West Valley View - East Zone - 11.30.2022

Breast cancer survivor becomes nurse

BY JOE MCHUGH West Valley View Staff Writer

One moment Lynne Lerman was chasing her dream of becoming a nurse; the next, she was floored with a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer, only treatable with chemotherapy.

Seemingly faced with a decision to focus on recovery at the cost of her dream, Lerman took on the challenge that most would find too overwhelming and challenging to tackle — become a nurse while being treated for breast cancer.

“It was devastating to get this diagnosis and then wonder, ‘Am I going to live?’” Lerman said. “But then still in the back of my mind I’m thinking, ‘Can I finish school?’ I have got to focus on living and surviving this, but at the same time, can I achieve that dream?”

In June 2016, then 38-year-old Lerman was enrolled in nursing classes at both Glendale Community College and Arizona State University. In her last semester, she felt a sharp pain, and through self-tests she determined that she needed to get it checked out.

After an extensive process, it was determined that she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, a rare diagnosis that is only treatable by chemotherapy. It only affects 13 in 100,000 women each year, and it has a high recurrence rate within the first five years.

“It was a huge shock,” Lerman said. “I was stunned. And I really didn’t think it was going to be that, to the point where I didn’t even tell my husband to come to the appointment.”

The journey was as difficult as it sounds, as balancing treatment and schooling was taxing on Lerman. But, she had a great support system around her, as the team taking care of her at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), Phoenix made her feel comfortable and gave her more hope that she could finish school strong. Her husband was also an integral part of her recovery and her success in school.

“We would do these word searches, and he would beat me every single time,”

Despite a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer, Lynne Lerman beat the odds and graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelors of nursing degree. (Lynne Lerman/Submitted) Survivor...continued on page 3

Westview student recognized with Award

BY LAURA LATZKO West Valley View Contributing Writer

For Janet Lopez, a senior at Westview High School, excellence is multi-dimensional. Along with being strong academically, she is also involved in yearbook, student government, sports team management, the National Honor Society and anthropology and Hispanic Heritage clubs.

Recently, the Avondale City Council honored Lopez, 16, with one of the city’s Exceptional Student Awards. She was the only one from her school district to receive this honor.

Superintendent Nora Gutierrez and Westview Principal Natalie Quiñonez were in attendance during the ceremony.

Lopez said the award speaks to how students can excel in different ways, including being involved in different extracurricular activities.

“I don’t have a 4.0, and I don’t take all of these advanced or AP classes,” Lopez said. “I’m not the valedictorian or anything. I think it’s cool to see that it’s not all about academics but also about volunteering and how you present yourself to the community.

… You still want to have good grades, but sometimes, it’s not all about the academics.”

Lopez has also received perfect attendance and GPA awards throughout her academic career. She was student of the month last May at her school.

With plans to attend Northern Arizona University, Lopez is interested in forensics, criminology and forensic photography.

Throughout her academic career, science and English have been Janet’s strongest subjects.

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Lerman said. “And he didn’t care. He would say, ‘I’m not giving you anything. You don’t get a 30 second head start.’ But he was just like, ‘Nope, come on, let’s do this,’ and we would just laugh, and he would treat me like I was normal.”

But treatment would take its toll on Lerman, as simple things she had previously known how to do became increasingly difficult. Studying was more challenging, and retaining the information she needed in order to pass her program was more difficult than ever to power through.

Power through she did, though, as through a combination of support from her husband, treatment team and her own relentless ambition, she eventually passed nursing school, accomplishing her dream and validating that she could do anything she wanted, no matter what the world threw at her.

“I was very determined,” Lerman said. “I waited so long in life to get to that point, and I had built these relationships with my classmates, and I just couldn’t imagine not finishing with them. And it’s something I wanted so badly for myself.”

“I just felt like I earned this,” she added. “And there was no way I was not going to finish. It’d be one thing if I powered through it and I failed and I had to come back. I would get that. But there was no way I was not going to do this.”

Her determination was something that would then carry her into preparation for the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, a daunting test that is the entry exam into the nursing world. Most people struggle with the test as it stands, it would be an entirely different experience for Lerman. But after all she had been through though, she would not be denied.

“Before my last radiation treatment, I had found out as I was driving there that I had passed my boards,” Lerman said. “It was amazing. Just this weight was lifted off my shoulders. And I was just like, ‘I did it. I finally did it.’ It was so challenging just to be in nursing school, and then to add this on top of it and still get through, it was amazing.”

Fast forward to 2022, the now-44-

year-old Lerman is a fully licensed nurse still and hasn’t had any recurrences since she finished chemotherapy, a remarkable feat considering the high recurrence rate of triple negative breast cancer.

She recently was invited to speak at the Celebrate Life event put on by CTCA, an event where she would be speaking directly to people who had been through similar experiences as her, and who were all celebrating cer-

Lynne Lerman felt an incredible sense of accomplishment after all that she has been through.

(Lynne Lerman/Submitted)

tain milestones that Lerman herself had experienced.

But her determination and refusal to let anything set her back is something to marvel at and is an inspiration to anyone who is going through hard times.

“Believe in yourself and advocate for yourself,” Lerman said. “It can be done. It might not be the ideal situation or the ideal journey, but the outcome will still be the same.”

Yisel Carter, PA-C

Margaret Over, PA-C

Brittani Gonzalez, WHNP, Madison Ginnis, PA-C, Jasmin Vasquez, PA-C,

Abrazo West hosts hiring event

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

Abrazo West Campus is holding an open house hiring event on Thursday, Dec. 1, from 2 to 5 p.m. for all current vacancies through out the hospital.

Applicants are encouraged to bring their resume and meet hiring managers during the job fair at 13677 W. Mc Dowell Road, Goodyear.

The hiring event offers an oppor tunity to meet and interview with hir

ing leaders, see the hospital, and learn more about our career opportunities available in clinical and entry-level po sitions. Qualified applicants may even receive an on-site job offer.

“Walk-in applicants are welcome, as we are having on-site interviews at the event,” said Wendy Fitzpatrick, senior recruiter at Abrazo. “This is a great time to come see for yourself why Abrazo is a leading em ployer in the West Valley. If you would like to pre-register, please email your resume to

wendy.fitzpatrick@tenethealth.com.”

Abrazo West Campus has evolved into a thriving medical center serving more than just the West Valley.

Offering complex services like a Level 1 Trauma program, orthopedics, interventional cardiology, stroke and vascular care, women’s health, ro botic-assisted surgery, spine surgery, obstetrics and more, Abrazo West, for Fitzpatrick, has become the hospital of choice for thousands of Arizonans.

To review current opportunities and apply online, visit abrazohealth.com/ careers.

If You Go...

WHAT: Abrazo West Campus hiring event

WHERE: Abrazo West Campus – Sec ond Floor Room

13677 W. McDowell Road, Goodyear

WHEN: 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1

INFO: Walk-ins are welcome

enjoyed.”

