West Valley View - January 6, 2016 by Times Media Group

ALL DOLLED UP

Local kachina carver ready for annual art festival in Litchfield Park — Page

AT EASE

Lt. Dan is this week’s Pet of the Week — Page 17.

Water rate hike initiative moves forward

Avondale Council criticized for comments at earlier meeting

by Glenn Gullickson staff writer

In a split vote, the Avondale City Council has taken the next step toward increasing water and sewer rates by 15 percent this year, but not before being dressed down by a former councilwoman who objected to comments by officials at an earlier meeting.

In the 5-2 vote on Monday, the council agreed to hold a public hearing on Feb. 16 on the rate increase, which could be approved at that meeting as the first of three proposed 15 percent hikes in the water and sewer rates over the next five years.

Vice Mayor Stephanie Karlin and Councilman Bryan Kilgore voted against the plan, saying they preferred something closer to the city staff’s original proposal of increasing water rates by 7.5 and 6 percent for sewer in 2016, then a 6 percent hike for each utility each year for the next five years.

But Councilman Jim McDonald’s motion for the larger initial increase, followed by a plan for 15 percent hikes in 2018 and 2020 prevailed with support from Mayor Kenn Weise and council members David Iwanski, Sandi Nielson and Lorenzo Sierra.

If the measure is approved in February, the city’s first rate increases for water and sewer

(See Water rates on Page 5)

JOSHUA ORENSE, 12, of West Covina,

go to www.westvalleyview.com/pictures.

Trailblazing

by Emily Toepfer assistant editor

Construction of the 8,675-acre park began in June 2015, and the first phase is complete. The project is the culmination of an idea that began nearly 15 years ago to open access into the southern portion of the White Tank Mountains, said Robert Wisener, Buckeye’s conservation and project manager.

View photo by Ray Thomas

Calif., heads out on a trail ride during the third annual Outdoor Adventure Family Day Jan. 2 at White Tank Mountain Regional Park in Waddell. The event featured live animals on display, survival tips, horseback riding specials, guided hikes and activities for children. To see all photos from this shoot,

View photo by Ray Thomas

A BRIDGE connects Skyline Regional Park in Buckeye to 14 miles of existing trails within White Tank Mountain Regional Park in Waddell.

Woman dies in I-10 rollover

Infant ejected from vehicle during single-vehicle crash

by Emily Toepfer assistant editor

An 18-year-old woman died and an infant was ejected from the vehicle during a rollover crash Sunday morning on Interstate 10 in Buckeye, officials said.

The deceased was identified as Jennifer Arellano of Tucson, said Trooper Tim Case, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

DPS responded to a call for a single-vehicle accident at about 7 a.m. on eastbound I-10 near Sun Valley Parkway, he said.

After arriving on scene, troopers found all six occupants of the vehicle had been injured, Case said.

“For reasons unknown, the vehicle drifted left off the

roadway, corrected right and began to slide,” he said. “After hitting a roadway sign, the vehicle rolled at least one time.”

The driver, an 18-year-old woman, was pronounced dead at the scene, Case said.

A 6-month-old baby who was not properly restrained in a car seat was ejected from the vehicle. The infant was injured and flown to a Valley hospital, but the extent of the injuries is unknown at this time, Case said.

Another woman, 38, had serious injuries and the other occupants had minor injuries, he said.

Emily Toepfer can be reached at etoepfer@westvalleyview.com or on Twitter @EmilyToepfer.

Woman’s body found in Goodyear

by Glenn Gullickson staff writer

Avondale police are awaiting identification of a body found in Goodyear to determine if it’s related to the possible homicide of an Avondale woman.

Goodyear police received a call reporting a body found near Estrella Parkway and Elwood Street at about 11:30 a.m. Dec. 30, according to Lisa Kutis, public information officer for the department.

She said the case was turned over to the Avondale Police Department, which has been investigating a Dec. 16 incident involving a husband and wife.

“We haven’t identified the body 100 percent,” Avondale police officer Ray Emmett, spokesman for the department, said on Dec. 31.

Emmett said the body could be related to an incident

two weeks earlier, when police were called to a residence in a mobile home park near Main Street and Litchfield Road in Avondale where a couple were reportedly fighting.

Emmett said the couple’s daughter witnessed the argument, then went to her grandmother’s Avondale home to call the police.

When police arrived, no one was at the home, but they found evidence that Emmett called “consistent with a shooting,” including shell casings and blood.

The husband, identified as a person of interest, was thought to be in Mexico after his car was seen at the border, Emmett said.

Glenn Gullickson can be reached at ggullickson@westvalleyview.com.

Police looking for driver who ran over man in Avondale

by Emily Toepfer assistant editor

Police are looking for the driver of a red Dodge Ram truck that fatally struck a pedestrian at about 9:25 p.m. Jan. 2 near Central Avenue and Camino Estrella in Avondale, officials said.

The pedestrian, an unidentified man in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene, said Officer Ray Emmett, a spokesman for the Avondale Police Department.

Witnesses reported the full-size Dodge Ram was traveling north on Central Avenue when it hit the man, who was crawling across the street from east to west, Emmett said.

“We don’t know if [the pedestrian] was on drugs, or what was in his system, or what he was doing,” he said.

One of the witnesses who swerved to avoid the man was turning around to try to get him out of the road when he saw the truck run him over, Emmett said.

A woman driving behind the truck also saw it hit the man, and both witnesses told police the driver didn’t speed off, but just kept going, Emmett said.

“So we don’t even know if the Dodge Ram knew it hit someone,” he said. “Technically, it’s still a hit and run and we’re trying to identify and talk to the person.”

The truck will likely have damage to its front bumper or undercarriage, Emmett said.

Anyone with information on the incident should call the Avondale Police Department at 623-333-7000.

Emily Toepfer can be reached at etoepfer@westvalleyview.com or Twitter @EmilyToepfer.

Fire breaks out at vacant Salvation Army building in Avondale

View report

Firefighters from Avondale and Goodyear battled a fire Monday morning at a former Salvation Army building near Dysart Road and Riley Drive in Avondale, officials said.

Crews were called to the scene at about 11:25 a.m. for an exterior fire on the east end of the building, and

had the fire under control before noon, said Deputy Chief Steve Ellsworth, a spokesman for the Avondale FireMedical Department.

The building was vacant, but donations were stacked up outside and that’s what caught fire, Division Chief Ben Avitia said.

“In the past, when it was in

operation, people would dump their donations there, so there’s heavy furniture and large items and small debris stuff,” he said. “Right now, there’s no evidence of suspects or human cause.”

