Add a homemade pie to the Thanksgiving menu without spending a minute in the kitchen by ordering now from Amadio Ranch, known Valleywide for their made-from-scratch pies and their organic, farm-grown produce.

It’s a Thanksgiving tradition at the Laveen family-owned farm to bake thousands of pies in advance of Thanksgiving, sure to meet even the pickiest family member’s expectations for a delicious dessert.

“Everyone needs to be thinking about their holiday orders now,” says Eric Amadio, who owns and runs the farm with wife, Christina. “Deadline to order is Tuesday, Nov. 22, and we sell out very quickly. The only way to guarantee a Thanksgiving pie is to preorder.”

The Amadios, who run the ranch with assistance from a variety of employees and their young adult children, are introducing a brand-new flavor this year for those who can’t decide whether to go with a traditional pumpkin pie, or the newly introduced cheesecakes. The Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake layers pumpkin pie, then cheesecake, and finishes with a whipped cream topping.

“Though traditional fruit pies are our mainstay throughout the year, pumpkin is the traditional Thanksgiving dessert,” Christina said. “We spent two years and several thousands of dollars building a commercial kitchen just so we could do more pies, including the pumpkin pie, for Thanksgiving.”

Several fruit pies are on the menu, including apple, Dutch apple, peach, cherry, blueberry caramel apple, strawberry rhubarb, and Very Berry (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries). The fruit pies start with 2 cups of fresh fruit, and like all the Amadio Ranch pies, contain all-natural ingredients.

Other pies available include several variations on pecan pies: Pecan, caramel pecan, and bourbon pecan with Jim Beam whiskey. Chess Pies – a custard-style pie – such as buttermilk, buttermilk eggnog with rum, and sweet potato pie.

And, as mentioned before, Eric and Christina have added cheesecake to their repertoire. The cheesecake comes plain with a choice of toppings: strawberry, cherry, blueberry, or lemon.

For anyone with dietary restrictions, call ahead and talk to Christina or Eric to request sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan. “We’ll let you know which pies we can modify to meet your needs,” Christina said.

Pies can be picked up from four locations on Wednesday, Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving:

• Amadio Ranch Farm – 4701 W. Dobbins Road, Laveen on 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Uptown Farmer’s Market – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 5757 N. Central Ave, Phoenix
• Ahwatukee Peach Truck Stop – 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at 3930 E. Chandler Blvd, Phoenix
• Gilbert Peach Truck Stop – 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 830 S. Higley Road, Gilbert

Amadio Ranch was established nearly a decade ago, at 4701 Dobbins Road, the ranch is a heritage farming venture, employing a traditional, small-family farm approach, emphasizing sustainability and all-natural farming techniques.

The farm produces heirloom vegetables, including vine ripe tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, non-GMO sweet corn, carrots, beets, gourmet onions and garlic.

There are also apricots, apples, pears, plums, figs, grapes, and peaches, of course. Enough produce, in fact, to supply nearly 80 percent of the family’s needs and offer true farm-fresh produce at the family farm stand.

Pie-making was a natural progression using from farm-to-table ingredients grown on Amadio Ranch.

ABOUT AMADIO RANCH

Amadio Ranch is owned by Eric and Christina Amadio in Laveen, AZ. The family has rural roots in the Midwest but are now firmly planted in Arizona. With a deep love of the farming life, the couple and their family have grown a local treasure in the Southwest Valley. Contact them  via email: happyamadios@yahoo.com or visit amadioranch.com

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Arizona’s Largest Backpack Drive to Impact over 10,000 Families with School Supplies
7th Annual ‘Phoenix Tools 4 School’ Also Provides College Readiness Workshops to Students

PHOENIX – In an effort to support local families with the cost of their kids returning to school, the HeroZona Foundation will host their 7th Annual ‘Phoenix Tools 4 School’ on Saturday, July 27, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix (7050 South 24th Street, about 15 minutes East of Laveen Village).

