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WEST VALLEY VIEW NEWS | JULY 21, 2021
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Buckeye teacher publishes book of short stories BY MADELINE LEWIS
West Valley View Staff Writer
T
he pandemic gave Buckeye resident Barbara Wheeler the time to accomplish a dream task: writing her first book, “Cuahi Li Hix: A Tale of Hilarious and Sometimes Harrowing Adventures in the Jungle of Belize.” Now a Litchfield Elementary School District teacher, Wheeler spent two years volunteering for the Peace Corps in Belize in the ’90s. “‘Cuahi Li Hix’ is a fun, quick read about my experience and about the Mayan people and how they lived. It’s an entertaining group of stories,” said Wheeler. “We moved to Arizona from Illinois, and as I was unpacking, I found a box with hundreds of letters. I asked my
family and friends to keep the letters I wrote so I’d have a log. I went through them and remembered all these stories I’d forgotten,” Wheeler said. March 2020 finally provided the opportunity to start chronicling those stories. “When COVID hit and we were pretty much locked down at home, I decided to start. This is the time I’m going to use,” said Wheeler. Wheeler’s family and friends encouraged her along the way. “I shared bits and pieces with my family. Hearing them laugh and seeing them tear up made me want to keep going,” she said. Wheeler’s fifth grade students were included, too. She shared the stories with them before writing the book. The book is titled after a common
Mayan phrase, according to Wheeler. “‘Cuahi li hix’ is a common phrase, similar to how we say, ‘Take care.’ When you are in the jungle, they say, ‘Beware the tiger.’ There are no tigers in Belize, but they really mean the jaguar or large jungle cat,” said Wheeler. “The title is symbolic of all the things we had issues with. There were snake issues, dog bites, bats — even an actual jaguar.” In college, Wheeler wanted to go abroad. A twist of fate led her to the Peace Corps. “My roommate’s boyfriend had a packet for the Peace Corps, and I had a packet for a domestic job. We swapped
Stories...continued on page 17
Barbara Wheeler used the pandemic to write her first book. (Submitted photo)
REQUEST FOR ARGUMENTS “FOR” OR “AGAINST” THE SPECIAL BOND ELECTION TOLLESON UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 214
SOLICITUD DE ARGUMENTOS “A FAVOR” O “EN CONTRA” DE LA ELECCIÓN ESPECIAL DE BONOS DISTRITO ESCOLAR SECUNDARIO NÚM. 214 DE TOLLESON UNION
Tolleson Union High School District No. 214 of Maricopa County, Arizona (the “District”), will hold a special bond election on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. The District seeks authorization to issue bonds in the principal amount not to exceed $125,000,000. The estimated average annual tax rate for the proposed bond authorization is $0.51 per $100 of net assessed valuation used for secondary property tax purposes. The Maricopa County School Superintendent will be preparing an informational pamphlet that will be mailed to households containing one or more registered electors within the District. Any persons wishing to submit an argument “for” or “against” the bond question (not to exceed 200 words) may do so by mail or hand delivery of the argument to the Maricopa County School Superintendent, School Elections Office, 4041 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1200, Phoenix, AZ 85012; telephone: (602) 506-3866.
El Distrito Escolar Secundario Núm. 214 de Tolleson Union del Condado de Maricopa, Arizona (el “Distrito”), llevará a cabo una elección especial de bonos el martes 2 de noviembre de 2021. El Distrito solicita autorización para emitir bonos por una cantidad principal que no supere $125,000,000. El promedio de la tasa anual de impuestos que se calcula para la propuesta autorización de bonos es de $0.51 por $100 de valoración neta tasada para fines de impuestos secundarios sobre la propiedad. El Superintendente Escolar del Condado de Maricopa preparará un folleto informativo que se enviará por correo a todos los hogares que tienen uno más electores inscritos dentro del Distrito. Cualquier persona que desee presentar un argumento “a favor” o “en contra” de la pregunta sobre bonos (que no supere 200 palabras) puede hacerlo por correo o entregándolo en persona a la Oficina del Superintendente Escolar del Condado de Maricopa, Maricopa County School Superintendent, School Elections Office, 4041 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1200, Phoenix, AZ 85012; teléfono: (602) 506-3866.
To be included in the informational pamphlet, such argument must be received in the office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent on or before 5:00 p.m., August 6, 2021. Such argument must be signed and should include the name of the school district, the author’s name, address and telephone number. The last day to register to vote in order to be eligible to vote in this election is Monday, October 4, 2021. For more information concerning the election, please contact Tolleson Union High School District, 9801 W. Van Buren Street, Tolleson, AZ 85353, telephone: (623) 478-4000.
Para que se incluya en el folleto informativo, dicho argumento se debe recibir en la oficina del Superintendente Escolar del Condado de Maricopa el o antes de las 5:00 p.m. del 6 de agosto de 2021. Dicho argumento debe estar firmado y debe incluir el nombre del distrito escolar, el nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del autor. El último día para inscribirse para votar con el fin de ser elegible para votar en esta elección es el lunes 4 de octubre de 2021. Para obtener más información sobre la elección, por favor comuníquese con el Distrito Escolar Secundario de Tolleson Union, 9801 W. Van Buren Street, Tolleson, AZ 85353, teléfono: (623) 478-4000.