The fire was mostly contained to the outside of the building, but it did spread to the attic and impacted the

roof structure, Avitia said.

The building was cleared and turned back over to the Salvation Army, Avitia said.

“I don’t know what the plans are for the building or what the intent is to try and eliminate some of that donation drop-off stuff that continues to go on,” Avitia said.

Goodyear woman arrested after allegedly attacking sister

View report

A Goodyear woman was arrested Sunday after allegedly attacking her sister at an apartment complex near Van Buren Street and Palo Verde Drive in Goodyear, according to court records.

Valerie Prather, 24, faces charges of abuse of a vulnerable adult, records state.

Police responded to the call at about 6 p.m. regarding a family fight, records state.

The victim, who was identified as a vulnerable adult by her caregiver, told police that Prather hit her in the face and attacked her, records state.

The caregiver, who witnessed the alleged assault, told police she saw Prather chasing and hitting the victim before calling police, records state.

Valerie

Another witness reported seeing Prather throw a keyboard at the victim and then hit her before chasing her into the apartment parking lot, records state.

The witness also told police Prather left her 1-year-old daughter with her and said she had to go before leaving the apartment on foot before police arrived, records state.

Police issue sex offender notice

View report

Avondale police have issued a public alert about a registered sex offender who has moved into the city.

Andres Casillas Jr., 39, is living at a home in the 12600 block of West Warner Street, southwest of Lower Buckeye and El Mirage roads, police said.

Casillas is not wanted by any law enforcement agency, said Sgt. Brandon Busse, an Avondale police spokesman.

In 2009, Casillas was convicted in Maricopa County Superior Court of aggravated assault with a sexual motive, a class six felony. He was sentenced to one and a half years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, Busse said.

His victim, a 16-year-old girl, was known to him, Busse said.

Authorities have classified Casillas as a Level III, or highrisk, sex offender, Busse said.

The alert is the result of the Arizona sex offender law that took effect in 1996. The law requires community notification for some sex offenders.

Wigwam receives AAA Diamonds

The Wigwam in Litchfield Park has received AAA Four Diamond status for the 12th year in a row.

Litchfield Park girl wins Punt, Pass, Kick division

by Glenn Gullickson staff writer

A Litchfield Park girl is the winner of her division for the Arizona Cardinals Punt, Pass and Kick competition, which puts her in the running to advance to the national finals.

Emmie Paulson, 13, won the statewide contest for 12- and 13-year-old girls held Dec. 5 at the Cardinals practice facility in Tempe.

Emmie Paulson

A seventh-grader at St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School in Avondale, Emmie is the daughter of Casey and Susan Paulson.

Emmie also won the local competition at her school and the sectionals that included schools from a region of the state.

Her sectionals scores — the total distance calculated from punt, pass and kick events — placed her among the top four girls in her age division, qualifying her for the statewide competition.

If her score is among the top four in her age group from winners representing the 32 NFL teams, she will be invited to compete in the national championships

Daren J. Lewis commissioned

in January, where winners in five age divisions for boys and girls will be determined.

Her father said Emmie is a natural athlete who plays soccer for a local club team.

“She loves athletics,” her father said. “She’s a very athletic young girl. She’s always been very gifted in that regard.”

Soccer helps her with kicking the football, but passing is her best skill, with throws up to 40 yards, Emmie said.

Her accomplishments also got her to the Cardinals versus Vikings game earlier this month, where she was among those holding an American flag during the national anthem.

This was the first year Emmie participated in the competition, but she has two years of eligibility left and she’s already thinking about next year, when she may recruit her 10-year-old brother to compete as well, she said.

Glenn Gullickson can be reached at ggullickson@westvalleyview.com.

AAA evaluates more than 58,000 lodging establishments and restaurants in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. The establishments are rated on a scale of one to five diamonds.

The Wigwam is one of 65 properties to earn the Four Diamond status in Arizona and was honored Dec. 14 at a reception at The Phoenician.

Did We Miss You?

If you don’t receive a copy of the West Valley View every Wednesday by 9 a.m., please contact our circulation department. If you tell us by 12 noon, we will bring you a paper the same day.

Call us at 623-535-8439. Leave a message if it’s after hours. Or you can e-mail us at missyou@westvalleyview.com. Include your name, address, city, phone number and major cross streets.

WEDNESDAY

You may also pick up a free copy at our office Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Home delivery is free upon request within western Maricopa County cities of Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale 85307, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Luke AFB, Phoenix 85037 west of 99th Ave., Tolleson, Arlington, Palo Verde and Tonopah. If you live outside our free subscription area, please call for subscription prices.

Daren J. Lewis has been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army after successfully completing the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. He is the brother of Stephanie T. Smalls of Avondale, and is the son of Tifanie R. Lewis of Raleigh, N.C., and Karen and Kevin Lewis of Citrus Heights, Calif.

Kayla Carpenter completes basic training United States Army Reserve Pfc. Kayla Carpenter has graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Jackson, S.C. She is the daughter of Shana J. Kalos of Litchfield Park, and is a 2013 graduate of Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center-Estrella Mountain in Avondale.

Prather

Andres Casillas

Festival to feature Native American works

The 24th annual Litchfield Park Native American Fine Arts Festival is expected to attract up to 5,000 people for an event that showcases art and entertainment, according to Tricia Kramer, Litchfield Park special events assistant.

Here are the event details:

WHAT: 24th annual Litchfield Park Native American Fine Arts Festival

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

WHERE: On the grounds of Litchfield Elementary School, 255 E. Wigwam Blvd., Litchfield Park. The main entrance is off Wigwam Boulevard.

ADMISSION: $10 each day; $5 for active military and students with ID; and free for children 12 and younger.

THE ART: About 100 artists representing several tribes will show and sell traditional and contemporary Native American works, including beadwork, clothing, jewelry, paintings and prints, pottery, sculpture and weaving.

Some of the featured artists have work on display in museums, Kramer said.

“The art work is top-notch,” she said. “There are some beautiful pieces and high-quality artists on hand.”

Most of the artists come from Arizona and other Southwestern states, such as Texas, Oklahoma and California, but some come from as far away as Canada, Kramer said.

THEME: The theme, “Every Picture Tells a Story,” is meant to promote interaction between the artists and those attending by encouraging discussion of the story behind the artwork, Kramer said.

DEMONSTRATORS: Artists demonstrating their work will be found near the festival entrance, including:

• Navajo silversmith Justin Morris from Wislow.

• Saginaw Chippewa painter Daniel Ramirez from Rio Rancho, N.M.

• Hopi kachina carver Eli Taylor from Goodyear.

• Zuni fetish carver Todd Westika from Zuni, N.M.