Yearbook is one of the activities with which Lopez has been involved the lon gest. She started taking yearbook class her freshman year.

This year, she is in charge of the se nior page and the opening theme for the yearbook.

As part of student government, Lopez is serving as senior class vice president. Through student government, she has had the opportunity to organize and speak at different school assemblies. She also served as emcee during a weeklong student government camp.

She said she has really grown as a pub lic speaker and leader because of student government.

“It made me open up more as a per son and get more involved,” Lopez said. “Student government and yearbook have allowed me to talk to more people. If it wasn’t for those classes, I would defi nitely be a different person.”

In student government especially, she has had a chance to mentor underclassmen.

“They look up to us, especially the sophomores. They will come to me for advice. I feel honored when they come to me,” Lopez said.

Student government also allowed Lo pez to give back to her community. Each year, they do a weeklong event benefit ing Make-A-Wish, in which money is raised by selling stars and scrunchies and asking teachers to pay $5 for the chance to wear jeans on Friday. They also fund raise by asking students to donate a cer tain amount of money each day to avoid having an annoying song played.

Last year, the effort raised $7,000 for the organization. Lopez said this year, the goal is $10,000.

The funds raised help the organization to fulfill the dreams of children suffering from chronic illnesses.

“I think that was my favorite (ser vice project), especially after seeing the Make-A-Wish videos and hearing them talk about how much it means to them,” Lopez said. “Sometimes, people forget that those situations are happening right now because we get so caught up with our lives.”

This year, Lopez has been in charge of her class’s Instagram page, which has over 300 followers. She said it is another way she has tried to engage her classmates.

She is also an anchor of “Knightly News,” a monthly show informing stu

dents about goings-on at the school.

During her junior year, Lopez took part in Arizona Girls State, which brings together girls from throughout Arizona to learn more about the state government and political process.

During the event, she took part in a mock election and was in the top two for the highest-level position.

Students were divided into two par ties. She was chosen out of around 160 students to lead her party

She also had the chance to emcee a tal ent show held during Girls State.

Lopez said the experience within this program really shaped her as a person and leader.

“I met a lot of new people,” she added. “I learned a lot about government. … It was a learning experience that I really

Lopez has been manager of the track and field team since her freshman year. The job involves keeping track of runner times and making sure team members are in their correct lanes.

In addition, Lopez just started to manage the football team this year and plans to also manage the wrestling team this year.

She is the teacher’s assistant this year for wrestling coach William Chaffee, a science teacher who has been influential to her as a student.

Lopez said it is important to have both strong leadership and communication skills to be a sports manager.

“If you aren’t demanding in a positive way, they won’t listen to you,” Lopez said.

Sometimes, Lopez will combine her activities. When she goes to football games and track meets, she will often bring her camera along and take pictures.

She first took an interest in photography after taking a photography class in eighth grade, and yearbook allowed her to fur ther develop her skills as a photographer.

“I’ve learned over the years since my freshman year how to take good pictures and get good angles,” Lopez said. “Also going up to people to take pictures of them. My freshman year, I would be scared. I would be like, ‘Oh, can I take a picture of you?’ Now, people come to me.”

Lopez said being involved with dif ferent activities can be challenging. She has to be extremely organized and disci plined to juggle it all.

“I think it’s just building a schedule and always prioritizing school with find ing ways to be involved, too,” Lopez said.

Student...continued from page 1

High school student Janet Lopez recently received an Exceptional Student Award from the Avondale City Council. (Tolleson Union High School District/Submitted)

WHAM Art Association to hold Bowls of Hope event

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

WHAM Art Association is set to host its eighth annual Bowls of Hope charity event. The event will occur at WHAM Com munity Art Center, 16560 N. Dysart Road, Surprise.

At the event, which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., WHAM will sell handmade bowls to give funds to local food banks for people in need and provide funds to a home for battered women, a shelter for victims of human trafficking, and shelters for veterans and teens in the West Valley.

“WHAM is committed to giving back to the community and provid ing a service to help many in our community,” WHAM said in a re lease. “Members of WHAM, a local nonprofit art group, are busy getting ready for this special event. These volunteers are hand-building, throw ing clay on wheels and glazing food safe bowls that will be on display for this special event. Our goal is to

Bowls cost $12, and proceeds support a number of West Valley charities. (WHAM Art Associ ation/Submitted)

have hundreds of bowls available for members of the community to select from.”

The bowls cost $12, and proceeds go toward West Valley charities such as Eve’s Place, Valley Vista Food Bank, St. Mary’s Food Bank, StreetlightU

SA, Teen Connection and veterans homeless shelters.

WHAM is hoping to make $4,000 this year to divide up among six chari ties. Last year’s attendance was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but despite that, WHAM was still able to

give out $2,200.

The event will also include an Art ist’s Bazaar and feature an exhibition in the Gallery by Ugandan Artist Brian Bugembe and an open call to Artists for their best Slice of Life: People at Work and Play.

Bugembe is a young artist living in Kampala, Uganda. He graduated in 2011 from Nagenda Internation al Academy of Art and Design with a focus in Fine Arts. He specializes in cultural paintings, African abstract art, beaded mosaics and other hand icrafts.

WHAM Art Association is a commu nity-oriented 501(c)(3) organization that is bringing the arts to people of all ages, race, abilities and economic sta tus in many of the West Valley Cities. WHAM’s mission is to provide inno vative, multidisciplinary, arts-inclusive programming, exhibits and projects to the diverse communities we serve.

For more information about WHAM or the Bowls of Hope charity event, visit wham-art.org.

for spring semester

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

Open registration for the spring 2023 semester has begun at Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC).

The spring semester kicks off with traditional 16-week classes as well as the first session of eight-week flex-start courses on Saturday, Jan. 14. The second set of flex-start courses begins on Monday, March 20.

Students can register right up until the day classes begin, but with EMCC’s student body population already up 13% from last year, it is advised to not delay.

“Our student head count is almost back up to where it was before the pandemic hit,” EMCC President Dr. Rey Rivera said. “And that’s great news. That tells us that everything we’ve been doing to make our college completely accessible to our students no matter where they are is working.”

When the pandemic hit, EMCC immediately transitioned all classes to a virtual format and made all student services available online.

“We knew how important it was for students to stay in contact with their advisors during the pandemic, and for those students who needed tutoring to be able to receive those services in real time,” Rivera said. “We don’t want any of our students to feel like they’re

completing college in a vacuum. We are here to serve our students and make sure that they are set up for success. That’s what we’re here for.”

As the CDC lifted restrictions, EMCC returned to four different learning modalities: in person, hybrid: in person and online, live online, and online on your time.

“We have a lot of students who have other responsibilities and can’t necessarily be on campus for an in-person class,” Rivera said. “But with the four different learning modalities and virtual student services we have continued to offer, they, too, can complete their degree.”

