Glendale Star 11.24.22

Fiesta Bowl Charities revamps O’Neil Park

BY JOE MCHUGH Glendale Star Staff Writer

Fiesta Bowl Charities, along with KABOOM!, BHHS Legacy Foundation, Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, and Palo Verde, recently revamped O’Neil Park with the addition of two new playgrounds and a multi-sport court.

The group is also planning to build a football fi eld at the park in 2023.

“This is the fi rst project of its kind for  the city of Glendale, and we are so excited it’s here today,” Glendale Vice Mayor Jamie Aldama said.

“This park has been here since 1960,  and it’s been through some renovations, but nothing like this. It’s incredible that all of these volunteers took time out of their

workday to be here. It’s amazing to go from nothing to a great new playground in just a couple of days.”

The project in Glendale was one of 13

playgrounds that Fiesta Bowl has put in across Arizona. The main goal with these projects is to give back to the communi-

Glendale Glitters kicks off in Downtown Glendale

BY ADEN SCHULZE-MILLER Glendale Star Staff Writer

The city of Glendale began its annual Glendale Glitters festivities Nov. 21, turning on the lights around  Murphy Park in Downtown Glendale.

Mayor Jerry Weiers and Vice Mayor Jamie Aldama both spoke at the lighting ceremony to celebrate the beginning of Glendale Glitters and detail upcoming events coming to Downtown.

Aldama also welcomed residents and city visitors to partake in the upcoming celebrations.

“This is a great event 30 years in the  making,” Aldama said. “It’s a known tra-

dition in Glendale. We had so much fun tonight and many other years before.”

Aldama encouraged guests to shop at the businesses surrounding Murphy Park while in the area during the Glendale Glitters celebration.

“Please, when you’re out here, visit all of our merchants and our restaurants,” Aldama said.

“Don’t forget to visit Catlin Court, just  behind me. Great place to be. Come out and visit and enjoy yourself.”

The lighting ceremony began at 6 p.m., where it was met with a large crowd of onlookers ready to see the lights turned on around the park.

“While you enjoy the twinkling lights in  just a few minutes, know that it’s also the  perfect opportunity to check off your holiday gift list at the locally owned, unique boutiques and specialty shops,” said Lorraine Zomok, president of the Historical Downtown Glendale Merchants Association.

“There are only 34 more days until  Christmas, so many of the shops feature one-of-a-kind items by local makers and artisans, and every year we’re supposed to gain 10 pounds between now and New  Year’s Eve. Who’s ready to get that started?” Zomok added. “And you can do that

Fiesta Bowl Charities, along with Vice Mayor Jamie Aldama, KABOOM!, BHHS Legacy Foundation, Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, and Palo Verde, recently cut the ribbon on a revamped O’Neil Park. (Fiesta Bowl/Submitted)

right here in Downtown Glendale. We have amazing, award-winning, iconic eateries all throughout the area.”

Zomok said Christmas in Catlin Court will be returning, where locally owned businesses will light up trees around the historic district.

Weiers, who spoke after Zomok, said that he hopes visitors to Murphy Park enjoy its beauty. Weiers led the  crowd in a countdown from 10, where  he then fl ipped a switch turning on all  the lights around the park, including a 30-foot Christmas tree where the ceremony was held.

“As you heard earlier, there are several more events happening in Downtown between now and Christmas,” Weiers said.

Weiers said visitors will have the chance to donate to Light the World Giving Machines, which are located on the south and east sides of the Velma Teague Library. These vending machines accept donations for local charities and, according to Weiers, will be available until after Christmas.

“You can provide a special Christmas for families that may not have otherwise had anything under their tree,” Weiers said.

Weiers also invited visitors to join  the Hometown Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 10. Beginning at 11  a.m., the large parade will take place on Glendale Avenue between 51st and 59th avenues.

More information regarding the Hometown Christmas Parade can be

found at hcparade.org.

Glendale’s chief librarian, Michael Beck, also spoke during the lighting ceremony to outline some of the available resources and opportunities at the Velma Teague Library in Murphy Park.

Beck discussed the upcoming LIBCON event, which will be held at the Velma Teague Library and Murphy Park on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 1 to 6  p.m. The event will be family friendly and will have cosplayers with which kids can take pictures with.

Free to the public, Glendale Glitters will run through Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023,  and the celebrations and light displays will take place from 5 to 10 p.m.

For more information on upcoming events, visit glendaleaz.com/ glendaleglitters.

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ty, but the renovations at O’Neil Park were inspired by the ones who would use it the most.

“We gathered over 50 kids from the  neighborhood to come in and make

renderings of what their dream playground would look like,” said Kristina Chumpol, senior director of community relations for Fiesta Bowl. “Because, in everything we want to do, we want communities to know that, ‘It’s about

you guys and what’s important to you.’ So, that was the design process.”

Namely known for college bowl games, the VRBO Fiesta Bowl and the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Fiesta Bowl’s charitable actions have been the focus for some time now. The goal is targeted at using sports and activities to inspire a positive youth experience and making childhood fun for the next generation. Between 2021 and 2022, its reach  grew, reporting over 400,000 children  impacted by its various projects and  community efforts.

The renovations at O’Neil Park will help add to the number impacted, as the location is central to many homes and neighborhoods and shares a property with William C. Jack Elementary School, making it a prime location to help as many children as possible.

“That’s kind of the heart, I think, of this legacy project, allowing not only  just kids, but really people of all ages,”  Chumpol said. “I’ve seen seniors that are walking in the park, families that are walking their dogs, a splash pad, there’s a lot that’s going on here. And so that multigenerational use, I think, is really what’s special. I think there’s no doubt that, again, there will be memories here for years to come.”

The park is open to the public to experience the newly renovated amenities, located at 6448 W. Missouri Avenue, Glendale.