“Our goal is to make sure that Arizona students focus on getting a good education, instead of worrying about how to purchase the basic supplies necessary to start the year,” says U.S. Army Desert Storm Veteran and Co-Founder of the HeroZona Foundation, Alan “AP” Powell. “Through providing the resources necessary for their school year, we are investing in our future leaders and building stronger communities.”

Phoenix Tools 4 School was voted the Best Annual Charity Event for the 2019 Best Of Our Valley Awards with Arizona Foothills Magazine. In just six years, the Phoenix Tools 4 School annual event has impacted over 40,000 students and family members by providing them with supplies needed for their education, such as book bags, notebooks, writing utensils and more. The event will also host college prep workshops, games and a free breakfast. The event is free and open to the public and this year’s event is expected to draw an estimated 15,000 attendees. This event is open to all students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade. Supplies are limited, so attendees are encouraged to show up early.

For the second year in a row, Phoenix Tools 4 School will offer workshops from Maricopa Community Colleges and Arizona State University for 7th and 8th grade students to prepare them on their path to higher education. The event will have a carnival atmosphere with attractions and games for the kids and their families after they pick up their backpacks. Special guest appearances will be made by Baxter, the mascot of the Arizona Diamondbacks; Sparky, the mascot of Arizona State University and the Phoenix Suns’ Gorilla.

This year’s event is supported by community partners such as APS, UPS, Bank of America, Crescent Crown Distributing, Maricopa Community Colleges, ASU and Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering will provide the students with the free breakfast. Other event partners include Roosevelt Elementary School District, No. 66, Travis L. Williams American Legion Post 65, Laveen School District, Phoenix Suns, Cesar Chavez Foundation, water delivery by Fry’s, and supply discounts from Dollar Days International. Supporters include Greater Phoenix Urban League, First Institutional Baptist Church and Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. They will also have media partners on-site such as Mega 104.3, The Beat 101.1 and La Campesina 101.9.

On Thursday, July 25, the HeroZona Foundation, community partners and Valley volunteers will begin prep for the event by packing the backpacks for the event at South Mountain Community College. Those interested in volunteering should go to HeroZona.org/volunteer.

For more information about the Phoenix Tools 4 School event on July 27, visit herozona.org.

About HeroZona Foundation
The HeroZona Foundation has a strong focus on veteran initiatives and honoring those who have served our country and their family members. The nonprofit’s name reflects that messaging to focus on empowering and celebrating America’s veterans. Their most recent event, the HeroZona National Veteran Summit, was a multi-day engagement with three pillars to empower Arizona’s veterans through entrepreneurship, employment and education. The HeroZona Foundation’s annual HeroZona National Veteran Summit created a multi-day networking experience to improve America’s support of veteran companies through workshops, networking, entrepreneurial connections, and seminars. Other programs include the Bridge Forum, Phoenix Tools 4 School, Veterans Reach to Teach and Voting for Veterans. For more information, visit herozona.org

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Guest article by Danzeisen Dairy

Though the number has declined slightly in the past few years, there are more than 37,468 dairy farms in the United States, 95 percent of which are family-owned-and-operated. That amounts to approximately 9.31 million dairy cows in the United States! Today’s dairy farmers strive to make their farms and communities sustainable for the future. Environmentally friendly efforts involve water conservation, waste management, protection of air quality, and reduced use of conventional pesticides. And now there is recyclable milk bottles.

Milk has always been considered Mother Nature’s most perfect, natural and nutritious food source. That’s why forward-thinking families like Arizona’s local Danzeisen Dairy are repositioning themselves to match consumer trends and tastes with not only standard white milk choices, but also flavored milk such as Chocolate, Strawberry, Arizona Orange, Root Beer, and Cold Brew Coffee milk.

Starting with National Dairy Month in June and every month throughout the year, support your local dairy farmers. The next time you’re in the dairy section of your local grocer, be sure to look for the Danzeisen Dairy glass, recyclable milk bottle. Save those bottles and return to the grocer to receive your $2.00 deposit or apply it to your next purchase of Danzeisen Dairy milk. If you’re in the neighborhood or looking for a fun outing, stop in at the Danzeisen Dairy Creamery at 6024 W. Southern Avenue in Laveen to pick up your milk directly from the creamery – the Danzeisen Dairy family welcomes you!

