West Valley View - February 1, 2017

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 AVONDALE MAN CONVICTED OF TERRORISM, PAGE 3

westvalleyview.com — the newspaper of Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchfield Park & Tolleson, AZ 50¢ Wednesday, February 1, 2017 (623) 535-8439

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THOMAS YOXALL recounts the events of Jan. 12 when he saved a Department of Public Safety officer who had been shot and was being attacked on Interstate 10 near Tonopah during a press conference Jan. 24 in Phoenix.

Trooper’s rescuer Public housing project speaks out View photo by Jordan Christopher

LIFE SAVER Greyhound bus driver awarded for quick actions that saved lives — Page 2.

SCOUT’S HONOR Avondale vice mayor receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Boy Scouts — Page 5.

DAILY UPDATES! News Updates and fresh Classified ads posted Monday - Friday at 4:30 p.m. online at www.westvalleyview.com Volume 31, No. 43 28 Pages 1 Section Circulation: 78,329 INDEX Classifieds .................... 24 Editorials & Letters .......... 6 Obituaries ...................... 22 Sports ........................... 12 Briefcase ....................... 10 9 Days a Week............... 20 Recycle this paper

THE AGUA FRIA HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND plays the national anthem at the grand opening of Madison Heights Jan. 25 in Avondale. Madison Heights is a 143-unit, low-income housing project.

points to greater needs Officials celebrate grand opening of Madison Heights

Man saves DPS officer’s life Jan. 12 near Tonopah by Emily Toepfer

by Glenn Gullickson staff writer

A 143-unit rental housing project for lowincome residents that opened in October in Avondale is already full, and a waiting list of hundreds of families indicates there’s more demand for similar projects. Public officials and the project’s developer celebrated the grand opening of Madison Heights on Jan. 26. The $30 million development at 1103 N. Sixth St. replaces a complex of 77 dilapidated units. Sheri Beery, resident manager of Madison

Heights, said the waiting list to move into the complex includes 600 families from a Housing Authority of Maricopa County list and 400 others who have expressed interest. Thirty units are occupied by people who were previously homeless, Beery said. Projects such as Madison Heights help people in need, such as the 46 families a week that become homeless, said Michael Trailor, director of the Arizona Department of Housing. “There’s so much we have to do as a community,” he said. (See Housing on Page 4)

Mother arrested after allegedly stabbing infant to death in Buckeye by Emily Toepfer assistant editor

A 5-month-old boy died after his mother allegedly stabbed him Monday afternoon at their home in Buckeye, officials said. Andrea Portillo, 29, was booked into Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail and faces charges of second-degree murder and intentional child abuse, said Sgt. Jason Weeks, a spokesman with the Buckeye Police Department.

Emergency crews responded to the home near Roeser Road and Riata Parkway after a 911 call was made at about 12:35 p.m., Weeks said. When police arrived, they found the infant’s grandmother holding the boy and screaming while Portillo stood behind them, allegedly covered in blood, court records state. Officers began life-saving measures on the baby, who had (See Stabbing on Page 3)

assistant editor

When Thomas Yoxall set out on Interstate 10 in the early morning on Jan. 12, he never imagined he would end up saving a life, and also taking one, he said. The 43-year-old came to the aid of Trooper Ed Andersson, who was being attacked by a man on the side of the freeway at Milepost 89 near Tonopah. It was about 4:20 a.m. when Yoxall came upon Andersson’s stopped vehicle with its emergency lights Ed Andersson on, and saw flares in the road. Before exiting his vehicle, Yoxall grabbed his gun. What happened next will stick with him forever, he said. “As I proceeded to go forward, I noticed the suspect on top of Trooper Andersson, beating him in a savage way,” he said. “My commands were ignored by the suspect as Trooper Andersson called out for help, and I alleviated the threat to him.” Yoxall shot the man, later identified as 37-year-old Leonard Penuelas-Escobar, and turned his attention to Andersson. But when

Andrea Portillo

(See Rescuer on Page 4)

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