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Blood donors receive symphony tickets

BY GLENDALE STAR STAFF

Vitalant donors are “Hearing the Sweet Sound of Saving Lives” when they give blood through Wednesday, Nov. 30, at any donor center or blood drive across the Valley, compliments of the Phoenix Symphony.

In appreciation for saving lives around Thanksgiving, all blood donors will receive a voucher for one ticket to a Phoenix Symphony performance. To make a blood donation appointment, call 1-877-25-VITAL (1-877-2584825) or visit vitalant.org and enter  your city or ZIP code.

The Phoenix Symphony’s partnership with Vitalant was inspired when its late maestro Hermann Michael was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a disease that affected his body’s ability to produce blood cells.

Doctors treated him with chemotherapy and blood transfusions every few

days. Michael was grateful that blood was there for him when he needed it and shared his story with the public to inspire increased donations. Since the Thanksgiving partnership

was established with the Phoenix Symphony in 2002, the annual campaign  has grown to become one of Vitalant’s most popular and has inspired more than 86,500 people to donate blood.

“As we celebrate our health and well-being with family, it is important to remember that patients are relying on a plentiful blood supply so that they can celebrate another holiday with their families as well,” said Sid Lewis, vice president of Vitalant’s Southwest Division.

Glendale

• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26,  Arrowhead Towne Center, Community Room, 7700 W. Arrowhead  Towne Center, Glendale.

Peoria

• 9 am to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, Trilogy at Vistancia, Bloodmobile by Kiva Center, 27980 N. Trilogy Bouldvard, Peoria.

• 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday,  Nov. 30, Peoria Accelerated High  School, Bloodmobile, 8885 W. Peoria Avenue, Peoria.

Glendale awarded pair of APRA awards

BY GLENDALE STAR STAFF

The city of Glen dale’s Public Facili ties, Recreation and Special Events Depart ment was honored at the 72nd annual Arizona Parks and Recreation Awards presentation held at the Peoria Sports Complex on Nov. 8. Glendale won two APRA awards, which rec ognize excellence in both parks and recreation.

In a collaborative effort with Televeda, the city of Glendale created the Glendale Rec reation Online Wellness program, or G.R.O.W. for short. This program won the city the 2022 Partnership Award. The G.R.O.W. program allows the city to offer classes to the community from the comfort of their homes or in per son. City officials worked with Televe da to promote these opportunities and collaborated with one of their instruc tors on a virtual class.

With the city expanding the class vir tually, they were able to expand both their reach and engagement.

“I am so pleased to have my staff recognized by the state association for the innovative program and partner ship with Televeda,” said Jim Burke, director of Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events.

In addition, Vice Mayor Jamie Alda ma was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Public Official Award for his various contributions to the city of Glendale. Aldama has been instrumental in bring ing back city-run programs and con tinuing the “Hook-a-Kid on Fishing” clinic, and has been heavily involved in the master-planning process.

“I am humbled and honored to have been recognized by APRA,” Aldama said. “I appreciate the association’s ad vocacy for parks statewide. I am proud of the diligent service provided by the city of Glendale’s parks and recreation staff. The parks and community system in our city is something I have always been passionate about, and I will con tinue to advocate for improvements and amenities for all citizens to enjoy.”

The Glendale Public Facilities, Rec reation and Special Events Department is a partnership of employees and the community working together to cre ate a better quality of life for Glen dale through the provision of excellent parks, recreational programming, spe cial events, tourism and neighborhood and community facilities.

The Glendale Recreation Online Wellness program, a collaborative effort between Glendale and Televeda, won the 2022 Part nership Award. (City of Glendale/Submitted)

Glendale Vice Mayor Jamie Aldama won the 2022 Out standing Public Official Award. (City of Glendale/Submitted)

Questions surround Lake’s election loss

BY J.D. HAYWORTH Glendale Star Columnist

Here in Arizona, conservatives find themselves at wit’s end.

As Republicans watched the 2022 Election degenerate into “2020 2.0,” they developed enough doubt, disbelief and outright cynicism to fill a metaphorical Grand Canyon.

Joel Barry, managing editor of The Babylon Bee, may call Ohio home, but in temporarily abandoning satire to get serious, he earned the status of Honorary Arizonan by succinctly describing the current state of affairs in the 48th state.

“It’s not Republican messaging. It’s not low-quality candidates. It’s not Trump. It’s not abortion. It’s mass mail-in/drop-box voting. It’s as simple as that.”

Previous editions of this column have warned of the ways in which early mail-in voting could easily be changed

from an instrument of convenience into a tool of connivance.

In fact, a similar warning was issued a decade ago from a collaboration of interesting sources. News 21 was a program funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Knight Foundation.

The program was headquartered at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and it also included collaboration with NBC News, through the network’s investigative blog, Open Channel.

The headline from a Sept. 25, 2012, article tells you all you need to know: “The real vote-fraud opportunity has arrived: casting your ballot by mail.”

It has not disappeared down a memory hole yet… though that could change.

What did change was the way in which the media reacted to vote-by-

mail concerns about fraud when they were voiced again in the wake of COVID-19.

Simply stated, the press was not impressed.

The 2022 campaign brought forth a former journalist, troubled by the dismissive coverage of concerns raised during the 2020 vote count in Arizona and the Orwellian newspeak that enshrined Democrat talking points as established facts.

Kari Lake spent more than two decades at the anchor desk on Channel 10, then walked away into the Republican race for governor.

Not only did she win the GOP primary in dramatic come-from-behind fashion, she also challenged her former colleagues in journalism to embrace objectivity in campaign coverage.

When they continued to dance to the Democrat tune, Lake held press conferences during which she would offer on-the-spot refresher courses, and immediate critiques to a largely

hostile and partisan press corps.

Those performances established Lake as a rising star in the Republican Party, and that star continued to rise, as did her pre-election poll numbers, when Democrat nominee Katie Hobbs refused to debate her.