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School might be out, but Laveen schools are serving FREE breakfast and lunch to all kids all summer! In addition, both our local high schools, Cesar Chavez and Betty Fairfax are part of a similar program in the Phoenix Union High School District.

Children 18 years and younger may join us throughout the summer for nutritious breakfast and lunch. All kids’ meals are free at specific Laveen Elementary School district schools. There are no income requirements and you do not need to register. Children do not need to be enrolled in a Laveen school to participate. The summer meal program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Join us at any of the following locations.

All sites closed May 27 and July 4.

Meals are available to all children under the age of 18. Adult meals available for $2.50 breakfast and $3.50 lunch.

Visit www.laveeneld.org/summer-meals for more details.

In addition, this is the 38th summer that the Phoenix Union High School District, along with other agencies, will provide breakfast and lunch for needy children 18 years of age and younger at 13 high schools, Monday through Thursday, May 28th – June 27th.

Funded through the U.S. Department of Education food and nutrition programs, the Summer Food Program has, for over three decades, prepared and served more than 4 million meals at as many as 60 sites throughout Phoenix. Summer lunches are an extension of the National School Lunch Program.

Meals are prepared at PUHSD’s various high school campuses, listed below, serving thousands of meals per day. New foodstuffs are purchased at the beginning of the program to support the nutritional needs of children in impoverished areas.

Meals will be made available to all children 18 years of age and under without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. There will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

Meals will be served at the following PUHSD-sponsored campuses:

Alhambra High School                    3839 W. Camelback Road

Bioscience High School                   512 E. Pierce Street

Betty Fairfax High School               8225 S. 59^th Avenue, Laveen  

Camelback High School                  4312 N 28th Street

Central High School                        4525 N. Central Avenue

Cesar Chavez High School               3921 W Baseline Road, Laveen    

Franklin Police and Fire HS             1645 W. McDowell Road

Carl Hayden High School                3333 W. Roosevelt Street

Metro Tech High School                  1900 W. Thomas Road

North High School                          1101 E. Thomas Road

Phoenix Coding Academy                 4445 N Central Avenue

Academies at South Mountain         5401 S. 7^th Street

Trevor G. Browne High School        7402 W. Catalina Drive

Each of these school campuses will be hosting Summer School. Food will be prepared, as it is during the regular school year, at each location in the school cafeteria or delivered to the sponsor site. Participating community members will be directed to the designated areas of each campus.

Breakfast will be served from 7:30 A.M. until 8:30 A.M., with lunch being served from 11:45 A.M. until 12:15 P.M. Adults are welcome to accompany children and can purchase breakfast for $2 and lunch for $3.

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The Cesar Chavez Dog Park: Large dog area will be closed for maintenance starting Monday, June 3 and will reopen on July 15. The small dog area will be closed for maintenance starting on July 15 and will reopen on Aug. 26.

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Rose Tring

© www.finditinLaveen.com

The Laveen Lions Club, an international community service organization with local chapters worldwide, is preparing for one of its largest annual events, the Heritage Car Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21 at the Laveen Education Center, 5001 W. Dobbins Road.

This year marks the Fourth Annual Laveen Heritage Car Show, which raises money to be used right here in Laveen for a variety of community service programs such as Christmas food baskets given to needy families each December, scholarships to local school children, vision and hearing testing for students at local schools, and many more.

Goodie bags are being given to the first 100 registered vehicles who sign up for the car show. Pre-registration is $25 up until the day of the event. Registration on the day of the is event $30. Registration includes a T-shirt and plaque for your dashboard.

Registration is open to all makes, models, years of cars and trucks. The top 15 entries will receive plaques, and trophies will be awarded for Best in Show, Best Paint, Best Interior, Best Engine, Best Low Rider, Best MOPAR, Ladies Choice and Holy Cow.

While browsing the vehicle entries, guests can purchase snacks and food from a variety of local food vendors.  There also will be raffle prizes. Donate a nonperishable food time and receive a free raffle ticket.