Tuition costs $85 per credit hour for Maricopa County residents ($42.50 for county residents who are 65 or older), and payment plans as well as financial aid opportunities including grants, loans, scholarships and work study are available. Students must meet in-state residency requirements before becoming eligible for $85 per credit.

“Income should not be a barrier to getting an education,” Rivera said. “And our dedicated financial aid staff work tirelessly to make sure that’s true.”

Future students can learn more about how an education at EMCC can fit their lives by visiting estrellamountain. edu/students/fit-my-life.

Avondale ranks 1st in 2022 digital cities survey

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

The Center for Digital Government (CDG) announced the winners of the 22nd annual Digital Cities Survey, which recognizes cities utilizing technology to strengthen cybersecurity, enhance transparency and digital equity, and a plan for the future of work, among others.

Avondale took the top ranking in the nation for the population category 75,000 to 124,999.

Avondale shares the top title of 2022 Digital Cities with four other cities in alternate population categories — Long Beach, California; San Diego, California; Bellevue, Washington; and Village Schaumburg, Illinois.

The top 10 ranking cities in each of five population categories were honored during the Digital Cities Awards event at the National League of Cities “City Summit” on Nov. 17 in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Constituents expect more from modern governments,” said Brian Cohen, vice president of CDG. “Our Digital Cities survey winners have worked hard to keep the focus on the needs of the communities they serve while implementing technology to improve delivery and execution. We congratulate them for leading the way towards a smarter and more responsive government.”

Avondale has now won the award for multiple years but rose from fifth place in 2021 to first place in this year’s survey. From expanding public Wi-Fi to bolstering cybersecurity and centralizing IT services, Avondale has strengthened its digital presence in multiple areas.

“Avondale has made considerable strides in gathering, analyzing and utilizing the data we collect,” said Jeff Scheetz, Avondale CIO. “A few ways

we have gathered data include digital signage using pedestrian traffic insights, social media monitoring and collecting citizen input through micro-surveys.”

Scheetz explained that Avondale also has continued its focus on the expansion of public Wi-Fi, which has yielded valuable data. “Using a portal allowed us to determine user demographics and provide opportunities for target marketing with specific events for our parks,” Scheetz explained.

Avondale has also established an internal data warehouse to support quarterly reporting on its strategic plan, which is then shared on the city’s public dashboard. This helps the city reduce silos by making all city-gathered data transparent to all departments as well as the public and helps inform city decision-making.

The information technology department in Avondale has been working to centralize technology services for several years, including purchasing, project management, implementation, support and asset replacement. An IT governance board facilitates IT strategic planning, manages risk, and provides investment and management oversight.

Avondale also has leveraged state grant programs to help enhance its cybersecurity posture. The IT department expanded endpoint security monitoring of server infrastructure and individual devices, enabling quicker detection and identification of security threats. Other improvements include enhanced web application security and incident response work, like a disaster recovery and incident response tabletop exercise by the city’s IT internal audit department.

“In this day and age, cybersecurity is always at the forefront of everything the city does,” Scheetz said.

For more opinion visit WestValleyView.com

Thanksgiving never needed any makeover

BY J.D. HAYWORTH West Valley View Columnist

During the 1960s and ’70s, in “Anytown, USA” often on Thanksgiving afternoon, the ritual would be the same. After enjoying excessive amounts of turkey and dressing, families would head for Main Street and the hometown pomp and pageantry of a local parade.

The city’s downtown merchants association, eager to get the Yuletide purchases started, would end the festivities in familiar fashion. A certain “Jolly Old Elf” would emerge, minus the meteorological mystery of Groundhog Day, to “officially” start something very important.

“And on the final float in this holiday parade, it’s none other than Santa Claus, signaling the start of the ‘Christmas Shopping Season!’”

That last page of the script, intoned by a public address announcer to the crowd on-site or by a television broadcaster to the folks who stayed home to scarf down an extra piece of pumpkin pie, conveyed a none-too-subtle message: “Get downtown, and get your Christmas shopping done!”

By the late 1980s, America had gone to the mall, and in many of the “Anytowns,” the holiday parade had gone the way of the dodo bird. In its place, slick shopping displays would herald seasonal shopping changes.

Merchandizers would make the jarring transition from jack-o’-lanterns to St. Nick as quickly as the calendar turned from October to November.

What about Thanksgiving?

While it isn’t just for turkey, this historic holiday seems to get the short shrift from a merchandising and marketing perspective.

Even so, there’s no need to place an emergency call to the newly founded Boutique PR Firm, “Late November Crisis Communications.”

Though major cities may fi nd themselves in crisis, they still somehow manage to keep their massive Thanksgiving Day Parades marching. New York, Chicago and Detroit top the list.

Speaking of Detroit… we might not classify this as “fun and games,” but once again the struggling Lions hosted an NFL contest. The most significant statistic is already in the books: this year marks the 72nd Thanksgiving that teams will take the field in Motown.

Motoring onward, Thanksgiving still tops the list for holiday travel in the USA, as the Department of Transportation reports that venturing to a destination over 50 miles or more from home increases by 54% during Thanksgiving Weekend.

And it’s not just “over the river and through the woods.” It’s coast to coast and through the air, too. The Sunday after Thanksgiving earns the dubious distinction as the most crowded day to fly, hands down… er… wheels up.

So when all is said and done, Thanksgiving needs no marketing makeover.

It’s not dependent on a parade, a score or a store.

With apologies to Dr. Seuss for this holiday verse variation, Thanksgiving is something a whole lot more.

In the newly constituted United States, George Washington called for Americans to “unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations…” and “to render our national

government a blessing to all the people … and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.”

Washington’s Proclamation assigned Thursday, Nov. 26, 1789, as our nation’s first “official” Thanksgiving Day, but much earlier observances had been celebrated in Colonial America for well over a century.

Now, over two centuries since that first Presidential Proclamation, we gather together again.

Thanksgiving is not just a holiday… it’s a call to prayer for believers; a time for families and friends to gather for fellowship and a day of recognition and reflection undergirded with a spirit of gratitude.

May it always be celebrated and observed… in “Everytown, USA.”

J.D. Hayworth represented Arizona in the U.S. House from 1995-2007. He authored and sponsored the Enforcement First Act, legislation that would have mandated enforcement of Federal Immigration Law in the 109th Congress.

GAMBLE’S OPINION — King Features

Think vaping is a safe alternative to cigarettes? Think again

BY DR. SAGUN SHRESTHA Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Phoenix

In the past decade, vaping has reached epidemic levels and has become prevalent among middle and high schoolers across the country.

In fact, a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey found approximately 2.55 million U.S. middle and high school students are currently using e-cigarettes. This trend

is alarming, especially when considering e-cigarettes can negatively impact adolescents’ developing bodies and brains, leading to possible nicotine addiction or, worse, lung-related diseases and other maladies.