Lake had called for Hobbs to recuse herself from any involvement in overseeing the election, citing legitimate conflict of interest concerns that should supersede Katie’s role as secretary of state. Hobbs also said no to that request.

So, “with the fox guarding the henhouse,” most Republicans eschewed mail-in voting, opting instead to cast their votes in the traditional way on Election Day. They reasoned that their personal presence at the polls might help prevent a repeat of the curious 2020 results.

Then a not-so-funny-thing happened. Thirty percent of the tabulation machines malfunctioned in the

Arizona knew Lake’s BS when they heard it

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Glendale Star Columnist

You work close up to elections for 30 years, you have the chance to learn some things about candidates and campaigns. The most important one is this: Many people vote with their gut, not their head.

In the end, that’s what did in one of the most arrogant candidates ever to grace an Arizona ballot, Republican governor hopeful Kari Lake.

Before her midlife conversion to politics, Lake spent two decades as a news anchor, a job whose main qualification is the ability to read aloud text prepared

at a low high school level. This translated into high name identification, which Lake translated as ardor for her as a human being.

On the campaign trail, she spoke about “being in your living room” for decades, about how we knew her so well, about how much she loved Arizona and how much Arizona loved her back.

All I can say is, it looks like she got that half right.

In the end, it was Lake’s seething hatred that sunk her campaign — moments like the Thursday before the election when, standing before a room-

ful of Republicans, she again attacked the late Sen. John McCain, a politician whose skill as an Arizona campaigner she could never touch.

“We don’t have any McCain Republicans in here, do we?” Lake demanded. “All right, get the hell out,” she ordered. Then she added: “Boy, Arizona has delivered some losers, haven’t they?”

I guess we have, Kari. Except John McCain never lost an election in this state, and you’re zero for a lifetime.

In the days before the election, a conservative consultant told me Lake could be the perfect vice president for Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential run — Robin to Trump’s red, white and blue Batman.

In retrospect, I get the enthusiasm: Lake is smooth with a microphone in her hand, polished delivering Trump’s talking points.

Put her in a crowd of 100 people and 35 will gobble up her act. Meanwhile, another 35 will revile her.

The last 30 — the ones caught in between — will end up trusting our guts. And most of them will end up saying, “Boy, that Lake is really nasty.”

If the candidate herself read this column, she’d surely insult me right back, the way she told reporters, “I’m going to be your worst fricking nightmare for eight years,” or her closing night spiel to voters, where she crowed at the me-

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Old holiday traditions give way to the new

BY JUDY BLUHM Glendale Star Columnist

Football. Turkey. Family. Oh my, did I mention football? The first professional Thanksgiving Day football game was played in 1920. In 1939, Thanksgiving was moved to the third Thursday in November, because President Roosevelt wanted to add more Christmas shopping days to the holiday season. This really upset football coaches because it was “disrupting the game schedule.” Football prevailed, and Thanksgiving was moved back to the fourth Thursday.

I do recall as a child my mother, aunts and grandmother working hard in the kitchen while the men stayed in the living room watching football. Every now and then, an uncle might wander haplessly into the kitchen and was met with shouts of, “Get out of here, we’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”

My grandmother liked to point out to the men huddled in the living room that all the women in the kitchen had sharp knives and wouldn’t put up with any shenanigans. I think she was kidding, yet Thanksgiving cooking was serious business back in the day. And women ruled the kitchen!

Times have changed. We welcome men into the kitchen. Cook the dinner! Now, our homes have great rooms with massive televisions, connected to our spacious kitchens outfitted with double ovens, six-burner stoves, toaster ovens and Instapots. Everyone can be everywhere at the same time and not miss any action. Roast a turkey, watch a touchdown, grab a drink, and the miracle of modern appliances means that all of the food can stay hot while serving. Americans cook about 46 million

turkeys during the holidays. And 68% of Americans really don’t care for Thanksgiving side dishes like green bean casserole, and most people are not crazy about turkey. An Instacart survey found that although folks would rather have something else for Thanksgiving dinner, they eat “the usual” for the sake of tradition.

Did you know that Butterball has had a Turkey Talk-Line open for over 40 years? The “turkey experts” answer about 100,000 questions each year. Do not thaw your turkey out in the bathtub! Do not place an outdoor turkey fryer next to your house! Never use water to put out a grease fire! Some fire departments have coined the slogan, “Don’t turn your Butterball into a fireball!” Yikes, who knew that cooking a turkey could be so dangerous?

Evidently, a Thanksgiving “tradition” is that people get up on ladders. Be careful, dear readers, as each year there are about 165,000 emergency room ladder injuries that occur around the holidays. I just got up on a ladder, and I am happy I lived to write about it. Breaking all of my own rules, I was home alone when I marched up three steps and grabbed a platter off of a shelf. Ladder accidents and holidays go together like eggnog and rum. It’s all good, until it is not. So don’t drink and climb.

’Tis the season to get the ladder, trim the tree, bake, cook, eat and watch football. Hang the holly with care. Need a ladder? Beware. Sip spiked eggnog if you dare. The holidays are here.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor. Have a comment or a story? Email her at judy@judybluhm.com.

county with 60% of the total Arizona electorate.

Whether through incompetence or intentional neglect, the Maricopa County mess resulted in voter suppression of Republicans.

The refusal of a state judge to grant an emergency GOP request to extend voting hours to 10 p.m. helped seal the deal.

Next came six days of laborious vote counting Kabuki Theatre, culminating with the announcement of a narrow Hobbs victory.

LEIBOWITZ FROM PAGE 8

dia, “The bastards back there don’t want us talking about stolen elections. Well, it doesn’t matter what they attempt tomorrow, because we’re going to show up like our lives depend on it.”

Republicans did show up by the hundreds of thousands statewide in this election.

The GOP took six of nine congressional races, and the party built majorities in both houses of the state Legislature.