Entry to the event is free. To learn more about entering, contact Art Downs at (480) 239-0886.

Please note that because the event takes place at an educational facility, alcohol, tobacco, and weapons are strictly prohibited.

Lions Club Community Services

The car show is just one of the many community programs the Laveen Lions Club sponsors, according to members Joe Roselle and Jeff Sprout. Both men also work for the Laveen Elementary School District.

Laveen’s Lions Club chapter has about 40 members who meet the first and third Thursdays at the Laveen Education Center (southeast corner of 51^st Avenue and Dobbins Road). There are about 1.4 million members worldwide, making it the largest community service organization in the world.

“We do many service projects with the goal of supporting the Laveen community,” said Sprout, who is the 2017-18 club president. “We collect food in the late fall at the local schools that we distribute to needy families in December. We do a backpack drive each year, donating 40 packs to each of our eight elementary schools. We do vision and hearing screening at the local schools.”

“Our mission is to provide service to our community.”

Another of those contributions is scholarships to eighth graders who will be starting high school. The money they receive helps pay for books and materials not provided by their schools.

Annual Laveen Community Parade

Another major event organized and presented by the Lions Club is the Laveen Community Parade, which takes place each February. The 2018 parade will be the 18^th to wind its way along Dobbins Road between 43^rd and 51^st avenues.

“It’s truly a unique event,” said Sprout, who has served as the parade chairperson for the parade for the last two years. “There are very few communities in the metro area that have annual parades to bring together schools, elected officials and leaders, community-based organizations, and businesses.”

Participants compete with floats that match each year’s themes, local sports groups, high schools, civic clubs, and more march along the one-mile route. Boy Scout troops join high school marching bands, who may follow behind dancing horses, or a float with local politicians and beauty queens.

“It truly brings our community together,” he said.

Entry is free for anyone who wants to participate in the parade. Email laveencommunityparade@gmail.com for additional information.

Recruiting new Lions

Through the years as Laveen has grown, the club has given back hundreds of volunteer hours through the various community service events, and hundreds of dollars in scholarships. However, club membership hasn’t been keeping up with the growth in population. “We need to bring in more community members and business owners,” Roselle said, to continue the great tradition of service to Laveen.

GET INVOLVED:

• The 18^th Annual Laveen Community Parade, sponsored by the Laveen Lions Club, is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. The parade route runs along Dobbins Road from 43^rd Avenue to its end at 51st Avenue.  For more information or to participate, email laveencommunityparade@gmail.com
• Laveen Lions Club – Meets 7 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays at Laveen Education Center, 5001 W. Dobbins Road, Laveen.

Rose Tring is a long-time journalist and owner of AZ Media Maven, a Laveen-based public relations company. She is also the founder of FinditinLaveen.com, a local business directory, free community calendar, and forum for local news. Email her at rose@azmediamaven.com

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Arizona Department of Transportation

PHOENIX – A stretch of northbound 59th Avenue approaching Interstate 10 will be closed for several days starting Wednesday, May 3, for the relocation of a city of Phoenix sewer line. The work is part of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s project to build the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.

Northbound 59th Avenue will be closed between Roosevelt Street and I-10 (Papago Freeway) from 5:30 a.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Monday, May 8.

 Motorists should consider 51st or 67th avenues and Van Buren Street as alternate routes while northbound 59th Avenue is closed.

 Connect 202 Partners, the developer responsible for building the South Mountain Freeway, will relocate the 27-inch sewer line stretching the length of nearly six football fields. Crews will first remove the asphalt along the northbound lanes before digging a new 20- to 25-foot-deep trench and installing the pipe in segments.

 Daily work hours will be 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

 The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

 For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

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PRESS RELEASE from ADOT on Jan. 17, 2017:

PHOENIX – Construction of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway remains on track with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejecting the Gila River Indian Community’s motion for an injunction pending appeal.

The order, released Friday, means work can proceed on the South Mountain Freeway while an appeal by freeway opponents is pending before the 9th Circuit in San Francisco. It’s the fifth time courts have rejected attempts to halt construction of this long-planned link between the East Valley and West Valley.