• Choctaw potter and jeweler Marsha Hedrick from Tonopah.

ENTERTAINMENT: The headlining act is the Yellow Bird Indian Dancers, who performed during the opening ceremonies of the London Olympics in 2012 and were featured in a music video for Nelly Furtado’s song “Big Hoops.”

“They have a long tradition as hoop dancers and storytellers,” Kramer said.

Other entertainers include:

• Adrian Wall, a vocalist, flute player, guitarist and member of the band Innastate.

• Aaron White, a vocalist, acoustic guitar player and Native American flute player who is a former band member and leader of Burning Sky Music.

• Moontee Sinquah, world champion hoop dancer, and his sons, Sampson and Scott.

Performers will meet with the public in the Cultural Pavilion before or after their shows.

FOR CHILDREN: A free pavilion for children will feature “make-and-take” crafts, including corn husk dolls and miniature clay pots. The activities will help those attending “get a feel for what children in Native American cultures grew up doing,” Kramer said.

FOOD: Native American food, including fry bread, Navajo tacos and burgers will be available along with standard fare.

PREVIEW: The Festival Prelude, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Wigwam, will feature winning work from the festival’s juried art competition, stage performances and a fashion show by Navajo designer Peggy Singer and Cathy Short of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. This year, the show will include fashions and accessories for children.

MORE INFORMATION: www.litchfieldpark.org.

Carver nurtures kachinas

Goodyear man among artists at Litchfield Park festival

by Glenn Gullickson staff writer

When Eli Taylor starts work on carving one of his kachina dolls, it’s the wood that determines the outcome.

“Everything depends on what kind of wood I have,” said Taylor, who will be among the artists demonstrating their skills this weekend at the Litchfield Park Native American Fine Arts Festival.

“My mind takes over and communicates with the wood and sees what comes out,” he said.

The result of the cottonwood root carvings might be his version of the traditional Hopi kachinas or it could be one of the contemporary creations that he says are his best work.

“Everything I make has to be the right way,” he said.

“To be able to say it’s hand-carved is a big thing.”

Taylor, who works at his home in Goodyear, said his carvings have found a place in kachina collections.

“They’re all over the world,” he said.

Kachinas may have become valuable art, but Taylor explained that they started with a practical purpose in the Hopi tribe as gifts to girls who would play with the dolls and take care of them.

Each year, the girls would get a new doll, with the old ones hung in a row on the wall as a display of the child’s progression, Taylor said.

Taylor, 61, said his interest in Native American arts started when he was a boy back in his home village of Old Oraibi on Arizona’s Hopi Reservation.

When he was 8 or 9 years old, other boys taught him to make a thunder stick, which he sold to tourists for 25 cents, enough to buy candy and a soda.

“That inspired me to make some more,” he said.

By the time he was 12, Taylor had learned the basics of carving kachinas from an uncle and was initiated into the tribe’s Kachina Society of carvers.

Taylor started carving as an occupation about 30 years ago after a workplace injury prevented him from continuing to work in construction.

While Taylor’s version of what he calls “old style” kachinas are symbolic representations of kachina dancers, the contemporary dolls he’s became known for are more lifelike. Carved from one piece of wood, they have details down to fingernails and veins.

He completes the kachinas using natural clays and paints.

The work is difficult and time-consuming, but satisfying, Taylor said.

“To me, it brings happiness,” he said, and that attitude is important to the work.

“I have to be happy when I’m working on them,” Taylor said. “There’s a spirit born in the dolls. Every part of my carving is nurtured by me.”

Taylor said he works on two or more kachinas at a time, with each project taking 10 to 12 days to complete.

The kachinas range in price from $20 to thousands of dollars for the contemporary dolls.

While he hears complaints about the cost, Taylor said considering the time he puts into the work, he’s

ELI TAYLOR of Goodyear discusses and displays his hand-carved kachina dolls Dec. 29 in Avondale. Taylor, who has been hand carving authentic kachina dolls since he was taught by an elder at 12 years of age in his home village of Old Oraibi on Arizona’s Hopi Reservation, will demonstrate his craft Saturday and Sunday at the Litchfield Park Native American Fine Arts Festival.

probably earning less than minimum wage.

Taylor sells the kachinas at a half-dozen arts festivals he attends annually, where he’s been discovered by collectors.

“It’s the people I meet, the people I talk to during art shows that make me what I am now,” he said.

He’s shown work at the Litchfield Park show since moving from Winslow to the Southwest Valley about 10 years ago with his wife of 23 years, Judy.

EXPERIENCED Housekeeper. Full \time. Starting $9.00 /hour /beneﬁts. Call 623-792-3176.

HAMPTON Inn -Goodyear, now accepting applications for experienced part-time Room Attendants. Apply in person, 2000 N. Litchﬁeld Road.

SCHULT HOMES will be hosting a job fair this Saturday, January 9, 2016 between the hours of 10a.m.-2p.m. for all areas of construction. Maintenance Personnel Service Tech Field Service due to increased business and growth. Schult Homes CMH Arizona 231 N. Apache Road Buckeye, AZ 85326

ALICE’S Cleaning Service. Reasonable prices. Excellent services /references. Reliable /honest. Background check. 623-932-4147.

INDUSTRIAL lots for sale. 3.3 acres on Eliseo Felix Way, north of West Valley View building and 2.68 acres east of West Valley View building on Riley Dr. Zoned A-1. E-mail publisher@westvalleyview.com for information.

WANTED: Small rental space in west Buckeye for home ofﬁce. Text 907-738-0025.

Normal Deadline: Friday, 4pm Buzzers Deadline: Monday, 11am

View photo by Jordan Christopher ARTIST

Water rates

(From Page 1)

since 2009 would take effect on March 17 to build the reserve funds that city officials said have been running at a deficit.

The vote came after former Councilwoman Betty Lynch took the council to task for comments made at a Dec. 14 meeting when McDonald proposed increasing the rates higher and faster than recommended by city staff.

Lynch said while she understood the rates needed to be increased, she said some residents complained to her about the attitude of some council members quoted in an article in the West Valley View suggesting that residents could absorb the costs that were compared to a family restaurant dinner or a visit to Starbucks.

Lynch said those comments displayed a disregard for the economic realities people face.

“There’s a lack of interest in who we are … what we can afford,” she said.

“We cannot accept the way it is being handled by council members,” Lynch said. “These were very bad word choices on your part.”

Pat Dennis, a candidate for the council in this year’s election, said the city should have held more meetings about the rate increases.

“Providing more information to citizens would be extremely helpful,” she said.

Weise defended the council.