But atop the ticket, the Trump-endorsed statewide candidates mostly got beaten — Lake, Blake Masters and total wingnut Mark Finchem.

As I write this, the attorney general race remains too close to call with only about 700 votes separating Abe Hamadeh and the Dem, Kris Mayes.

The shining star for the GOP this cy-

Lake’s reaction was succinct: “Arizonans know BS when they see it.”

Look for a legal challenge ahead.

Meantime, The Babylon Bee has returned to satire. One of its recent headlines reads, “Katie Hobbs projected to win Arizona governor’s race with 108% of precincts reporting.”

There is truth in humor.

J.D. Hayworth worked as a sportscaster at Channel 10, Phoenix, from 1987 until 1994 and represented Arizona in Congress from 19952007.

cle in Arizona? It was incumbent Treasurer Kimberly Yee, who easily won a second term by notching the most votes of any Arizona candidate in a competitive race.

Notably, Yee was not endorsed by Trump. She campaigned without an incessant focus on the 2020 election and Trump’s grievances. And Yee accepted her victory with grace, thanking Democrat Martín Quezada “for running a professional campaign.”

Lake, locked in her “war room,” where the toadies were reportedly beginning to flee, responded by tweet to news reports of her loss. “Arizonans,” she wrote, “know BS when they see it.”

Yes, we did, Kari. Yes, we certainly did.

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

MARGULIES’ OPINION – jimmymargulies.com

HAYWORTH FROM PAGE 8

The Glendale Star will print the writer’s name and city of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received, and they are subject to editing. The Glendale Star will not publish consumer complaints, form letters, clippings from other publications or poetry. Letters’ authors, not the Glendale Star, are responsible for the “facts” presented in letters.

Simple Machine Brewing Company hops to Glendale

BY JOE MCHUGH Glendale Star Staff Writer

For owner Marshall Norris, Simple Machine Brewing Company was just an idea, stemming from a love of craft beer and a newfound passion for the process of how it was made.

He felt that this combination of grains, hops, yeast and water was one of the unique ways that could bring people together from all walks of life.

That idea has blossomed over the better half of a decade into a wildly popular taproom currently located in North Phoenix.

It is now reaching even further, as it recently announced a new location in Glendale that is set to open January 2023 — just in time for Super Bowl LVII.

“I’m so excited,” Norris said. “I can’t wait to build another core of locals, core regulars, that are going to hang out and be friends and go do their things together.”

Norris’ brewing career started when he and a friend purchased a Mr. Beer kit to brew beer from home. Although the taste of his first batch wasn’t very good, the process hooked Norris.

Each and every time he would brew another batch, he would have a new piece of equipment to help the beer be better than it was before. This process kept happening until a full room was dedicated to brewing beer from home.

“We would host parties and have five or six of our beers on draft just to drain the kegs,” Norris said. “We wanted to make more beer and get feedback.”

It was then he realized that he wanted to take brewing more seriously and decided he wanted to open his own brewery. With no professional experience, Norris took an unpaid internship for a year and a half, just to learn more about the process and grow his résumé.

Five years later, he had gained

enough experience and decided to open Simple Machine.

“I finally made the leap,” Norris said.

He opened Simple Machine in late 2019, the name stemming from the process of a customer ordering a beer and not thinking of the complex ingredients that came together to make what seems like a simple beverage.

But this leap was met with an impending obstacle shortly after opening, as they were slammed with the news of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The first day, first week was very bleak,” Norris said. “There was a two- or three-day period where I just brought a guitar in here and we had all the stools up and we just sat and looked at the empty brand new empty tap room.”

But Norris wouldn’t be denied, as he was able to find a way to still grow the brewery, even though the restrictions made it difficult to do so. He figured out a way to package his product and make sure that people would still be able to taste his beer.

This packaging process proved fruit-

ful, as he was able to get his beer into local alcohol shops, helping him go through over 400 barrels of beer his first year. Norris had taken full advantage of a bad situation.

“I think it put us in a good spot because we were forced to get our name out in packages to a lot of different locations really early on, which helped drive business here,” Norris said. “Once we reopened, people had tried the product or at least seen it in a bottle shop somewhere, so then they would come and try the taproom, which helped us out. It was good marketing.”

Once back at full capacity after the wave of the pandemic had passed, Norris’ ideas were fully able to come to life. An avid supporter of the community, he regularly gives local musicians, artists and filmmakers a chance at free exposure. A former musician himself, Norris understands how difficult it is to grow from the bottom up.

He wants to provide that support to anyone that needs it in the community, as he now wants to share his success with others.

“I just think it’s good exposure,” Norris said. “It’s good karma, it’s good to build-up, it’s good for the community. Craft beer can be so much more than an alcohol product. I just did a collab with a Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, and we can spread each other’s message responsibly.”

At the new Glendale location, Norris has big plans. Simple Machine Glendale will be located in the rustic Gaslight building and will have ample space to host plenty of events, such as movie showings, music nights, art shows, live podcasts for “Tap That AZ” — which Norris is a part of — and so much more.

Norris sees no end for Simple Machine, as the growth pattern goes as high as he wants it to go. But no matter where he goes, his passion for beer and the community will always stay the same.

“We’re getting this huge following for simple,” Norris said. “People are excited about another location, they’re excited to see us grow, and everything’s kind of just falling into place for it, which is humbling, to say the least.”

After opening in January 2023, Simple Machine Brewing Company’s Glendale location will be found at 5743 W. Glendale Avenue, Glendale.

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Owner Marshall Norris and his team are excited to open in Glendale in January 2023 — just one month before Super Bowl LVII. (Marshall Norris/Submitted)

Cactus football lives up to expectations in first season in 5A

BY CALEB JONES Glendale Star Staff Writer

Despite the step up in competition after making the jump from 4A to 5A this season, the Cactus High School football team found itself finishing the regular season with a record of 7-3 that included a regional championship and a playoff berth as the No. 4 seed in the 5A state bracket.

