w h o s e ability to participate in the p r o c u r e m e n t i s a d v e r s e l y

a f f e c t e d b y t h e d e c i s i o n

t h a t t h e g o o d s a n d s e r -

v i c e s a r e a v a i l a b l e f r o m

o n l y o n e s o u r c e

A w r i t t e n p r o t e s t m u s t i n -

c l u d e : a A d e t a i l e d s t a t e m e n t

o f t h e l e g a l a n d f a c t u a l

g r o u n d s f o r t h e p r o t e s t ;

b A d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e

r es u l t i n g h a r m t o t h e p e rson submitting the protest; and

c. The relief requested.

P u b l i s h e d : W e s t V a l l e y

V i e w a n d W e s t V a l l e y

B u s i n e s s A u g u s t 1 0 , 1 7 ,

2 0 1 7 / 7 3 8 5

V e r t i c a l B r i d g e D e v e l o p -

m e n t , L L C w o u l d l i k e t o

p l a c e o n n o t i c e t h e p r o -

posed construction of a 65-

f o o t m o n o p a l m t o w e r

( 1 , 0 1 3 5 f e e t a b o v e m e a n

s e a l e v e l ) w i t h d u a l

r e d / w h i t e , m e d i u m i n t e n s-

i t y l i g h t i n g , l o c a t e d a t

33°28’51 88” north latitude

a n d 1 1 2 ° 2 0 ’ 1 9 6 3 ” w e s t

l o n g i t u d e a t 2 9 3 5 N o r t h

D y s a r t A v e n u e , A v o n d a l e, Maricopa County, Arizona

8 5 3 9 2 , A S R F i l e #

A 1 0 8 5 8 2 8 . T h e a p p l i c a -

t i o n f o r t h i s p r o p o s e d

p r o j e c t c a n b e v i e w e d a t

w w w f c c g o v / a s r / a p p l i c a -

t i o n s b y e n t e r i n g t h e A SR

f i l e n u m b e r I f y o u h a v e

e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n c e r n s

a b o u t t h e p r o p o s e d s t r u c-

t u r e , a R e q u e s t f o r E n v i ro n m e n t a l R e v i e w m a y b e

f i l e d w i t h t h e F C C a t

w w w f c c g o v / a s r / e n v i r o n -

m e n t a l r e q u e s t o r b y w r i ti n g t o F C C R e q u e s t s f o r

E n v i r o n m e n t a l R e v i e w ,

A T T N : R a m o n W i l l i a m s , 445 12th St SW, Washing-

t o n , D C 2 0 5 5 4 T h e F C C strongly encourages inter -

e s t e d p a r t i e s t o f i l e R e -

q u e s t s f o r E n v i r o n m e n t a l

R e v i e w o n l i n e R e q u e s t s

f o r E n v i r o n m e n t a l R e v i ew

m a y o n l y r a i s e e n v i r o nmental concerns and must b e f i l e d w i t h i n 3 0 d a y s o f the date that notice of th e project is published on the FCC's website If you have any concerns of any histori c p r o p e r t i e s t h a t m a y b e

a f f e c t e d b y t h i s p r o p o s e d

u n d e r t a k i n g , p l e a s e w r i t e

t o : M i l e s W a l z - S a l v a d o r ,

T h e L o t i s E n g i n e e r i n g

G r o u p , P C , w a l z s a l v a d o r @ t h e l o t i s -

g r o u p . c o m / 6 4 6 5 T r a n s i t Road - Suite 23, East Am-

h e r s t , N Y 1 4 0 5 1 - 2 2 3 2 o r

c a l l ( 3 1 4 ) 9 1 3 - 0 5 0 5 I n

y o u r r e s p o n s e , p l e a s e i nclude the proposed undertaking’s location and a lis t

o f t h e h i s t o r i c r e s o u r c e s t h a t y o u b e l i e v e t o b e a f -

f e c t e d a l o n g w i t h t h e i r r espective addresses or approximate locations

P U B L I S H E D : W e s t V a l l e y

V i e w a n d W e s t V a l l e y

Business August 9, 2017 / 7302

PUBLIC NOTICE

CITY OF AVONDALE

PUBLIC NOTICE

I N A C C O R D A N C E W I T H ORDINANCE # 316, SECT I O N 3 , p e r t a i n i n g t o l iq u o r l i c e n s e a p p l i c a t i o n s a n d P u b l i c a t i o n o f N o t i c e ,

notice is hereby given that the Avondale City Council h a s r e c e i v e d f o r a p p r o v a l a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a l i q u o r

l i c e n s e w i t h i n t h e c o r p o rate limits of Avondale, Arizona from:

Andrea Dahlman Lewkowitz

Harkins Theatres

L o c a t i o n : 1 0 2 5 0 W M cD o w e l l R o a d Avondale, AZ 85392

Series 07 – Beer and Wine Bar License

Any person who is a resident of Avondale of the age

o f e i g h t e e n ( 1 8 ) y e a r s o r

m o r e , r e s i d i n g , o w n i n g o r

l e a s i n g p r o p e r t y w i t h i n o n e - h a l f m i l e r a d i u s o f 10250 W McDowell Road, Avondale and who is in fav o r o f , o r o p p o s e d t o t h e issuance of a Series 07 liquor license shall, file with the City Clerk of the City of A v o n d a l e , a w r i t t e n a r g um e n t i n f a v o r t h e r e o f , o r

o b j e c t i o n t h e r e t o b y A u -

g u s t 1 0 , 2 0 1 7

A n y p e r s o n i n t e r e s t e d i n

s a i d a p p l i c a t i o n i s h e r e b y notified that the Mayor and C i t y C o u n c i l w i l l r e v i e w

s a i d a p p l i c a t i o n a t t h e i r

C o u n c i l m e e t i n g o n A ugust 14, 2017 at 7:00 p m

a t t h e C o u n c i l C h a m b e r s , 1 1 4 6 5 W e s t C i v i c C e n t e r

D r i v e , A v o n d a l e

P u b l i s h e d : W e s t V a l l e y

V i e w a n d W e s t V a l l e y

B u s i n e s s , A u g u s t 2 , 2 0 1 7 and August 9, 2017 / 7186

N O T I C E I S H E R E B Y G I V E N T H A T T H E R E G U L A R M

PUBLIC NOTICE

CITY OF AVONDALE PUBLIC NOTICE

N C

ORDINANCE # 316, SEC-

f N

i c e , notice is hereby given that the Avondale City Council h a s r e c e i v e d f o r a p p r o v a l

a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a l i q u o r

l i c e n s e w i t h i n t h e c o r p o rate limits of Avondale, Arizona from:

Adam Mahmoud Salem Dodge City Market

L o c a t i o n : 7 0 5 E M a i n

S t r e e t Avondale, AZ 85323

Series 10 – Beer and Wine Store License

Any person who is a resident of Avondale of the age o f e i g h t e e n ( 1 8 ) y e a r s o r

m o r e , r e s i d i n g , o w n i n g o r

l e a s i n g p r o p e r t y w i t h i n one-half mile radius of 705

E M a i n S t r e e t , A v o n d a l e

a n d w h o i s i n f a v o r o f , o r opposed to the issuance of a S e r i e s 1 0 l i q u o r l i c e n s e

s h a l l , f i l e w i t h t h e C i t y

C l e r k o f t h e C i t y o f

A v o n d a l e , a w r i t t e n a r g u -

m e n t i n f a v o r t h e r e o f , o r

o b j e c t i o n t h e r e t o b y A u -

g u s t 1 0 , 2 0 1 7

A n y p e r s o n i n t e r e s t e d i n

s a i d a p p l i c a t i o n i s h e r e b y notified that the Mayor and C i t y C o u n c i l w i l l r e v i e w

s a i d a p p l i c a t i o n a t t h e i r

C o u n c i l m e e t i n g o n A ugust 14, 2017 at 7:00 p m

a t t h e C o u n c i l C h a m b e r s , 1 1 4 6 5 W e s t C i v i c C e n t e r

D r i v e , A v o n d a l e

P u b l i s h e d : W e s t V a l l e y

V i e w a n d W e s t V a l l e y

B u s i n e s s , A u g u s t 2 , 2 0 1 7 a n d A u g u s t 9 , 2 0 1 7 / ST JOHN S IRRIGATION DIST R I C T A N N U A L E L E C T I O N OF DIRECTOR will be held on T u e s d a y , N o v e m b e r 1 4 t h , 2 0 1 7

call 602-769-7219 Linda Reitz with any questions

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION FOR I Name: TAKE MY MONEY LLC L-21999380

II The address of the known place of business is: SHIRIN AHMADPOUR, 16774 W HAMMOND ST , GOODYEAR, AZ 85338

III The name and street address of the Statutory Agent is: SHIRIN AHMADPOUR, 16774 W HAMMOND ST , GOODYEAR, AZ 85338

B. Management of the limited liability company is reserved to the members. The names and addresses of each person who is a member are: SHIRIN AHMADPOUR, 16774 W HAMMOND ST., GOODYEAR, AZ 85338

Published in the West Valley View, and the West Valley Business on August 8, 16, 23, 2017 / 7345