“None of us on council took this lightly,” he said.

Weise said the city had not made water and sewer rate hikes for years so as not to put a burden on residents during the economic downturn.

McDonald said rate increases “are never a happy thing,” but he said hikes should have been made last year. He conceded the increase “might be hard for some people.”

McDonald said “nothing negative” was meant by the comments at the earlier meeting.

He said by comparing the hikes to something like a Starbucks purchase, “we were talking about things we could all relate to.”

Neilsen, who at the earlier meeting said rate payers would get used to higher rates after a couple of bills and compared the cost increase to a family dinner out, was the only member of the council to remain silent during the discussion.

City staffers said residents could determine their new rates using a calculator that will be posted on the city’s website.

Alicia Schomer, the city’s customer service representative, said the most common water bill for 9,000 gallons would increase by $3.29 monthly from $22.18 to $25.47.

The most common sewer bill for customers using 6,000 gallons of wastewater would go up by $3.25 monthly from $22.10 to $22.35, Schomer said.

The plan would maintain the city’s tiered billing structure, with rates depending on meter sizes and usage.

The 24 percent of customers who qualify for the city’s “lifeline” water rate by using less than 4,000 gallons a month would see minimal increases, including a hike of 16 cents per 1,000 gallons, according to Abbe Yacoben, the city’s budget and finance director.

Yacoben said the plan for the larger increase means the utility funds will see a positive cash flow by 2021, two years earlier than the original proposal she presented.

But Karlin said she didn’t like the structure of the rate hikes, preferring smaller steady yearly increases. She suggested that 15 percent increases every other year will give ratepayers “sticker shock.”

“That much of an increase, then nothing, lulls you into a false sense of comfort,” she said.

Kilgore said she was concerned about what people could afford.

“Honoring the voice of the people is very important to me,” he said. “We have to be sure we’re listening.” He said the city should have held town hall-style meetings to share the information with residents.

As he considered the rate hikes, Sierra said he was thinking of people like a widow living in historic Avondale.

“She’s got a lot more month than she does money,” he said.

Glenn Gullickson can be reached by email at ggullickson@westvalleyview.com.

Trailblazing

(From Page 1)

The project, which cost just over $4 million, included extending Watson Road north to the park entrance, camping sites, picnic ramadas, parking areas and six miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. All trails are for nonmotorized users only.

Buckeye signed a 25-year lease for the property in 2010 with the Bureau of Land Management and created a master plan for improvements. Among them are an additional 11 miles of trails, which will be completed by Sept. 30, Wisener said.

“I think it’s going to be a great addition, not only for Buckeye, but to the West Valley region as a whole,” he said. “The park’s location right off of I-10 makes it conveniently accessible.”

Its opening is also perfect timing to help people fulfill their New Year’s resolutions, Wisener said.

“It’s a great way to kick off fitness after the holiday glut,” he said. “Everyone’s looking at different ways to get fit and exercise, and the trails in Skyline Regional Park will provide a perfect avenue for people to do just that.”

The park is made up of a system of looped trails with various difficulty ratings and durations, including Valley Vista Trail, which is an 800-foot climb to the top of the mountain, Wisener said.

“When you’re up there, you can not only see downtown Phoenix, but the whole Buckeye valley and also west over into Tonopah,” he said. “It really provides almost a 360-degree vantage point from the top of that summit.”

Skyline also has smaller nuances that differentiate it from other Maricopa County parks, such as rock outcroppings, small waterfalls and washes that crisscross throughout the park, Wisener said.

“As you’re hiking along the trails, you’ll see different rock formations and rock features that are interesting and unique to what you’ll find at any of the other parks,” he said.

Other amenities include an overlook with seating for 30 people and ramadas that offer picnic tables and barbecue grills.

Reservations for camping sites and picnic ramadas require a fee and can be made at www.skylineregionalpark. com.

Hitting the trails

The following trails spanning six miles have been completed at Skyline Regional Park in Buckeye:

• Turnbuckle Trail is a three-mile loop with views of the mountain landscape and south toward the Watson Road corridor. On one stretch, there are several switchbacks and turns, and the eastern side traverses through a valley, offering great views of the Watson Road corridor. Small waterfalls can be found next to the trail.

Hikers will also find old power lines along portions of the trail that at one time crossed the White Tank Mountains but have since been cut down. Turnbuckles from the poles will be affixed to trail signage, tying into the history of the park and producing the appropriate trail name.

• Valley Vista Trail, the summit trail, is a onethird-mile hike off Turnbuckle that climbs 270 feet for a total of 800 feet elevation gain from the trailhead. A large flat area at the summit provides a resting spot for hikers to take in the views.

• Mountain Wash Trail is aptly named as it hugs Mountain Wash, a one-mile trail that climbs 400 feet and connects with Lost Creek Trail, which leads to Verrado’s temporary trail system.

Another feature is a 130-foot bridge at the trailhead that spans Mountain Wash and connects to 14 miles of existing trails within White Tank Mountain Regional Park.

Skyline also has seven camping sites next to Mountain Wash, and each has a picnic table, barbecue grill and fire pit. While there are no water or electrical hookups, restroom facilities are available.

The trails in the park will be open from sunrise to sunset, and trailhead facilities, including picnic ramadas, will be open until 10 p.m. when the gates close.

For the grand opening, multiple organizations will have demonstrations on site, including the Phoenix Herpetological Society with native animals that can be found in the mountain range.

The rescue group Wild at Heart will also have a presentation with birds of prey, and Stargazing for Everyone will do a solar viewing program that allows people to look through special telescopes and view the sun, Wisener said.

“The main focus is getting people out on the trails to discover the park,” he said. “So we’ll be doing some promo giveaways of water bottles to get people out hiking and make sure they have the water that they need to be on the trails.”

Admission to the park is free. Parking is limited, so carpooling is suggested for the grand opening.

For information about the grand opening event, contact Wisener at rwisener@buckeyeaz.gov or 623-349-6621.

Emily Toepfer can be reached at etoepfer@westvalleyview.com or Twitter @EmilyToepfer.

View photo by Ray Thomas

A PICNIC AREA overlooks the 130-foot bridge that connects Skyline Regional Park in Buckeye to White Tank Mountain Regional Park in Waddell.

Uninformed? Want to vote? Now you can!

Are you a completely uninformed voter who has better things to do than learn about the candidates running for president of the United States, but you still want to vote?

Well, now you can, with a new app called Voter.

With just a handful of questions, this “Tinder-like app” selects a candidate for you to vote for.

Don’t know what a “Tinder-like app” is? Don’t feel bad, we didn’t either. After Googling “Tinder-like app,” we found out Tinder is a dating site.