Head coach Brian Belles knew that there would be difficulties in the transition process to 5A, but he credited his team’s ability to step up and take on these challenges in order to overcome the difficulties of the jump.

“I knew the transition was not going to be easy,” he said. “The level of the opponent we were playing each week would be difficult. That being said, I think our players did a great job by stepping up and taking on that challenge.”

Even though it was just the team’s first season in the new division, senior Dominic Solano said that the team did not let that intimidate them.

“I don’t think much of it,” Solano said. “I just see our game plan and go play football. I don’t think of 5A or 6A. I think Friday nights I got to play football and whoever is in front of you, you got to try and beat them.”

This type of instant success may be shocking to those looking from the outside in, but for the Cobras, it was the expectation.

“We definitely expected to be some-

where around where we are,” senior Will Galvan said. “Our first goal was to be region champs, and we accomplished that.”

Despite the success in the end, the Cobras had a slow start to the season. Through the first five weeks the record sat at just 2-3. The weeks following, however, would see Cactus come to life.

A five-game winning streak to close out the regular season propelled the team to a 7-3 record.

“I think our first five games were kind of a roller coaster,” Belles said.

“After that, we started to put some wins together, and I think we have gotten better each week. I think it gives us a lot of confidence.”

With the more consistent success Cactus’ football program has now seen over the last two seasons, Belles said it shows that this success for Cactus at 5A will not be a one-time thing.

“We made the playoffs 22 years in a row, and I have been there for all of them,” he said. “I do not see this year as any different than any other year. Obviously stepping up in competition and playing bigger schools is our real-

ity, but I stand by our players and our upcoming players. I don’t think the expectations change.

“We want to win at a high level, and we were able to accomplish that this year and all the other years past. We have our goals, and our goals don’t change no matter what level we are playing at.”

After a victory in the first round of the 5A division playoffs over Surprise Willow Canyon, 21-14, Cactus’ championship hopes are still alive. A matchup against Scottsdale Horizon is up next.

“We know any team that we face in the playoffs will be a tough opponent,” Belles said. “It’s just a matter of regrouping. Our expectations are that we put our best performance forward, and we let the chips fall where they may.”

To make a real run to a state championship, Belles said his team will really need to focus on executing on both sides of the ball.

“We need to limit penalties and be efficient on offense,” Belles said. “Also, this time of year, you have to play good defense, and our kids know that. We work very hard at practice with situational football.”

The division may have changed for Cactus, but the winning mentality has stayed the same and will continue to for many seasons to come.

“We want to win a championship,” Galvan said. “That’s what we are hoping for.”

GlendaleStar.com /GlendaleStar

After a 21-14 victory over Surprise Willow Canyon, Cactus will take on Scottsdale Horizon in the second round of the 5A division playoffs on Friday, Nov. 25. (Cactus High School/Submitted)

Don’t Suffer

Are your bulging or varicose veins causing you pain? Varicose veins are a result of a condition known as Venous Insufficiency or Venous Reflux. This condition occurs when the valves in the legs that regulate the one-way flow of blood in the veins become diseased and unable to function properly, leading to blood flow in both directions Simple interventions, many with no recovery or downtime, may improve your vascular function and reduce your symptoms. Schedule an appointment for a vein screening today.

tar The Glendale

Paws to Read WEDNESDAYS

Paws to Read is offering kids the opportunity to meet Harper, Maddie and Richie to help relieve stress and spend time with animals. These three dogs are always excited to interact with children and listen to whatever stories are being told.

Heroes Regional Park Library, Yucca Room, 6075 N. 83rd Avenue, Glendale, 1 to 2 p.m., free, glendaleazlibrary.com

The Open Mic WEDNESDAYS

Stir Crazy Comedy Club hosts its weekly open mic night. Those interested are likely to see new talent as well as seasoned comedians just looking to work on new material.

Think you have what it takes to take the stage and make the audience laugh? Now is your chance. There are 10 sign-up spots that will become available online at noon on Monday.

Stir Crazy Comedy Club, Westgate Entertainment District, 6751 N. Sunset Boulevard, Suite E206, Glendale, visit website for ticket prices and times, stircrazycomedyclub.com

Code with Daisy: Teen & Tween Coding Club

NOV. 26

As time passes, learning how computers work is becoming more important than ever to understanding how the modern world works. Youths from the age of 10 to 18 are encouraged to come by the library and learn the art of coding by working on the code club’s robots and seeing how they tick.

Heroes Regional Park Library, Yucca Room, 6075 N. 83rd Avenue, Glendale, 1 to 2 p.m., free, glendaleazlibrary.com

The Glendale Star publishes on Thursday. The weekly 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 Star’s coverage area, which is in the city of Glendale.

Weekly 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. Thursday to be considered for the following Thursday publication. Submissions must be in writing and may be emailed to Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, christina@timeslocalmedia.com.

aged to flex their creative muscle and explore the mystical world of Dungeons & Dragons. Teens will get the opportunity to see fantastical worlds and practice their improv and problem solving in a strange and magical land beyond the veil.

Big Pete Pearson: Arizona’s King of The Blues

NOV.

26

Big Pete Pearson, Arizona’s very own King of the Blues, arrives at the Westside Blues Jazz Club for a night of soulful, smooth-sounding jazz. Beginning his first performance at age 9, Pete has gone on to sing his soul out at clubs for over 75 years, and has worked with Ray Charles, Tina Turner, B.B King and far too many others to list.

