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westvalleyview.com — the newspaper of Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchfield Park & Tolleson, AZ 50¢ Wednesday, August 31, 2016 (623) 535-8439
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POLICE ACADEMY Teens learn about law enforcement during annual program — Page 10.
View photo by Jordan Christopher
BRITTANY BROWN stands with her sons, 7-year-old twins Ryan, left, and Dylan, and 10-year-old Justin, Aug. 16 outside their newly purchased home in Goodyear. Brown used the state’s Pathway to Purchase Program to buy the house.
Home, sweet home buyer
taking advantage of a state program that homes not exceeding $371,936. State program offers are provides some of the cash necessary to close the “You could get it for zero down,” Givens said. deal on a home. For Brown, the program meant she could settle The Arizona Department of Housing’s Pathway to her three sons — a 10-year-old and 7-year-old twins Purchase home loan program is offering assistance — into a four-bedroom, 2,100-square-foot house in HULA HOOPING assistance to people to buyers in areas that have been identified as the Palm Valley development in Goodyear. Expert teaches ins lagging behind in the housing recovery, including Brown had previously owned a home, but was purchasing houses Avondale, Buckeye and Glendale. and outs of latest renting since the Great Recession.
craze — Page 9.
by Glenn Gullickson staff writer
DAILY UPDATES! News Updates and fresh Classified ads posted Monday - Friday at 4:30 p.m. online at www.westvalleyview.com Volume 31, No. 21 28 Pages 1 Section Circulation: 75,474 INDEX Classifieds .................... 23 Editorials & Letters .......... 6 Obituaries ...................... 21 Society ............................. 8 Sports ........................... 11 Briefcase ......................... 8 9 Days a Week............... 20 Recycle this paper
As a real estate agent, Brittany Brown spends her days helping others find the homes of their dreams, but she needed a little help to buy a home of her own recently in Goodyear. Brown is among the homeowners who
For buyers who qualify, the program offers a deferred and forgivable loan equal to 10 percent of a home’s purchase price up to $20,000 to go toward the down payment and closing costs, according to Reginald H. Givens, the program’s administrator. The program is available to homebuyers with an annual income of less than $92,084 who are working with a participating lender to purchase
“The program allowed me to get back into home ownership, which had been on my goal board for years,” Brown said. She said the assistance allowed her to buy a bigger house earlier than she had planned. Without the program, “I would have had to (See Home on Page 2)
Buckeye park employee honored Skyline Regional Park also recognized by Arizona Parks and Recreation Department by Glenn Gullickson staff writer
View photo by Jordan Christopher
BOB WISENER, Buckeye Conservation and Project manager, stands at Skyline Regional Park Aug. 25 in Buckeye. Wisener recently received the Outstanding Parks Professional Award from the Arizona Parks and Recreation Department.
Buckeye’s Skyline Regional Park and the employee who helped guide its development have been recognized with top awards from the Arizona Parks and Recreation Department. Robert Wisener, who received the Outstanding Parks Professional Award, said helping to create Skyline “has been the capstone project of my career in Buckeye.” Skyline, which opened in January, was
named an Outstanding Facility for cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. The 8,700-acre park on the south side of the White Tank Mountains offers 27 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding as well as facilities for picnicking and camping. “For me, it’s rewarding going out there and seeing people enjoying the trails,” said Wisener, who is Buckeye’s conservation and project manager. He said the park’s usage has exceeded (See Park on Page 3)