Only instead of asking “Do you like pina coladas?” and “getting caught in the rain?” it asks “Increase the minimum wage?” “Keep same sex marriage legal?” and “Legalize marijuana?”

Swipe right for yes, left for no. Easy peasy.

After a few more questions, you not only know who you should vote for, but you also know which party you belong to, a function designed for the truly uninformed voter who doesn’t even know which party is which, which party best represents his views.

Still not satisﬁed, level up to Round 2 for another Q&A session with questions being described as “more nuanced.”

The questions might be, but you still swipe right for yes and left for no.

And the computer program moves on to the next question.

Swipe right.

Swipe left.

The app asks all of the questions, it doesn’t answer any of yours. “How in the heck is each candidate planning to raise the minimum wage?” “How is each candidate planning on solving the illegal immigration issue?”

Which tells us this app is designed for the voter who is so much more uniformed than we ever imagined that he doesn’t even have a clue as to any of the candidates’ platforms. Forget about their game plans to make good on all those campaign promises. TMI, TMI!

Yet, he still wants to vote.

Along with close to 25,000 other users, according to reports.

We can only imagine he’s too busy Facebooking, tweeting, texting, Snapchatting, Youtubing, etc. to bother making himself an informed voter. Which is ironic considering he’s just a couple of clicks away at all times to gathering all the data he needs to cast an informed vote for the president of the United States.

While some would argue that voting is a civic duty, others believe it is a right. We, here at the View, always encourage voting but we always stress the importance of informed voting.

If you don’t have time to watch a few debates, maybe check out the national news every now and then, that’s OK. Just as you have a right to vote, you also have a right not to vote.

If you’re OK with letting a computer program that’s being compared to Tinder (not even eHarmony or Match for crying out loud) choose the candidate you will vote for, we’d rather you exercise your right not to vote.

Don’t vote just to vote. Make it count.

This one’s for the commander in chief for the next four years.

OUR READERS’ VIEWPOINTS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Comparison was unfair

Editor:

Correction appreciated

Editor:

I’m pleased that Mr. Gordon P.R. Posner is back writing letters to the Editor. Gordon has corrected me in the past. Now he has again. That’s ﬁne, as I stated in the letter that he refers to, I wrote, “I don’t know everything.” So he corrected me. I did know about article 6 of the Constitution, but I didn’t know about the North Carolina Convention holding out for no religious test which opened the door for Mahometans and others.

We need more people willing to thank someone for correcting them (if they have the facts to back it up). So thank you Mr. Posner! Perhaps the people of North Carolina back then didn’t know some of the things written in the Koran. Gordon am I going to get another letter in the W.V.V.? Or do you have bigger ﬁsh to fry?

Either way Mr. Posner your letters are helpful, keep them

I must respond to “Light shined on dim education” which provides the overly-simpliﬁed analysis of AZ Merit test scores and the problems in local high schools. University High students are academically elite students who attend this program from all feeder schools to the TUHSD, and only the most committed and accomplished students are accepted. University High offers small class sizes and a rigorous curriculum of advanced classes designed to prepare students for technical university level course work. University High students are not representative of the average high school student, and it is not realistic to compare every high school to the University High program.

I am a middle school teacher in a Title 1 K-8 elementary school that is a feeder school to the TUHSD/Westview High School and University High. Our school is much more representative of the challenges that schools like Westview, Millennium, and Verrado deal with on a daily basis. In my school, two administra-

tors support 46 classrooms and a student population of 900 + students. Teachers prepare and deliver daily lessons based on state mandated standards, and students do not spend instructional time watching videos and texting. It is unfounded and inﬂammatory statements targeting untruths about the lack of educator work ethic that continue to perpetuate the “teacher bashing” mantra in this country. The AZ Merit evaluated students on brand new standards and concepts that have not been taught. High school students taking the test knew their performance on the AZ Merit was not being evaluated for graduation or promotion requirements, and they performed accordingly. Additionally, students had to take the test on a computer-based platform in which they had no prior standardized test experience using. The initial AZ Merit scores are not an accurate measure of the success of one school over another.

Paige Engelson Avondale

Get used to less sales tax revenue

Editor: I am glad that I do not live

(See Letters on Page 7)

1050 E. Riley Dr., Avondale, AZ 85323 (623) 535-8439 [535-VIEW] • FAX (623) 935-2103

“The noblest motive is the public good.’’ — Richard Steele

Publisher: Elliott Freireich publisher@westvalleyview.com

Editorial: Managing editor: Cary Hines editor@westvalleyview.com

Advertising: Advertising coordinator: Julie Sargent-Helm advertising@westvalleyview.com

Account executives: Rachael Freireich rachael.f@westvalleyview.com

Donna Lindly donna.l@westvalleyview.com

Julius Tiritilli julius.t@westvalleyview.com

Production: Shannon Mead, Erica Evans production@westvalleyview.com

Bookkeeping: Manager: Rene Hartmann.

Alejandrina Trujillo bookkeeping@westvalleyview.com

Classified advertising: Lynne Montanus classifieds@westvalleyview.com

Circulation/Distribution: Manager: Tina Hopkins thopkins@westvalleyview.com

Printing: Ryan Westfall rwestfall@westvalleyview.com

West Valley View is published each Wednesday by West Valley View Inc.

Subscriptions: Home delivery of West Valley View is free within Avondale, Buckeye*, Goodyear, Litchfield Park & Tolleson* as well as select portions of Glendale*, Waddell* & West Phoenix*, generally, west of State

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION

coming.

Bernard Oviatt Salome

L etters to the editor are published without any editing. Any errors in spelling, punctuation or grammar are those

Letters

(From Page 6)

in Avondale. Sandi Nielsen’s comment , “ Once they do it one or two bills, they get used to it” shows what happens when you get elected to ofﬁce.

A 15% increase must come from somewhere. Apparently she has forgotten that people live from paycheck to paycheck.

She talks about a family going out for dinner. Well, if I have to spend 15% more on water that is not going to happen.

And I were to even have the 15% it is now going to the water bill and not any stores in Avondale.

And thus there will be fewer taxes collected on the retail level for the city.

Using Sandi Nielsen’s logic I guess the city will just get used to that after a month or two also.

Ralph Baer Goodyear

Mismanagement led to rate hike

Editor:

Suprised that Avendale didn’t have better council since 2009. Experienced managers know that small steady rate hikes, even if they don’t seem to be needed, will prevent the catastrophes of falling ‘behind the power curve.’

A 15% increase will be great for conservation. But it will not raise the revenue needed.