Westside Blues and Jazz Club, 17045 N. 59th Avenue, Suite 104, Glendale, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m., visit website for ticket prices and times, westsideblues.com

Foothills Library, 19055 N. 57th Avenue, Glendale, 6 to 7 p.m., free, glendaleazlibrary.com

The Dirt Expo

DEC. 3 AND DEC. 4

Join hundreds of exhibitors as they showcase their unique products for this mega exposition of all things that leave the road behind. Visitors will see tons of off-road vehicles, accessories and off-road seminars. The expo also features demo rides for Yamaha motorcycles and hourly giveaways and holiday deals.

Shut up and Write!

NOV. 29

Discover just how useful it is to work alongside other writers and hone valuable skills together with other passionate people. Writers of all skill levels are welcome to share anything they’ve got, whether it be an essay, a book, a poem, a song, a resume or just work. Critique the work of others and gain insight into what needs changing.

State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, Glendale, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., $18.50 admission, thedirtexpo. com

Manic Hispanic Sunday Funnies

NOV. 27

After a five-year nap, the Manic Hispanics, Ken and Brady, are ready to return to the stage once more for their mix of stand-up, sketch and improv comedy. With their high-energy mixture of oddball ideas, the pair emulate the famed comedy of Abbott and Costello with their onstage synergy.

Stir Crazy Comedy Club, Westgate Entertainment District, 6751 N. Sunset Boulevard, Suite E206, Glendale, visit website for ticket prices and times, stircrazycomedyclub.com

Foothills Library, 19055 N. 57th Avenue, Glendale, 10 to 11:30 a.m., free, glendaleazlibrary.com

Clean Comedy Night

DEC. 4

Anime and Manga Club

DEC.

2

Meet up with other teens and discuss manga both recent and old. Suggest your favorites to others, or find something new and exciting from those with similar interests.

The club focuses not only on anime and manga but the culture that surrounds the community.

Glendale Main Library, 5959 W. Brown Street, Glendale, 4 to 5 p.m., free, glendaleazlibrary.com

Come by for a comedy night that’s fun for the whole family. Chris Vogt and Michael Fisher come to the Stir Crazy for a night of fun and excitement that’s intended to leave everyone young and old in stitches, regardless of age or lifestyle.

Stir Crazy Comedy Club, Westgate Entertainment District, 6751 N. Sunset Boulevard, Suite E206, Glendale, visit website for ticket prices and times, stircrazycomedyclub.com

Level Up!

Dungeons & Dragons

NOV. 28

Pros and beginners alike are encour-

Glendale veteran wins A/C unit from Forrest Anderson

BY GLENDALE STAR STAFF

Forrest Anderson Plumbing and Air Conditioning, a family-owned business in the Phoenix area since 1961, recently announced the winner of its seventh annual Military Hero Giveaway.

Cheryl Reuss, a Glendale resident and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, secured the most public votes to win a free A/C unit in the giveaway that is meant to honor the sacrifices of local veterans, active-duty service members and their families.

“It is such an honor to be selected for this year’s Military Hero Giveaway,” Reuss said. “The people at Forrest Anderson have been extraordinary, and it’s so wonderful that they have this giveaway. This is going to help my granddaughter and me stay cool through the summer and will make such a big difference in our lives. I’m so thankful for Forrest Anderson.”

Since 2016, Forrest Anderson has worked with local partners to sponsor the Military Hero A/C Giveaway each year around Veterans Day because they see the health risks of living without air conditioning in Arizona. Previous winners include veterans from Peoria, Ahwatukee, Mesa and Wittman.

Reuss served in the United States

Marine Corps from 1989 to 1993, reaching the rank of corporal. After her service, she began her civilian career in human resources and eventually found her way to teaching elementary and junior high school for 10 years. She spends a lot of her time with the Arizona Roadrunners, a chapter of the Women Marines Association. As a single

parent raising her 10-year-old granddaughter, Reuss also spends time volunteering with Girl Scouts of the USA.

A friend nominated Reuss for the giveaway, citing her love and dedication to her granddaughter and her commitment to giving back to her community.

Forrest Anderson selected Reuss as

one of four finalists in this year’s Military Hero A/C Giveaway and the community responded, selecting her as the winner of a new A/C unit during a 14day public voting period.

Forrest Anderson will replace Reuss’s 20-year-old system with a brandnew unit, fully installed with the help of industry partners, MORSCO HVAC/Bush Supply and Smiley Crane Service.

In addition, Cameron Davis, president of Razor Thin Media, presented her with a $500 gift card.

To recognize the three runners-up, President of Forrest Anderson Audrey Monell gave Larry Brown of Surprise, Donald Kuhl of Phoenix, and Beth Nehring of Phoenix a free A/C tune-up for one unit valued at $84.95.

“The Forrest Anderson team is proud to honor Cheryl and present her with an A/C unit,” Monell said. “This giveaway is just a small thank-you for her service to our country and her commitment to her community. We are so thankful to all of our finalists this year.

“We hope that, by sharing their stories, we have helped to support them and highlight the importance of our military community. We couldn’t be more grateful for their service and sacrifice.”

GlendaleStar.com /GlendaleStar

Cheryl Reuss was selected by Forrest Anderson Plumbing and Air Conditioning to receive a free A/C unit through the Military Hero Giveaway. (Submitted)

A happy Thanksgiving is a healthy Thanksgiving

This quote by Robert Lintner sums up Thanksgiving perfectly. “Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day,” John F. Kennedy said. “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

I have a challenge this Thanksgiving holiday season that may be hard on our emotions. With an attitude of gratitude, let’s thank our families, co-workers, friends, spouses, employees and employers for something special they have done for us.

Even the famous sprinter Usain Bolt found a way to thank his doubters. He wrote: “I’d like to say thanks to all my fans; thanks for the support. And to all my doubters, I’d like to thank you very much because you have pushed me to run faster.” Not bad! Dub Nance points out another thing we can all be very thankful for. “There’s one thing for which you can be thankful — only you and God have all the facts about yourself.” Yes, and amen!