Unfortunately, vaping is often viewed as a healthier alternative to cigarettes. As e-cigarettes do not contain high levels of tobacco, but do include significant amounts of nicotine, many

individuals use vaping as a transitional method to kick smoking habits. The myriad enticing, flavored e-cigarette products further contribute to the popularity.

However, this misinformation that vaping is safe compared to cigarettes is inaccurate and risky. Vaping is not safe for anyone. The combination of hazardous chemicals and the inhalation of potentially carcinogenic compounds pose risks for all who partake.

Though e-cigarettes are believed by some to be less harmful than regular cigarettes, the negative effects are undeniable. The aerosol inhaled when vaping contains a mixture of nicotine, formaldehyde and acrolein, among other ingredients. Acrolein, which is commonly used as a weed killer, can cause irreversible lung damage. Formaldehyde has been associated with certain types of cancer.

Yet vaping does not just affect users. The surgeon general concluded those exposed to secondhand emissions, including nicotine, ultrafine particles; flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease; volatile organic compounds such as benzene, found in car exhaust; and heavy metals, such as nickel, tin and lead, are at increased risk of developing lung cancer.

Two studies published in the American Heart Association’s peer-reviewed journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology indicate vaping products and traditional tobacco cigarettes affect cardiovascular systems similarly.

The combination was discovered to have extreme, severe negative effects on heart health. Other concerns with use of these products include airway irritation, and a reduced capacity of large blood vessels to supply sufficient blood to the heart, lungs and other major organs.

In addition, vaping impacts middle and high schoolers to a greater degree. According to the aforementioned CDC survey, e-cigarettes have become the most commonly used tobacco products among middle and high schoolers.

Though 23.6 million people in the United States have a nicotine depen-

dence according to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), adolescents are most vulnerable to adverse effects. Nicotine impacts parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulses, and has been linked to an increased risk of addiction to other drugs.

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, long-term use of tobacco products is almost always established during adolescence when the developing brain is most likely to succumb to addiction.

The link between vaping and serious lung-related diseases

While we are still understanding exactly how dangerous vaping is, another surgeon general’s report underscores the point, noting that, if current rates of use continue among youth, 5.6 million are projected to die from tobacco-related diseases.

Bottom line: The vaping epidemic must be taken seriously. I am calling for dedicated prevention and interventional resources to be directed at middle and high school students, or even earlier at elementary schools to stop students before they start. As clinical providers, we also play an essential role in having conversations with our youth about the proven health risks tied to vaping. The health of young Arizonans matters, and we must unite to protect this precious asset.

Dr. Sagun Shrestha is the medical oncology lead for CTCA Phoenix’s Lung Cancer Center and has a passion for public health education.

Disappointed ‘Swifties’ will one day get over it

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ West Valley View Columnist

If you were going to chart the biggest heartbreaks I suffered in my early 20s, at the top of the list was not being able to get a ticket to U2’s soldout concert at the old Orange Bowl in Miami. I’m only half-kidding. We are talking about my then-favorite band, a group I worshiped with MAGA-like fervor, playing not 20 miles from my parents’ house.

Friends of mine from high school camped out at record stores across South Florida for a couple or three night. Tickets were 20 bucks, with each buyer limited to six.

Much to my crushing disappointment, I was away at college and couldn’t connive someone to waste a few days of his or her life to sleep on concrete outside a BASS ticket outlet.

Records show that 54,111 people were in attendance that Thursday night in December 1987 when Bono, Edge, Larry and Adam performed 18 songs, starting with “Where The Streets Have No Name” and ending with the operatic “40,” the crowd in full throat-chanting along.

I feel like I’ve spoken to all 54,000 attendees over the past 35 years. They all swear it was the apex of their concertgoing lives.

I’m pretty sure Bono invited everyone back to the tour bus afterward for Dom Perignon and caviar, plus free T-shirts and autographs. Me, I was working a double at Bennigan’s in Tallahassee.

This is how I know with great certainty that every Valley resident — and every American — who didn’t get tickets to Taylor Swift’s upcoming March 2023 concerts at Glendale’s State Farm Stadium will survive this crushing blow.

Does it suck for you? Yep.

But with time comes perspective and real-life losses that actually matter. You’ll eventually realize how stupid the kerfuffle around Ticketmaster flubbing the pre-sale to The Eras Tour

sounds to people not suffering from a classic case of “First World problems.”

I have checked the Bill of Rights. Nowhere are you guaranteed a spot in a digital line to see your favorite performer at a reasonable price.

In fact, given that we live in a state of seven million people and that the Glendale venue holds about 63,000 people, the laws of probability and supply and demand dictate that you never really had a chance.

Dare I echo Taylor herself and suggest that you “shake it off, shake it off?”

In the aftermath of the ticket sale gone wrong, we have learned that Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation are being probed by the U.S. Department of Justice and the attorneys general of Nevada, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Predictably, politicians also weighed in, including Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who tutted-tutted her “serious concerns about the state of competition in the ticketing industry and its harmful impact on consumers” and PR-hound Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who tweeted “Ticketmaster is a monopoly, its merger with LiveNation should never have been approved, and they need to be reigned in.”

Taylor herself described it as “excruciating for me to just watch mistakes happen with no recourse.”

In all, 2.4 million Swifties were able to purchase tickets last week by pushing a few buttons — no sleeping bags in a parking lot necessary. The rest of you tortured souls now have two options.

You can go to Stubhub, where a nosebleed seat currently starts at about 450 bucks and field level seats are being resold for as much as $4,000. Or you can learn to deal with heartbreak.

One day you’ll look back and laugh at how much this meant, and how silly it all seems.

But until then, it’s like Taylor writes about a broken heart in “Sad Beautiful Tragic” — “time is taking its sweet time erasing you.”

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

Around the Bluhmin’ Town

talk about Black Friday

BY JUDY BLUHM West Valley View Columnist

How did Black Friday get its name?

The phrase has been widely used since the 1980s to signify when retailers can go from operating in the red to finally making profits.

Yet, dig a little deeper and it seems that “Black Friday” was first coined by a police officer in Philadelphia around 1960. He noticed large throngs of hol iday shoppers, gloomy weather and chaotic crowds around the Army-Navy football game on the day after Thanksgiving. The entire police department dreaded Black Friday, as it meant lon ger shifts, crowd control, shoplifting and all manner of mischief. The phrase stuck.

Oh, the trials of tribulation of Black Friday. It seems people suffer great ly from indigestion on Black Friday (according to sales data of antacids). Maybe it has something to do with overeating, spending money, crowded parking lots, fender benders and long lines. My daughter said let’s go to a mall. It would be fun. How festive to see the decorations. Let’s get into the Christmas spirit. Sure, I love having fun!