‘Ripping off the bandaid’ is the result of not raising rates gradually over time. It is the result of politics and poor management.

Now what? Hopefully gradual rate increases forever. And simple ideas to save water like closing the drain in the tub when taking a shower. It’s a simple way to see how much water you are actually using.

My boys grew up with the three rules. #2) the 6 ‘P’s’; Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. #3) the 4 ‘F’s’; Foul up, Find out, Fix it, Fast.

Chris Slotten Goodyear

2nd needs no

redeﬁning

Editor:

I’d like to address some of your talking points.“No lives matter” in a country that allows abortions for convenience. If it wasn’t so tragic, I’d laugh. You note that “this country has a huge problem with guns in the hands of the wrong people.” I agree; there are, sadly, many felons and a few unstable folks who really shouldn’t have them. There are already laws that address this. Convicted felons and persons who have been determined to be mentally unsound by a physician, or other qualiﬁed people, are not allowed to have guns.

“The Second Amendment doesn’t address the right to keep a gun for sport, or hunting for food.” Correct. That was never its purpose. The idea was that every able-bodied male should be armed so that, should the need arise, the general populace would be able to mount a defense of this country. Like some have, you equated “militia” with the National Guard. The National Guard as we know it did not exist until the 1900’s.

You write like you have knowledge of the intent of the Founders when they wrote the 2nd. I submit that you don’t. If you read your Jefferson, Madison, and Federalist writings, you might notice that the whole point of the right to keep and bear arms has at least two intents: to defend the country against foreign invasion, AND against a would-be tyrannical domestic government that no longer responds to the will of the people. It never mentions what weapons, or their magazine capacities, that people can use.

The 2nd is plain and simple. No “re-deﬁning” is needed.

K. S. Voigt Glendale

Councilwoman out of touch

Editor:

Are you kidding me, Avondale city councilwoman (Sandi Nielsen) Rationalizing a huge tax increase. Her rational is,”its just one dinner out with your family”. You would expect this type of arrogant talk from a national politician, but locals should be a Little more in touch with the plight of our citizens during this Obama economy. Tell you what Sandi and friends, I will support

a larger tax increase right after you and your cronies look thru each and every department in the city, cut each department budget accordingly. Boom, there you go the money you have been looking for. That’s how we do it in the Business world and our government should be run the same.

Jim Kramer Avondale

Typical politician

Editor:

Yes, the nice little photo and statement by Avondale Councilwomen Sandi Nielsen in the December 18 West Valley View are the usual political rhetoric and why somebody like Donald Trump has so much grassroots support. She stated to the View “I know it’s hard on the ﬁrst bill… but that’s only like a family dinner out. Once they do it one or two bills, they get used to it”. Now this sounds like a typical politician and their point of view. As a side note I sent a package out via UPS and with record low gas prices UPS is still charging a “fuel surcharge” to send packages. Same they’ll get used to it mentality. My social security is not going up but I guess, the… I’ll get used to It attitude of most politicians. Now I live in Goodyear but it is the same over here. Conserve water, water rates are rising and what do they do… build more homes, shopping malls etc. that draw on our already limited water supply. Oh sure they get more taxes from all the homeowners and business but correct me if I am wrong there is not an inﬁnite supply of water no matter how much money you have to pay for it. It is always on the backs of the taxpaying general public. I hope the good people in Avondale take note of all this and excise their vote come election time. Like all of us… government should live within their means.

Larry Carter Goodyear

Prophetic insight?

Editor:

Hopefully 2016 will be a wonderful year for everyone. That depends, however, on whom we elect as President in November. A Cruse or Rubio Presidency will surely allow us to begin to reclaim

our economic and military greatness. However if Hillary is elected, watch out, since she will undoubtedly keep us on the downward spiral started by Obama. Eight years of Hillary will vanquish us to mediocrity for a long long time.

A study of Christian eschatology tells us that in the end time, the rapture will be followed by the tribulation and then the battle of Armageddon. Clearly the Bible tells us through prophesy, that all the Arab nations of the middle east, along with Russia will march upon Israel to wipe her off the map. Poor Israel. Well not so fast. Prophesy tells us that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob intervenes literally and destroys Israel’s enemies. Oh happy day !

Virtually all Christian theologians agree that the United States is not mentioned in this ﬁnal last day battle. Why is that? Certainly the United States would be involved in any middle eastern war especially with Russia involved. Nobody knows the answer to that question.

It has been suggested that the United States of America may in those days be an insigniﬁcant player on the world stage. World military and economic power will shift to Europe. How could that possibly happen? It may be that Hillary will be elected President, because prophecy demands it. Very scary days ahead for our nation. Very scary indeed !

Roy Azzarello Goodyear

Pants on ﬁre

Editor:

Re: “Revise your opinion,” WVV Dec. 23, I believe I detect a whiff of Saul Alinsky in the writers letter. He writes that, “According to him (me) any limitation on the “Right to keep and bear arms,” is unconstitutional.” That is a downright lie.

In 2014 July 18, WVV, I replied to a statement made by the same writer in which he said, “Have bought into the N.R.As propaganda that the Second Amendment is absolute and confers on everyone a “Right to own any and all ﬁrearms.”

I quoted, in part, Wayne LaPierres speech to Congress which totally and unequivocally demonstrated that statement to be a lie. There was NO RESPONSE from the writer.

I do believe “The protection of the Second Amendment isn’t unlimited. I don’t believe

the Second Amendment allows owning any and all ﬁrearms (without proper documentation). I do strongly believe in “background checks.”

Aaron Zelman, founder of Jews for the Preservation of Firearm Ownership said “The most infatuated embrace of “Gun control” by Liberal Jews is morally repugnant. It goes directly against the tenets of Judaism’s most fundamental teachings of the sacred nature of life.”

For example, Senator Diane Feinstein said in her 1995 appearance on “60 Minutes,” her agenda is DISARMING the

With respect

DJ Hammond Buckeye

Political water

Editor:

Global Water / Valencia Water once provided ( for 6 years + ) good service at moderate rates to portions of Buckeye, including my home & its HOA.

-- Then along came the City, which bought out that water company in the name of “savings and economy”. Really ? Take a look at your NEW water rates for 2016, former Global/Valencia customers. Increases are there, over 10% for mid-tier users.

However, what is worse is the huge - over 15% - increase on rates to your HOA; water for those parks and greenbelts. Ouch.

So where is that economy ? Where is the explanation for increases ? The disclosure ?

Public input ?

What is here is: typical politician behavior. Take over a private enterprise function, get control, do whatever you (politicians) like & the customer be da**ed.