The Oxford Dictionary defines thankfulness as “the feeling of being happy or grateful because of something.” Here’s a story reported in the Los Angeles Times on Nov. 20, 1988, that illustrates our need for Thanksgiving and thankfulness more than just one day a year.

A screaming woman trapped in a car dangling from a freeway transition road in east Los Angeles was rescued Saturday morning. The 19-year-old woman apparently fell asleep behind the wheel at about 12:15 a.m. The car

CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Pastor Ed Delph Glendale Star Columnist

plunged through a guardrail and dangled by its left rear wheel.

A half dozen passing motorists stopped, grabbed some ropes from one of their vehicles, tied the ropes to the back of the woman’s car, and hung on until the fire units arrived. The fire units extended a ladder from below to help stabilize the car while firefighters tied the vehicle to tow trucks with cables and chains. It was quite an ordeal.

“Every time we would move the car,” one of the rescuers said. “She would yell and scream. She was in terrible pain.”

It took almost two and a half hours for the passersby, police officers, tow truck drivers and firefighters — about 25 people — to secure the car and put the woman to safety. Throughout the episode, the woman continued talking, repeating a phrase repeatedly to the rescuers. It was kind of funny, the fire captain recalled later. “She kept saying, ‘I’ll do it myself.’” Fortunately for the young woman, the rescuers didn’t listen to her. She survived the crash.

I don’t know about you, but if that had happened to me, I think I would have profusely thanked all involved in the rescue for taking the time and effort to rescue me from my precarious predicament. Perhaps she was in shock, but once she came out of shock and had her wits back, she might have gone back to thank the police and fire department.

Did you note that the girl kept saying “I’ll do

it myself”? Consider this Thanksgiving thought. Partnerships may feel least comfortable when it is most necessary. That was certainly the case on the first Thanksgiving. Both the Native Americans and the Pilgrims were in the same predicament. They worked together to survive a very rough winter. And they also celebrated the first Thanksgiving together after the crisis.

Richard Douglas enlightens about the idea of Thanksgiving and thankfulness. “The modern American seldom pauses to give thanks for life’s simple blessings. One reason is that we are used to having so much. We assume that we will have all the good things in life. Another reason is that it hurts our pride to be grateful. We do not want to admit that God is the Provider of all good things. We are His stewards. Being thankful requires humility and faith in God. When we have these things, we can be grateful.”

The lack of thankfulness in our lives has devastating consequences. It affects our attitude negatively when we are closed to the idea of thankfulness. We end up becoming judgmental and prideful. We tend to become selfish and self-sufficient. We end up under-

achieving, alone in our self-created unthankful world, hanging by one wheel on a bridge saying, “I’ll do it myself.” Brene Brown says, “What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.”

Anyone who is a resident of the entitlement world should change addresses. Taking the time to thank God and others for everything we have is what Thanksgiving is all about. It’s giving thanks, not just taking thanks. Thankfulness gives you a different perspective on life, a healthy one that builds up a person, not tears them down. Thankfulness is an attitude of gratitude, elevating both the giver and the receiver in life-lifting ways.

A happy Thanksgiving is a healthy Thanksgiving; a healthy Thanksgiving is a grateful Thanksgiving; a grateful Thanksgiving is a hopeful Thanksgiving.

Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. He has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. For more information, see nationstrategy.com. He may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.

Harvest

BY JOE MCHUGH Glendale Star Staff Writer

The Peoria Unified School District recently held 13 separate events in honor of Veterans Day on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10.

The individual schools and school district put their efforts toward showing their appreciation for the veterans in the Peoria and Glendale communities.

“I would call it joy and pride in the work that our school did,” PUSD Superintendent Jason Reynolds said. “We had breakfasts and lunches for veterans across our schools, we had flag raising ceremonies, we had an assembly parade. It is just a tremendous amount of pride that I feel when I see our students taking time to honor that sacrifice.”

In an effort to ensure as many veterans as possible could see the schools showing support, the 13 separate events were held at 13 different schools at various times. Spreading a positive message and saying thank you to those who have served and are serving to the communities’ veterans is of the utmost importance for PUSD.

Serving a secondary purpose, the events also helped educate the future generation on what Veterans Day is and how important it is to give back to the community.

“In Peoria Unified, we believe that it is incredibly important that we work with our parents, our community, our

students, our teachers, our support staff across the board, to ensure that our students understand how important our democracy is and why it has been, and continues to be, a beacon for the world,” Reynolds said.

“More importantly, even what sacrifices have been made and continue to be made to keep that democracy strong.”

Reynolds said the effort was worth the result.

“I had the pleasure of attending Zuni Hills Elementary, where students were asked to invite family members who had served to be celebrated or who have served and continued to serve to be celebrated at a school wide assembly,” Reynolds said. “It was such a joy to see how much pride veterans had as they were walking in. But it was even more special to see how much pride that our students had for them.”

Peoria Unified will continue its efforts in showing the community just how much it appreciates veterans and how they are an integral part of the community.

“Something as small (as) thanking veterans for their service each and every day,” Reynolds said. “But Veterans Day celebrations will always be an important part of what we do in Peoria Unified, and it should be said again and again how thankful we are for everyone who has served and will to continue to, to protect our freedoms.”

The 13 events across the district also served as a way to educate the next generation on what Veterans Day is and how important it is to give back to the community.

(Peoria Unified School District/Submitted)

Reassessing your personal brand is no different than making a final check in the mirror before leaving for work. You’re making sure you look your best, but this has nothing to do with selecting a different accessory or straightening a tie. Instead, it’s about showcasing your professional value, areas of expertise, unique attributes and special skills during a job search.

CHECK YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

First impressions these days often arrive via social media, and nowhere is that more true than with a prospective employer. So, the first step in updating your personal brand is to make sure you have a presence on professional sites like LinkedIn, but also on Facebook, Twitter and sometimes even Instagram. Creating original content, sharing published material, and regularly discussing your profession indicates that you’re an engaged and forward-thinking employee with a bright future ahead.