There are all sorts of weird and scary stories that seem to emerge after Black Friday. One woman in Phoe nix emailed to say that she broke her own record by spending $3,000 in one hour at one of the “seductive, outdoor shopping centers.” She claimed that she was “induced” to spend so much because it’s easy to do when you’re in a large crowd of shoppers who are egg ing each other on.

I secretly admire the brave souls that can wake up at 4 a.m., with the steely fortitude of a Marine, armed with a compulsively detailed list, ready to buy gifts for loved ones, then bravely stand in line for the heavenly gates of “Bargain Paradise” to open. A noble mission?

I don’t like crowds much, and I like shopping less. I get too easily distract ed. What good is a list when there are a zillion items out there — all with in credible potential to be the “best buy.” My friend spent an entire day looking for the “perfect” vase for her sister. Oh, ye of little faith, have no illusions about finding anything “perfect” for anyone. A day looking for a vessel to hold flowers? Why?

What “good deals” are you looking for this season? Can you live with the thought that trying to buy a “perfect” gift is almost impossible? Yep, the

shopping season has begun. I enjoyed my Black Friday experience because I shared it with my daughter, although I wasn’t organized enough, didn’t fol low my list, and probably made wrong choices. (Not sure why I bought a lav ender sweater for my husband, Doug).

Beyond shopping, the season of magic has arrived. It is the special time of year when we tend to focus on oth ers more than ourselves. Every cookie we make is usually for someone else. The gifts we buy are for others. The money we donate is to enrich someone else’s life.

Thanksgiving is all about gratitude. It sets the tone for the holidays coming. Nothing black about this most beauti ful time of year.

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

For more business visit WestValleyView.com WestValleyView.com

Business Briefcase

BY KAILA MELLOS West Valley View Staff Writer

Restaurants and businesses are choosing to flock to the West Valley to continue to open their doors to the thousands of people that call it home. With two new locations of pre-established businesses and another brand-new business plaza development, the Business Briefcase will break it down.

Clean Juice

Location: 15611 W. McDowell Road, Goodyear

Clean Juice, started by Landon and Kat Eckles in Huntersville, North Carolina, is under construction again in the West Valley area to add to its five other locations. The company started in 2014 as just research around juice and smoothie health benefits, and now is franchising locations all around the United States to spread the Clean Juice trends.

Clean Juice’s goal, through one of six different cleanses that have been created, is to provide nutrient-packed juices to consume a significant amount of vitamins and minerals in a day that would be impossible to do through just eating. Clean Juice has two different methods of juice cleanses — juice ’til dinner and full-day cleanses. Juice ’til dinner involves drinking juices all day until dinner when you would like a salad, and the full-day cleanse is nothing but juices. The juices are sold in packs depending on what you are looking for. But they also sell the juices separately and have sandwiches, wraps, salads and other things for anyone on the go. For more information on Clean Juice, visit cleanjuice.com.

Twisted Sugar

Location: Multiple Locations

Twisted Sugar and its cookies are further expanding into Arizona with multiple locations. The business, which started originally in Syracuse, New York, by Mike Jardine, now has two running franchise locations in Arizona, with six others coming soon.

The cookie shop has 20 different flavors, some seasonal, on its menu, including a classic chocolate chip cookie, cookies and creme, and a candy cane crinkle cookie. The shop also carries a variety of sodas to mix and match creations, along with what they call Twisters, an ice cream-based blend with different flavors.

For more information on Twisted Sugar, visit twistedsugar.com.

Goodyear Professional Plaza

Location: 1360 N. Bullard Avenue,

Goodyear

Started in 2021, the Goodyear Professional Plaza has been under construction to create a two-story professional office building with over 25,000 square feet of space. The building is intended for legal offices and other tenant space.

Faith, Ledyard & Faith PLC, established in 1979 and the largest full-service law firm based in the West Valley, has decided to call this their new home. Attorneys and Partners Michael Faith and Paul Faith will own the building. Their law firm will occupy half of the top floor while leasing the rest to advanced business service and medical professionals in search of high-quality Class A office space.

For information on Faith, Ledyard & Faith PLC, visit faithlaw.com.

The cookie shop has 20 di erent flavors, some seasonal, on its menu, including a classic chocolate chip cookie, cookies and creme, and a candy cane crinkle cookie. (Twisted Sugar/ Submitted)

For more sports visit WestValleyView.com WestValleyView.com

Suns injury woes taking a heavy toll, halt hot start

BY TOM AIZENBERG Cronkite News

Entering the 2022 NBA All-Star break, the Phoenix Suns had a 6.5-game lead over the Golden State Warriors for the top seed in the Western Conference. In a flash, both Chris Paul and Cam Johnson went down with injuries, and the No. 1 seed was in jeopardy.

However, the Suns figured out how to compensate for those injuries and won 14 of their next 18 games to se cure home-court advantage and the best regular-season record in franchise history.

Nine months later, the Suns find themselves in a similar situation, miss ing the same two players. This time, the injuries are taking a toll.

After a 5-1 start to the 2022-23 sea son, injuries to Paul and Johnson have left the Suns screaming for answers. They are 4-5 since the injury bug bit with losses to Portland without its star backcourt of Damian Lillard and An fernee Simons, and the Orlando Magic without their recent top overall pick, Paolo Banchero.

Johnson suffered a torn meniscus in his knee Nov. 4 in the Portland game, and Paul exited with an undisclosed heel injury Nov. 7 against the Philadel phia 76ers. The Suns could be without their two starters for quite some time and must find a way to play (and win).

“I feel bad for him, obviously; it’s a tough thing to happen,” Suns coach Monty Williams said of Johnson. “He was trying so hard to get ready for the season, and he’s certainly important to our team. It’s a tough blow. It’s easy to say injuries are a part of the game, but it’s an unfortunate part that you wish a guy like that didn’t have to deal with.”

A torn meniscus can be a serious in jury, or it can require minor repair. For Johnson, the timing couldn’t be worse.

He and the Suns failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension during the offseason, and he will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

Based on a shorter timeline of recov ery, Johnson had a partial meniscecto my — a common surgery among NBA players — in an effort to recover and return as quickly as possible.

“Within the surgical aspect, there’s two different types of surgery,” said Rajpal Brar, a doctor of physical ther apy, who is not treating Johnson. “One is typically a partial meniscectomy, when you trim out the damaged piece of tissue. And the other one is a me niscal repair, which is where you re pair the damaged piece of tissue. But the repair is not always possible, and it depends on the specifics of the injury.”

Johnson enjoyed a career year in his new role as a starter to begin the season, averaging nearly 15 points per game while making 44% of his three-pointers.

With Jae Crowder still away from the team, presumably awaiting a trade,

Torrey Craig moved into the starting lineup in Johnson’s place. Craig, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent, has never been a big-minutes player in his five NBA seasons. He averaged a career-high 20.5 minutes per game last season in 78 games he played with the Indiana Pacers and the Suns.