PS: I went to an HOA meeting & that’s where we were ALL surprised & dismayed.

C Bright Buckeye

Business Briefcase

by Shane McOwen sports writer

Happy New Year, Briefcase readers!

Looks like we made it through the holidays in one piece, save for a few unlucky people who took some battle wounds on Black Friday. I’ve seen the videos online.

Blood, sweat and tears literally went into some of those gifts out there. I do not regret staying far away from retailers on that day.

Happy Orthodox Christmas Eve, by the way, for those who celebrate it.

Business news was a little light this week, so hopefully, everyone got some good rest over the three-day weekend and is recharged and ready to make some news.

Let’s get to the first business bulletins of 2016.

Per the Buckeye Economic Development Department, Carniceria Y Taqueria Durango finished its facelift in Downtown Buckeye, 502 E. Monroe Ave.

The renovation started early last year, and revamped the front, giving the carniceria a nice, sleek look.

The Buckeye Economic team also reported that the CTS gas station and car wash is now open at the southwest corner of McDowell Road and Verrado Way, next to the Culver’s that’s officially under construction.

Key Health Pharmacy is up and running at 5605 N. Estrella Parkway in Goodyear.

The pharmacy opened its doors Dec. 3, and sets out to provide a neighborhood shop experience, owner Key Lam said.

“We just want to get the word out and let the west side know there’s a compounding pharmacy, and we have a traditional mom-and-pop approach to take care of people, build relationships and just take care of people,” Lam said. “We want to show them we genuinely care, and it’s not just, ‘Here’s your 30 capsules, have a nice day.’”

Lam opened Key Health Pharmacy with his wife, Stephanie, and both have more than 10 years’ experience as pharmacists. They opened the new pharmacy to branch out of the corporate umbrella of pharmacies, and to create a business where they are free to go all out for the patient, Lam said.

“We just got tired of having to work under the constraint of corporate rules and regulations,” Lam said. “We got burned out over it. My wife and I just wanted to go all out. Regular pharmacists don’t have time to council, don’t have time to get with a patient.”

Key Health Pharmacy tries to pass along medication to patients at the cheapest possible price, Lam said.

“We try to go with generics, they’re usually the most affordable copay for a lot of people,” Lam said. “What [we] try to do is go to the manufacturers’ website and find coupons for brand name medications.”

Lam said finding the manufacturer coupons can often bring the price to nothing for the patient.

“Our customers are usually happy about that because no one has taken the time to do that for them before,” Lam said. “A patient just doesn’t know about that. We take the time to educate them.”

Education is a big emphasis for Key Health Pharmacy, Lam said.

“My philosophy is if you actually educate the patient, they’re going to make the right decision,” Lam said. “They’re going to take their health into their own hands and take it very seriously.”

Key Health sells regular prescriptions, offers free delivery and flavor prescriptions for free as well.

“Most kids, they hate the taste of antibiotics,” Lam said. “I flavor it for free. Some places charge $5, and I don’t know why, because it cost literally pennies for me to buy the stuff.”

For information, visit www.keyhealthrx.com or call 623-271-8577.

That wraps up this week’s Business Briefcase. I’ll be checking in next week to see if everyone has kept to their New Year’s resolutions, unless they’ve been broken already.

Send tips, comments, questions or general observations to smcowen@westvalleyview.com.

Have a good week, everybody.

Shane McOwen can be reached at smcowen@westvalleyview.com or Twitter @ShaneMcOwen.

School tax credits a win-win

Donation deadline extended to April 15

by Emily Toepfer assistant editor

When it comes to school tax credit donations, the age-old saying “To give is to receive,” is actually true.

For Arizona residents who expect to owe on their state taxes this year, the program is an opportunity to designate where that money will go and then use the full amount as a credit for taxes due.

Fourteen West Valley schools had collected $746,105 through the program as of Dec. 18, 2015. They received more than $1.1 million the previous year.

In the past, the deadline to donate was Dec. 31, and many school districts got the majority of their contributions in the last

two weeks of the year. Now, people have until April 15 to make a donation and can either apply it to the previous year’s taxes or the following year.

Individuals can contribute up to $200 and a married couple filing jointly can give up to $400. People do not have to live in the school district or even have children in school to contribute.

The credits can only be used to reduce a tax liability. For example, if a person owes $150 on his state tax return, a $200 donation would reduce the amount to zero.

Donations exceeding a tax liability can be carried forward for up to five consecutive taxable years.

The money must be used by districts for extracurricular activities, character education programs, standardized testing fees, preparation courses and materials for standardized testing and certification assessments for career and technical education programs.

Donors can designate what they’d like their money to go toward, including

a fee for their own child, and can also split contributions between multiple schools.

If a person doesn’t have a preference for where the donation goes, the district can decide where it is most needed.

The Palo Verde Elementary District uses the money for after-school activities such as sports, art club and choir club, Business Manager Sandi Wilson said.

“Most of what we have received to date is from parents that have paid the fees we charge for these activities, but we don’t charge enough to cover the entire cost. So any additional contributions we get are really appreciated and allows us to keep the fees low enough so that all students can participate if they so desire,” Wilson said.

While school districts typically see a fluctuation in donation amounts from year to year depending on different programs being offered, contributions went way up for one West Valley district last year.

The Union Elementary District got $26,300 in 2014, an increase from $4,500 in 2013, said Susan O’Rielly, executive director of Business Operations for the district.

She attributes the rise in contributions to a campaign launched in 2014 by the city of Phoenix called “Kids are Missing Out,” which made a big push for tax credit donations to schools within its city.

In order to receive a tax credit, a person must complete and file Arizona Tax Form 322 for public schools when filling out a state return.

For a specific district’s donation form, go to westvalleyview.com and click on the “School Links” tab at the top of the page and then “Tax Credit Form” on the drop down box.

Emily Toepfer can be reached at etoepfer@westvalleyview.com or Twitter @EmilyToepfer.

Shane McOwen

Buckeye Elem. teacher gets Rodel Award

by Glenn Gullickson staff writer

A teacher in the Buckeye Elementary School District is among 15 Arizona educators being recognized with the 2016 Rodel Exemplary Teacher Award.

Amy Tixier, a third-grade teacher at Inca Elementary in Buckeye, was selected from a field of 43 semifinalists.

The award is part of the Rodel Foundation’s mission to improve Arizona’s public education system.

Tixier is the first teacher from the

Buckeye Elementary School District to receive the Rodel Award, according to Superintendent Kristi Sandvik.

Tixier, who is teaching for her fifth year, said her goal is to set high expectations for pupils.