Consider launching a personal website or blog, so you can better feature your work and accomplishments. Beyond investing in your own professional capital, it’s also smart to scrub anything that might hinder your job search. That may include negative posts, old photos or shared memes that may be offensive. Shape your LinkedIn bio toward

the field your interested in, removing things like your minimum-wage first job.

GOOGLE YOUR OWN NAME

Brand reassessment allows you to take stock in how far you’ve come, while also creating a clearer vision for where you’d like to go. But it’s not all internal. Consider Googling yourself. Hiring managers are going to do it, so you might as well do a comprehensive web search to see what’s out there. These are the details of your work and personal lives that they’ll be familiar with before you ever sit down for an interview. Unlike your personal resume, you can’t control what appears first on web searches, but you can be prepared to discuss it.

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK

Try reaching out to one person per day, whether through social media, a phone call or text. Ask about their work life, what projects they’re involved with, and how things are going. Talk about your own professional goals — and offer to do what you can to help them along the way. Importantly, you shouldn’t immediately ask for anything in return. The larger point is to make or deepen connections that may be valuable in the future.

DEVELOP A MISSION STATEMENT

If you’re looking for a new challenge, put that into words. Creating this mission statement puts your goals into perspective — first for you, and then for a prospective employer. Once you’ve sketched this out personally, it will be much easier to organize your thoughts during an interview. Include both near-term and long-term benchmarks. That will help you craft more manageable goals.

A mission statement will also act as a kind of personal-brand guideline, shaping the way you post, blog or discuss your future. Every one likes a story, but not one that rambles on forever. Consider creating a minute-long response that organizes your thoughts in a succinct and persuasive manner. Short, to-the-point answers invite responses, and suddenly a dialogue is underway.

NOTICE OF BID

NOTICE OF INTENT TO RECEIVE BIDS

The Arizona Board of Regents, for and on behalf of Northern Arizona University, is soliciting sealed Proposals from qualified firms or indi viduals for the purpose of selecting a firm or individual interested in p r o v i d i

Offers shall be delivered no later than 3:00 P M , Arizona Time, Janu ary 5th, 2023 to the office of the Vice President of Procurement on the

o

N o r t h e r n A r i z o n a U n i v e r s i t y 5 4 5 E P i n e K n o l l D r i v e Building 98B, PO Box 4124, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, (928) 523 4557

To request a Proposal by E mail contact Northern Arizona University Purchasing Services at the above phone number or by emailing NAU Purchasing@nau edu To download a copy from the Internet access ht tps://in nau edu/contracting purchasing services/nau bid board/

The Arizona Board of Regents reserves the right to reject any or al l Offers, to waive or declare to waive irregularities in any Offer, or to withhold the award for any reason it shall determine and also reserves the right to hold any or all Offers for a period of ninety (90) days after the date of the opening thereof No Offeror shall withdraw their Offer during this ninety (90) day period

Published: Glendale Star Nov 24, 2022/ 50458

NOTICE TO READERS:

Most service advertisers have an ROC# or “Not a licensed contractor” in their ad, this is in accordance to the AZ state law.

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): The advertising requirements of the statute does not prevent anyone from placing an ad in the yellow pages, on business cards, or on flyers.

Local welding supply business is looking for an en ergetic person for a FULL TIME general laborer/maintenance position Duties include mov ing cylinders around the yard with a forklift, sorting, sandblasting and painting cylinders. Will be neces sary to operate a forklift Bilingual would be very helpful The filling of propane and alternative fuel tanks may also be part of this position This is a great opportunity to get your feet wet with this great or ganization room for growth in the company If you are looking for a great company to begin your career with, this is the place to consider Benefits include vacation time, holiday pay, health and medical bene fits, 401K opportunity and many more Two locations available: 742 E Main, Avondale 1333 N 21 Avenue, Phoenix Apply in person to JR or Rase at either location, or send resume to: jose lima@vernlewis com

N o r t h e r n A r i z o n a U n i v e r s i t y O f f e r s s h a l l b e d e l i v e r e d n o l a t e r t h a n 3 : 0 0 P M A r i z o n a T i m e

T h u r s d a y , D e c e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 2 2 , t o t h e o f f i c e o f t h e A s s o c i a t e V i c e

P r e s i d e n t o f P r o c u r e m e n t o n t h e c a m p u s o f N o r t h e r n A r i z o n a U n i versity 545 E Pine Knoll Drive Building 98B PO Box 4124 Flag staff, Arizona, 86011, (928) 523 4557

T o r e q u e s t a c o p y o f t h e R e q u e s t f o r P r o p o s a l b y E m a i l c o n t a ct Northern Arizona University Purchasing Services at the above phone n u m b e r o r b y e m a i l i n g N A U P u r c h a s i n g @ n a u e d u T o d o w n l o a d a copy from the Internet access https://nau edu/Contracting Purchasing Services/Purchasing/NAU Bid Board/

The Arizona Board of Regents reserves the right to reject any or al l Offers, to waive or declare to waive irregularities in any Offer, or to withhold the award for any reason it shall determine and also reserves the right to hold any or all Offers for a period of ninety (90) days after the date of the opening thereof No Offeror shall withdraw their Offer during this ninety (90) day period

Published: Glendale Star Nov 24, 2022/ 50395

What it does require under A.R.S. §32-1121A14(c) www.azleg. gov/ars/ 32/01165.htm is that the advertising party, if not properly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the public by including the words “not a licensed contractor” in the advertisement. Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the individual or company.

Contractors who advertise and do not disclose their unlicensed status are not eligible for the handyman’s exception.

Reference: http://www.azroc.g ov/invest/licensed_ by_ law.html

As a consumer, being aware of the law is for your protection. You can check a businesses ROC status at: http://www. azroc.gov.