This season, Craig was averaging just 14 minutes a game off the bench before Johnson went down. He is av eraging nearly 27 minutes a night since moving into the starting lineup.

Craig is regarded as a high-energy player and strong defender, but he is not nearly the same scorer or shooter as Johnson and is hitting only a third of his 3-point attempts and has scored in double digits only once.

Despite his injury, Johnson is remain ing positive knowing that he will return this season. So are his teammates.

“He seems great. I saw him today (and) he seems in great spirits,” Suns forward Mikal Bridges said recently. “He’s been through surgery before, so I think that’s been helping him out

with the whole process. But he’s been great.”

The Suns have been less transparent about Paul’s situation.

Like last season, Cameron Payne has stepped up to the plate to fill in during Paul’s absence. Payne struggled for stretches last season, but he has ex celled with Paul out this season, aver aging 19 points and six assists. How ever, it has not led to positive results in the win-loss column.

The Suns won their first game with out their two stars at Minnesota but lost back-to-back games to Orlando and Miami to close out a four-game road trip. Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and Payne stepped up to combine for 79 points in a 130-119 win over the de fending champion Golden State War riors on Nov. 16. Then, two days later the Suns dropped their fifth game in November before recovering Sunday to rout the Knicks, 116-95.

Even before their injuries, the Suns were struggling to get to the free-throw line. They rank 25th in the league in free-throw attempts per game on the season.

With Paul in the lineup, Phoenix av eraged 23 shots at the charity stripe. Since his absence, the Suns have man aged only 17 attempts. The team’s four free-throw attempts in the loss to Miami tied the second-lowest total in franchise history.

Paul and Johnson combined to aver age nearly five free throw attempts per game this season, but Paul’s ability to get to the line in late-game situations is sorely missed.

“When you look at the stat sheet, when you look at situations like that where we only end up with four free throws for the game, that is hard to swallow,” Williams said after the Mi ami loss.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams has called on his supporting cast to pick up the slack in the absences of Cam Johnson (pictured) and Chris Paul. (Travis Whittaker/Cronkite News)

e West Valley View publishes on Wednesday. e 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 View’s coverage area, which is south of Northern Avenue, west of Loop 101, plus all of Tolleson, extending to Estrella in the south and Tonopah in the west. Events such as concerts and theatrical performances that fall outside the View’s circulation area will be considered because there are no concert halls or theater venues within our boundaries.

Weekly calendar items print on a space-available basis. e only way to guarantee that an item will print is to purchase an advertisement.

Submissions must reach our office by 4 p.m. Wednesday to be considered for the following Wednesday publication. Submissions must be in writing and may be emailed to Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, christina@TimesLocalMedia.com

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

Socrates Cafe: A Virtual Philosophical Discussion Group

DEC. 1

Come together with other aspiring philosophers and discuss the works of the old greats of philosophy over Zoom. Find people with di erent backgrounds and experiences to help broaden mental horizons. Register with your email address for the link.

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

Don Williams Senior and Company

DEC. 3

Join musician and visionary Don Williams and his crew as they play the night away with authentic melodies practiced for decades, and a full set of classics brought to the public.

Westside Blues and Jazz Club, 17045 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, Suite 104, Glendale, visit website for ticket prices and times, westsideblues.com

LIBCON West 2022

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

Big Band Grandstand Holiday Concert

DEC. 5

enue, Glendale, 6:30 to 8 p.m., free, glendaleazlibrary.com

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 around the culture that surrounds the community.

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

DEC. 3

The sixth annual comic convention at last comes to Glendale. Enjoy a free, all-ages celebration of pop culture with comic book creators, cosplay groups, dozens of vendors, games, prizes and live performances. Participants are encouraged to explore the area and enjoy local restaurants and holiday shopping while they visit.

Velma Teague Library, 7010 N. 58th Avenue, Glendale, 1 to 6 p.m., free, glendaleazlibrary.com, 623-930-3600

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 o -road vehicles, accessories and o -road seminars. The expo also features demo rides for Yamaha motorcycles, and hourly giveaways and holiday deals.

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

Clean Comedy Night

DEC. 4 Come by for a comedy night that’s fun for

Become part of a big band and practice classic holiday tunes along with a large collection of other like-minded musicians. Any musician that can sight-read charts is encouraged to show up with their own music stand and instrument to play, getting an experience they could not get simply practicing alone at home. This week, play publicly and get to perform for others!

Foothills Library, 19055 N. 57th Avenue, Glendale, 1 to 3 p.m., free, glendaleazlibrary.com

DEC. 9

Honest Soulz Band

Join the Honest Soulz Band at Westside Blues and Jazz Club for a night of soulful, smooth sounding jazz and drinks with all your favorites.

Westside Blues and Jazz Club, 17045 N. 59th Avenue, Suite 104, Glendale, 6:30 to 10 p.m., visit website for ticket prices and times, westsideblues.com

Foothills Co eehouse:

Live Acoustic Music

DEC. 5

Enjoy live music and support local artists with a nice cup of co ee in hand. This week, check out Harry Zulch and Fiddle Tunes. Foothills Library, 19055 N. 57th Av-

DEC. 9 AND DEC. 10

With clever style, a great big smile, and over a decade of experience under his belt, Kevin Bozeman takes the stage at the Stir Crazy Comedy Club to entertain and entrance with his unique comedic stylings.

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

West Valley View Dining

Kevin Bozeman

Many don’t know they are at risk of diabetes

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

November is American Diabetes Month. Chances are you know someone who has diabetes, a metabolic disorder affecting more than 37 million Americans, including those who have the disease but have not been diagnosed.

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that occurs when excess glucose (sugar) builds up in the blood. It can cause numerous health problems if not properly managed. Some symptoms of diabetes may seem so insignificant that you may not even notice them for months or years — but being diagnosed early is key to a lifetime of better health.

If left untreated, long-term diabetes complications include cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, stroke and narrowing of the arteries, according to dietitian Katy Stemple, MDA, RDN, manager of the Abrazo Health Medical and Surgical Weight Loss Program.

“The increase in diabetes in adults worldwide has quadrupled over the last few decades. The connection with heart and blood vessel damage is undeniable,” Stemple said. While there isn’t a cure yet for diabetes, the CDC says losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active can really help.

“Type 2 diabetes, which typically is diagnosed in adults and accounts for between 90-95% of all diagnosed cases, can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease and kidney disease,” she explained. “In the last 20 years, the number of adults with diabetes has more than doubled as the American population has become more

overweight or obese.”

According to the American Diabetes Association, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people living with diabetes, resulting in two-thirds of deaths in people with Type 2 diabetes.

“The good news is that with proper exercise, diet and diabetes management, you can reduce your risk of getting cardiovascular disease and the complications that come with it,” Stemple noted.