“I really care about the pupils and I want them to fulfill their potential,” she said. “My goal is to make my classroom a safe, enriching environment in which students are eager to learn.”

The honor means that Tixier will also be educating future teachers, as Rodel pairs award winners with student teachers.

It’s the type of work that Tixier already does at Inca Elementary, where as a master teacher, her duties include mentoring second-year teachers.

“My one piece of advice for new teachers would be to really get to know your students and connect with them,” she said. “I tell each student, ‘Good morning’ with a smile every day and let them know I believe in them.”

Originally from Pueblo, Colo., Tixier, 42, came to Arizona 20 years ago.

The mother of two, ages 10 and 19, said teaching was always a passion, but it wasn’t until after her children were older that she went back to college.

She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and is pursuing a doctoral degree from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

Tixier’s career started with the Glendale Elementary School District, where she taught for two years before moving to the Buckeye district.

Her experience includes teaching one year as a kindergarten English language development teacher and three years as a second-grade teacher.

This year she is a “loop” teacher, instructing a third-grade class of 25 pupils she taught as second-graders last year.

Continuing with the same teacher

benefits pupils because “I know their education needs already,” Tixier said. “I know what level they’re at.”

Tixier said reading is an essential subject for her pupils and a big part of testing at that grade level.

“The pressure is on to get kids to read well,” she said. “I love seeing them get a concept and really grasp it.”

Tixier is involved in multiple other education projects, including serving on the Arizona K-12 Standards Subcommittee and the Curriculum Mapping Team and District Advisory Committee.

Tixier said the work beyond the classroom gives her a different view of the school system. “I just like to be really involved in the district,” she said.

The Rodel Award recognizes teachers based on pupil achievement in high-need schools, a standard that Tixier said includes Inca Elementary, a Title I school where a high proportion of pupils qualify for free lunches.

Amy Tixier

Buckeye Elem. teacher gets Rodel Award

by Glenn Gullickson staff writer

A teacher in the Buckeye Elementary School District is among 15 Arizona educators being recognized with the 2016 Rodel Exemplary Teacher Award.

Amy Tixier, a third-grade teacher at Inca Elementary in Buckeye, was selected from a field of 43 semifinalists. The award is part of the Rodel Foundation’s mission to improve Arizona’s public education system.

Tixier is the first teacher from the

Does walking make your legs hurt worse?

Buckeye Elementary School District to receive the Rodel Award, according to Superintendent Kristi Sandvik.

Tixier, who is teaching for her fifth year, said her goal is to set high expectations for pupils.

“I really care about the pupils and I want them to fulfill their potential,” she said. “My goal is to make my classroom a safe, enriching environment in which students are eager to learn.”

The honor means that Tixier will also be educating future teachers, as Rodel pairs award winners with student teachers.

It’s the type of work that Tixier already does at Inca Elementary, where as a master teacher, her duties include mentoring second-year teachers.

Do you know the 4 major causes of pain and numbness in the legs and feet?

Pain and or numbness in the legs and feet are common complaints. But to find relief for this often debilitating condition, you must first know the cause of the symptoms. It is important to remember that pain or numbness in the legs and feet are the symptoms of some other problems. And to find long-lasting relief of these symptoms, it is absolutely essential to identify the cause of the problem producing these symptoms. There are four major conditions that commonly produce pain and or numbness in the lower extremities. While the symptoms for all of these conditions are similar, the conditions must be treated quite differently. In fact, it is quite common for doctors to prescribe medications to treat the symptoms without ever looking into what is causing them in the first place. There’s virtually no chance of obtaining long-term relief from leg symptoms unless or until you identify and correct the cause. The nerves in the legs start in the lower back and travel all the way down to the tips of the toes. When these nerves become irritated, they produce various combinations of pain and or numbness in the legs or feet. But, the irritation may be in the lower back even though the patient complains of symptoms in the legs and feet. And in fact, you can also have no back pain at all, yet still have back-related symptoms in your legs or feet. If your treatment focuses on the legs and feet, there is very little chance of obtaining long[term relief of a problem that starts in the lower back. The three main causes of pain the legs that are actually associated with the lower back are spinal stenosis, sciatica and pinched lumber nerves. No amount of treatment aimed at the legs and feet will reduce the symptoms, if the problem truly is starting in the lower spine. Likewise, neuropathy are in the upper leg, doctors will misdiagnose the patient as having a problem in their lower back. If treatment of neuropathy is directed at the lower back there’s very little chance of a successful outcome and relief of symptoms in the feet. All four of these major causes have very different treatments. So it should be obvious to you, the most important step of finding relief of the symptoms is finding which condition is causing them. That is why I created the comprehensive Neuropathy and Spinal Stenosis Symptom Relief Project. If you’ve been suffering from debilitating low back, leg and or foot pain, I invite you to schedule a free consultation to review your MRIs and medical records. I believe it’s your best opportunity to find real relief of your foot, leg or lower back symptoms. So take advantage of this special offer!

GEORGE W. KUKURIN DC DACAN

12409 W. Indian School Rd. #C304, Avondale AZ 623-547-4727 • www.kcpv.info

Originally from Pueblo, Colo., Tixier, 42, came to Arizona 20 years ago.

The mother of two, ages 10 and 19, said teaching was always a passion, but it wasn’t until after her children were older that she went back to college.

She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and is pursuing a doctoral degree from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

Tixier’s career started with the Glendale Elementary School District, where she taught for two years before moving to the Buckeye district.

Her experience includes teaching one year as a kindergarten English language development teacher and three years as a second-grade teacher.

This year she is a “loop” teacher, instructing a third-grade class of 25 pupils she taught as second-graders last year.

Continuing with the same teacher

benefits pupils because “I know their education needs already,” Tixier said. “I know what level they’re at.”

Tixier said reading is an essential subject for her pupils and a big part of testing at that grade level.

“The pressure is on to get kids to read well,” she said. “I love seeing them get a concept and really grasp it.”

Tixier is involved in multiple other education projects, including serving on the Arizona K-12 Standards Subcommittee and the Curriculum Mapping Team and District Advisory Committee.

Tixier said the work beyond the classroom gives her a different view of the school system. “I just like to be really involved in the district,” she said.

Amy Tixier

Buckeye Elem. teacher gets Rodel Award

by Glenn Gullickson staff writer

A teacher in the Buckeye Elementary School District is among 15 Arizona educators being recognized with the 2016 Rodel Exemplary Teacher Award.

Amy Tixier, a third-grade teacher at Inca Elementary in Buckeye, was selected from a field of 43 semifinalists.

The award is part of the Rodel Foundation’s mission to improve Arizona’s public education system.

Tixier is the first teacher from the