Person Filing: Rosa Linda Benitez

installation consisting of a

5 - f o o t m o n o p a l m t o w e r l o c a t e d a t 3 3 ° 2 9 ’ 4 5 0 2 ” north latitude and 112° 11’ 0 7 5 9 ” w e s t l o n g i t u d e a t the approximate vicinity o f 4 1 2 1 N o r t h 5 9 t h A v e n u e , Phoenix, Maricopa County, A r i z o n a 8 5 0 3 3 a n d a 6 5f o o t m o n o p a l m t o w e r l o ca t e d a t 3 3 ° 2 9 ’ 4 3 9 0 ” north latitude and 112° 13’

0 1 0 0 ” w e s t l o n g i t u d e a t

the approximate vicinity o f

4 1 2 6 N o r t h 7 3 r d A v e n u e , Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona 85033 If you have

a n y c o n c e r n s r e g a r d i n g historic properties that may

b e a f f e c t e d b y t h i s p r oposed undertaking, please c o n t a c t M r M i l e s W a l zSalvador, The Lotis Engineering Group, PC, at walzsalvador@thelotisgroup co

m o r 6 4 6 5 T r a n s i t R o a dS u i t e 2 3 , E a s t A m h e r s t , N Y 1 4 0 5 1 - 2 2 3 2 o r ( 3 1 4 ) 9 1 3 - 0 5 0 5 I n y o u r r esponse, please include the p r o p o s e d u n d e r t a k i n g ’ s l o c a t i o n a n d a l i s t o f t h e historic resources that you b e l i e v e t o b e a f f e c t e d along with their respectiv e addresses or approximate locations

PUBLISHED: WEST VALL E Y V I E W A N D W E S T V A L L E Y B U S I N E S S A UG U S T 9 , 2 0 1 7 / 7 3 8 1

Address (if not protected): 7913 W Chickasaw St City, State, Zip Code: Phoenix, AZ 85043

Representing Self, without a Lawyer Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County In the Matter of: Raymond J Villegas, a minor Case Number: CV 2017007373

Notice of Hearing Regarding Application for Change of name for a minor child Read this notice carefully An important court proceeding that affects your rights has been scheduled If you do not understand this notice or the other court papers contact an attorney for legal advice

1. Notice: an application for Change of Name has been filed with the court by the person(s) named above A hearing has been scheduled where the court will consider whether to grant or deny the requested change. If you wish to be heard on this issue, you must appear at the hearing at the date and time indicated below.

2 Court hearing: a court hearing has been scheduled to consider the application as follows: Date: August 24, 2017 Time: 10:00am

U L E D T O M O N D A Y A UGUST 14, 2017 IN ORDER TO A L L O W F O R A S U M M E R B R E A K

PUBLISHED: West Valley View

Before: Commissioner Michael Mandell, 101 W Jefferson, Courtroom 812, Phoenix, AZ 85003 Published in the West Valley View, and the West Valley Business on July 26, and August 2, 9, 16, 2017

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION FOR

I Name: MARINEL LLC

L-2182664-3

II The address of the known place of business is: 11161 E Flossmore Cir , Mesa, AZ 85208

III The name and street address of the Statutory Agent is: 11161 E Flossmore Cir., Mesa, AZ 85208

B. Management of the limited liability company is reserved to the members The names and addresses of each person who is a member are: Marilou Reyes, 11161 E Flossmore Cir , Mesa, AZ 85208

Published in the West Valley View, and the West Valley Business on August 9, 16, 23, 2017 / 7307

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION FOR

I Name: TONY'S TILE INSTALLATION LLC

II The address of the known place of business is: 776 W Blue Ridge Dr , SanTan Valley, AZ 85140

III The name and street address of the Statutory Agent is:

Dora Laura Hinojosa Samano, 776 W Blue Ridge Dr , SanTan Valley, AZ 85140

B Management of the limited liability company is reserved to the members The names and addresses of each person who is a member are:

Dora Laura Hinojosa Samano, 776 W Blue Ridge Dr , SanTan Valley, AZ 85140

Published in the West Valley View, and the West Valley Business on August 9, 2017 / 7251

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

CITY OF TOLLESON PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION

CITY OF TOLLESON CITY COUNCIL

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Tolleson Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct PUBLIC HEARINGS on TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 at 5:00 P M , and that the City of Tolleson Mayor and Council will conduct PUBLIC HEARINGS on TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 at 6:00 P M , both at the City of Tolleson City Hall Complex, 9555 West Van Buren Street, Tolleson, AZ 85353 for the purpose of:

1 Soliciting comments from interested parties in reference to a minor General Pla n Amendment to change the land use category from El Paseo (Corridor) to El Districto (Business District) on the southerly 22 acres of the 30 acre parcel located at the southwest corner of 99th Avenue and Van Buren Street in Tolleson, AZ (APN 101-03-003L ) to accommodate the proposed warehouse facility (Tolleson 99)

NOTICE

City of Avondale Request for Qualifications

Van Buren Multi-Use Corridor Design RFQ EN 18-003

Notice is hereby given that the City of Avondale is issuing this request For Qualifications seeking statements of qualifications from qualified, licensed firms interested in providing professional services for design of the Van Buren Street Multi-Corridor Project in the City of Avondale, Arizona

day, August, 16, 2017 2:00 PM at the Avondale City Hall, 11465 W Civic Center, Avondale, Arizona 85323 All

This meeting is not mandatory

f i e s t h e M a r i c o p a C o u n t y Board of Supervisors that an election for the office of Dir-

e c t o r o f D i v i s i o n I I I a n d t wo Directors at Large of the District will be held on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 The polls will be open at 8:00 a m an d

w i l l c l o s e a t 6 : 0 0 p . m . T h e polling place shall be the Dist r i c t o f f i c e , l o c a t e d a t 1 0 3 West Baseline Road, Buckeye, Arizona 85326. /s/ Donova n L. Neese Date: 6/19/17

Published in the West Valley

V i e w , a n d t h e W e s t V a l l e y Business on July 5, 12, Augus t 2, and 9, 2017

Palo Verde Elementary resumes school on Wednesday, August 3rd and will be participating in the Nationa l S c h o o

2 S o l i c i t i n g c o m m e n t s f r o m i n t e r e

on #17060003 as submitted by Paul Gilbert, Beus Gilbert, PLLC, requesting rezoning o f approximately 30 acres of property located at the southwest corner of 99th Avenue and Van Buren Street in Tolleson, AZ (APN 101-03-003L) from existing zoning designation of General Commercial (C-2) to new zoning designation of Planned Area Development (PAD) to allow for a mix of commercial and warehouse uses (Tolleson 99)

3 Soliciting comments from interested parties in reference to Planned Area Development (PAD) Amendment Application #17070001 as submitted by the owner, Linda Chipman of Mikeno Van Buren, to amend the PAD zoning code applicable to signage The proposed monument sign will be located at the Tolleson High Street Plaza retail cente r at the southwest corner of 83rd Avenue and Van Buren Street in Tolleson, AZ (APN s 101-12-619 & 101-12-620) The site is currently zoned as Planned Area Development (PAD) and is approximately 2 86 acres (High Street Plaza)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Tolleson Mayor and Council will conduct P U B L I C H E A R

of Tolleson City Hall Complex, 9555 West Van Buren Street, Tolleson, AZ 85353 for th e purpose of:

1 S

#17060004 as submitted by Paul Gilbert, Beus Gilbert, PLLC, for a proposed mix

commercial and warehouse uses, including a facility for VFW Post #6310, to be located on the southwest corner of 99th Avenue and Van Buren Street in Tolleson, AZ The proposed site (APN 101-03-003L) is approximately 30 acres and is currently being rezoned Planned Area Development (PAD) (Tolleson 99)

2 Soliciting comments from interested parties in reference to Revised Site Plan Application #17060002 as submitted by Todd Tucker, Pinnacle Homes, for a proposed privat e gated community consisting of 71 single-family residences, to be located on the northeast corner of 91st Avenue and Jefferson Street in Tolleson, AZ The proposed site (APN 101-12-613) is approximately 12 acres and is currently zoned Planned Area Development (PAD) (The Vineyards)

Responses must be received by Wednesday, August, 30, 2017 3:00 PM (Phoenix Local Time) and should be directed to: City Clerk, 11465 W Civic Center Drive, Suite 200, Avondale, Arizona 85323 or hand delivered to the City Clerk's office All response packets must be sealed

Van Buren Multi-Use Corridor Design RFQ EN 18-003

The City is not responsible for the pre-opening of, post opening of, or the failure to open, a response packet that is not properly addressed or identified

Request for Qualifications Packets will be available for pick-up at Avondale City Hall, 11465 W Civic Center Drive, Avondale, Arizona 85323 or download at www avondale org/procurement

Information regarding this Request for Qualifications opportunity may be obtained by contacting the Procurement Officer, Marsha Chavez at (623) 333-2033

The City of Avondale will endeavor to ensure every way possible that disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) shall have every opportunity to participate in providing materials/services without being discriminated against on grounds of race, religion, sex, age, or natural origin DBE businesses are encouraged to submit on this solicitation

Published: West Valley View and West Valley Business August 9, 16, 2017 / 7384