Symptoms of diabetes will vary to some extent depending on the type. Classic symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes include excessive thirst and increased urination. This occurs because your kidneys have to work overtime to filter and absorb surplus sugar that has built up in the blood.

Other common signs of diabetes include fatigue, unexplained weight loss and blurred vision. Fatigue may be caused by increased urination resulting in dehydration and the body’s inability to properly use sugar for energy.

People with diabetes also may have slow-healing sores, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, and tender gums. Nerve damage caused by high sugar levels can make your hands and feet tingle, or you might experience burning pain in your arms, hands, legs and feet.

The good news is diabetes can be successfully treated. Talk with your doctor if have questions or suspect any symptoms. For more information about diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association at diabetes. org. For a physician referral or to learn more about the Abrazo Medical and Surgical Weight Loss program, visit abrazohealth.com.

Local entities partner to give kids coats

BY JOE MCHUGH West Valley View Staff Writer

The Knights of Columbus recent ly partnered with the New Life Center to host the Coats for Kids charity event, providing winter jackets to kids in need.

The Nov. 22 event, held on the cam pus of Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Avondale, specifically helps families affected by domestic violence and are forced out of their homes into the New Life Center’s shelter.

“The reason we do this is because we’d like to make sure that every kid in North America does not go with out a coat during the winter seasons — the cold seasons,” Knights of Co lumbus Grand Knight Jose Gomez said.

“In conjunction with our New Life family, we give to them, so they could make sure that they give it to these children.”

The Coats for Kids program is one of the many charitable events put on by

the Knights of Columbus. The group is based from the Catholic church and is represented nationwide. This year they have done a Halloween Dinner and Dance, where they were able to raise money in order to give coats to the New Life Center.

They also participated in provid ing almost 70 families with boxes of supplies that would help provide a Thanksgiving dinner, which included a certificate for a free turkey.

“Having just that extra touch of be ing able to provide a new coat during the winter, it means so much,” said Molly Pino, community engagement manager for New Life Center. “That’s what really means the most and for them to know that others care about them when they have not felt that for some time.”

The New Life Center is an organi zation dedicated to helping families forced out of their homes due to sexual

or domestic violence by giving them a place where they can regain their con fidence and their lives. Events like the Coats for Kids are key factors to ensure that these affected families are able to get back amenities that they may have lost.

“And the reality of when you’re es caping your home, under dire circum stances, you are just arriving with the clothes on your back,” Pino said. “So, to be able to provide clothing, a warm bed, safety, meals, items such as these, it’s critical so families can start back towards healing and let them know that they’re cared about at the New Life Center.”

The partnership between the Knights of Columbus and New Life Center will continue to provide for the community through events and charitable actions.

“We really are here because of the community, because of groups such as the Knights of Columbus, and they are the backbone of our agency,” Pino said.

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The Knights of Columbus recently partnered with the New Life Center to host the Coats for Kids charity event, providing winter jackets to kids in need. (Knights of Columbus/Submitted)

GO FIGURE!

by Linda Thistle

18th Annual

Service Wednesday, December 7, 2022, and Thursday, December 8, 2022 At 7 PM We encourage all families to drop o an ornament to be hung on our tree in remembrance of their loved one.

Remembrance

Ob uaries

DawnMarieMcCreedy

DawnMarieMcCreedywasbornonOctober1,1961in Queens,NewYorkto JamesEandMaureenA McCreedy.Shewas soonabigsistertoBilly andthentoPatty.

Intheearly1970's,theMcCreedy familymovedfromfamilyandfriends totheWest.TheylandedinPhoenix, thenCashionandmadeafinaldestinationinBuckeye,AZ.Dawnwenttohigh schoolatBuckeyeUnionHighSchool andgraduatedin1979.Shehadmany friendsandhadstayedinclosecontact withthem.

Daw nwenttoGlendaleCommunity Collegeafterhighschoolandworked parttimeatMcKessonChemicalwhile attendingcollege.Dawngraduatedfrom GlendaleCommunityCollegeand workedfulltimeforMcKesson.Dawn movedtoDowneyCaliforniaandlived thereforseveralyears.

We will be accepting names, photos, and ornaments until December 3, 2022.

Guest Speaker, Refreshments, and Live Music. Please come early due to limited seating.

Thompson Funeral Chapel 926 S. Litch eld Rd. Goodyear, AZ 85338 623-932-1780

email@thompsonfuneralchapel.com

Pattypassedawayin1986while DawnwasinCalifornia.PattyleftbehindhersonJoey.MaureenandJim caredforhim.Dawnmovedbackto Buckeyeaboutthetimeherbrother Billywasdiagnosedwithcancer.He passedawayin1994leavingbehindhis daughterAshley.In2008Jimpassed awayleavingDawn,MaureenandJoey inthehousehold.Joeypassedin2016 andMaureenpassedin2019leaving Dawnaloneinthehousehold.Dawn lovedlife.Someofherfavoritethings besidesherfamilyweredancing,music andmovies.Dawnlovedeverythingold andnew!Dawnwasanavidreaderand hadatonofbookstoreadatalltimes.

Dawnjoinedherlovedoneson November2,2022.Shewaslovedand willbemissedtremendously! ServiceswillbeheldatTheChurchof JesusChristofLatter-DaySaintsat 1002E.EasonAve.,Buckeye,Az. 85326onNovember26,2022at1:00 p.m.Gravesideserviceswillbeheldon November30,2022at10:00amat LouisB.HazeltonMemorialCemetery.

GeorgeR.Neal

GeorgeR.NealofGoodyear,Arizonadied November6,2022atthe ageof64.Hewasborn March20,1958inYakima, WashingtontoJerryLee NealandGretaHuettner.

Afuneralservicewillbeheldat1pm, Dec6,attheChurchofLitchfieldPark (LitchfieldPark,AZ)

Toreadthefullobituaryandleavethe familycondolences,pleasevisit www.thompsonfuneralchapel.com /obituary/george-neal

Marilyn Joan Price

Marilyn Joan Price 88, of Phoenix , f ormerly of Buckeye, passed away o n N ovember 2, 2022.

Marilyn was born in Omaha, Nebraska to Fred and Mary Greenhagen on Febru ary 17, 1934. She married Gordon Elster i n 1950. After his passing she marrie d H arold Koster , and Charles Price.

She is survived by her four daughters : Sally Spidell of Phoenix, Susan Peterso n o f Glendale, Starr Vincent of Prescott , S unny Mae Colley of Dowagiac , M ichigan and her son Dennis Koster, of G oodyear. She is survived by 18 grand c hildren, 27 great grandchildren and 3 g reat great grandchildren.

She was very active with Child Evangel i sm Fellowship and teaching reading a t the schools in Prescott where she lived for several years. No services are planned.

A WORD ABOUT OBITUARIES

Daniel C. Lomeli Jr. Daniel C. Lomeli Jr. was born in Miami, Arizona on April 22, 1928 to Ramona Chavarria Lomeli and Daniel Lomeli. His family moved to Tolleson, Arizona when he was two and that is where he resided and raised his family. He passed away on November 6, 2022 surrounded by his family.

Daniel was a proud veteran of the Korean War where he served in the Army from 1950 to 1952. He and Consuelo married in 1953. Daniel attended Tolleson Union High School and later worked as a Manager for Arizona Agrochemical for 30 years until the company closed. He also worked for the City of Tolleson and Tolleson Elementary School District.

Daniel loved the outdoors, working out and he also loved his family immensely. Lomeli family vacations were often extended camping adventures around Arizona in search of the best fishing spots. He worked out every day. His routine consisted of weightlifting and walking which he did up until the last week of his life.

He loved his family immensely and cherished his roles as a husband, dad and tata. He would do anything for his kids but he truly cherished being a tata.

Daniel is preceded in death by his wife of 63 years Consuelo Lomeli. He is survived by h is children Mona (Connie) and Frankie (Monica) and his grandchildren Erik, Keanna, Marissa, Aubrey, Daniele, Markie and great grandchildren Erik Jr. and Jonah.

The

Free Obits: Submit via email to obits@timeslocalmedia.com.

Paid Obits: Place online at: obituaries.westvalleyview.com or email to: obits@timeslocalmedia.com

Deadline: Thursday at 5pm for Wednesday’s paper. Questions? 480-898-6500.

A Celebration of Life for Daniel will be held on Friday, December 2, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. at Samaritan Funeral home 1505 E. McDowell Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85006. A reception will follow from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m then depart for military service at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85024

WestValleyView.com /WestValleyView

For more youth visit westvalleyview.com

Youth 4 Youth hosts parade through Palo Verde

BY MELISSA HODGE West Valley View Contributing Writer

After many years of being spread 6 feet apart and being limited to certain activities, it feels great to come together as a group and celebrate.

Recently, at Palo Verde Elementary School, the Youth 4 Youth sponsor and student members put on a wonderful parade throughout the school. This parade was designed to acknowledge

the kids who go out of their way to be kind, honest, leaders and other qualifying characteristics.

The little school is finally getting back to some of its favorite traditions.

Youth 4 Youth is a group dedicated to teaching students about eliminating bullying in their lives.

Laura Figueroa has been the Youth 4 Youth sponsor for seven years at Palo Verde Elementary School. This year, Figueroa has 28 members in her group.

“I enjoy Y4Y because of the diversity in its members, and stand by the club’s beliefs to spread acceptance and inclusiveness,” she said.

“I love spending time brainstorming and creating new projects with students that are willing to give up their lunch recess to make a positive impact on our school.”

There were five or more students chosen from each classroom on campus. The students were nominated by

their peers based on their qualities. The students with the most votes from each classroom were selected to be a part of the parade. They marched with signs depicting their attributes. Some of the students were nervous about being in the parade, but really enjoyed themselves after all was said and done.

Palo Verde’s school mascot was also in attendance and was greeted by many.

The parade featured randomly selected students. (Palo Verde Elementary School/Submitted)

The Palo Verde Eagle rouses up the crowd. (Palo Verde Elementary School/Submitted)

Palo Verde students sitting by watching the parade. (Palo Verde Elementary School/Submitted)

Students follow behind the Palo Verde mascot. (Palo Verde Elementary School/Submitted)

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

Liberty Elementary School District (LESD), which serves more than 4,500 students in grades K-8 in parts of Buckeye and Goodyear, will move to a four-day school week in the upcoming 2023-24 school year.

The district’s governing board recently approved the change during a meeting. The decision comes after months of research, community discussions and surveys.

The idea was first explored last year as a cost-savings measure in response to failing to pass a budget override. After surveying staff and families in the spring, it was clear to LESD that this idea garnered initial support regardless

of how much money it saved. For that reason, combined with the potential to better recruit teachers in a nationwide shortage, the idea was further explored.

A working committee was established and met several times with the goal of preparing information, studying research, developing four-day plan options, and summarizing pros and cons for implementing a four-day school week.

While the LESD administration recognizes that this change may be viewed favorably by some, it is also not the first choice for some of its staff members and families. Much work lies ahead for the district to adjust calendars, contracts and other logistics to line up with this new four-day week.

For more stories & the latest news: westvalleyview.com

JOB SEEKERS

jobs.phoenix.org 480-898-6465

Using your Phone in Job Search

The days of compulsively reading the small print in newspaper classified ad pages are long gone. Today’s job hunters know that career openings are available online and at least some degree of computer literacy is necessary to get hired.

One of the more useful tools in a job hunting tool box is a smart phone — not just for setting up in terviews and contacting potential employers, but also because of the wealth of apps that can help with a job hunt.

There are several types of apps that can make your job hunt more efficient and effective — network ing apps, organizing and schedul

ing apps and job search apps.

Networking apps

Networking is considered a cru cial job hunting skill. According to LinkedIn — one of the bestknown networking apps out there with more than 500 million mem bers — 85% of all jobs are filled via networking.

Networking apps can help put you in touch with professionals in your field, get references, man age your image and connect with others both online and off. Some apps will help you meet up with other professionals at conferences or might even act like dating apps. Some networking apps that can

help you expand your professional circle and get ahead in your career include LinkedIn, Bizzabo, Mixer, Let’s Lunch, Shapr, Meetup, Fish bowl, Blind and Facebook Groups.

In 2022, LinkedIn hit an alltime high for daily active users ac cording to Appotopia with a 157% increase over the past year.

Organizing and scheduling apps

According to research done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job hunters on average land one interview for every six applica tions submitted. Some of the most successful job seekers who landed interviews submitted between 21 and 80 applications. That’s a lot of information to keep track of, espe cially if you are customizing your resume and doing your research so you can write unique and en gaging cover letters.

This is where organizing and scheduling apps can come into play. Common apps include Goo gle Calendar, Any.do, Evernote, Google Tasks, MyLifeOrganized, Time Planner, Clickup, Sunsama, Trello, Basecamp, Todoist, Get Plan and 24me.

These are productivity apps and each comes with different ser vices. Some help with scheduling, to-do lists, goal-setting, and proj ect management. Some will inter face with other programs such as your calendars and email.

Job search apps

These are some of the most ba sic apps needed if you are trying to land a new job. Employers who have job openings will often list them with a job search engine, most of which are available via phone apps.

The top seven most-used job apps as of June 2022, according to Apptopia, are (in order) Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Glass door, JobGet, Snagajob and Mon ster. Indeed accounts for 46.7% of the daily active users, LinkedIn for 36.9%, while ZipRecruiter is the fastest growing.

What do you need in a job search app? Some features to look for are being able to customize a profile, a way to filter jobs that are relevant to you, the ability to instantly apply for a job, in-app messaging with employers and a way to save and forward jobs.

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