“The Arizona Department of Transportation and its partners are moving forward with construction of a freeway that will improve the quality of life in this region, connecting people with employment centers and providing a much-needed alternative to a strained Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said.

In November 2016, the 9th Circuit denied a separate request for an emergency injunction by a different group of freeway opponents.

In October 2016, the U.S. District Court in Phoenix denied the plaintiffs’ motion for an injunction, saying, in part, that they are unlikely to prevail on appeal. That followed the court’s August ruling granting the motions for summary judgment by the Federal Highway Administration and ADOT, concluding that the agencies complied with federal law in moving forward with the project.

In July 2015, the court rejected a motion for a preliminary injunction that would have halted all work leading up to the start of construction.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway, approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley by connecting Interstate 10 at the Loop 202 Santan Freeway interchange and the I-10 Papago Freeway near 59th Avenue.

Construction began in September with improvements to the I-10/Loop 202 Santan Freeway interchange that include extending Loop 202 HOV lanes and widening the shoulders to Pecos Road near 48th Street. Construction of the mainline freeway is scheduled to begin this month.

For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

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This article first appeared in the January edition of the South Mountain District News.

Community leaders say 2017 will be a year of many positive changes for the suburban community that takes pride in a rural atmosphere set against the backdrop of South Mountain. From an improved housing market to more retail, leaders said we should see economic growth while maintaining the diversity that makes the community unique.

The South Mountain District News compiled a list of five questions that were asked of multiple members of the community, including leaders and both new and long-time residents. We are sharing a sampling of the responses here.

Question 1: For 2017, what do you predict will be the most pressing issue facing the Laveen community? Why do you consider this an important issue?

Question 2: What do you expect for the housing in market in Laveen next year and why?

Question 3: What are your economic expectations for Laveen as a result of construction starting on the South Mountain Freeway?

Question 4: What is one aspect of Laveen that you treasure and why?

Question 5: What is on your wish list for Laveen?

Councilman Michael Nowakowski, D-7

He has served on Phoenix City Council since being elected in 2008.

Kate Gallego 150 x 129 pixelsQuestion 1: There are many issues that the Laveen community is passionate about, but one of the most pressing is the need to increase patrol officers. In order to keep Laveen neighborhoods safe, we must have the necessary police officers on the street to respond to calls for service. We have increased sworn police officers, but we need to ensure every area has the necessary police staffing to respond quickly to the community’s calls for service and to keep officers safe during calls.

Question 2: The City of Phoenix has seen an increase in building permits this past year with the number of single lots submitted for preliminary site plan review up 70 percent, total inspections are up 25 percent, and our Planning and Development Department reports that construction activity in Laveen was up for 2016. Given the citywide trends in permitting and construction inspections, I expect a healthy housing market in Laveen for 2017.

Question 3: District 7 has experienced dynamic job growth along the Southwest Phoenix Industrial Corridor and continues to welcome companies like Medline, Stitch Fix, PAC Worldwide and Hadrian Manufacturing to the area. We are looking forward to continued growth and new investments in the Laveen area as a direct result of the South Mountain Freeway to usher in a high technology corridor and quality, high-paying jobs.  Major freeway infrastructure investments such as this will provide several opportunities for business that include improved access to a talented workforce, new utilities, and connectivity to the rest of the region.  All of these things are likely to attract new investment in both retail opportunities and employment-related sectors as a new, key high technology commercial corridor is created along the freeway.

Question 4: I treasure the diversity of Laveen.  When you come to Laveen you can experience an environment of rural meets urban with farms, dairies, ranch homes, new home subdivisions an influx of new restaurants and shops. I value how Laveen wants to keep a rural feel but at the same time welcomes new development to their community. I also treasure the unique community events that Laveen residents produce each year – the annual Laveen BBQ and community parade, as well as the Memorial Day event at Cesar Chavez Park to honor our fallen officers and firefighters. These unique events show off the spirit of Laveen residents and demonstrate our pride in our community and our city.

Question 5: My wish is to have safe neighborhoods across Laveen, including an increase in patrol officers and establishing the Estrella police precinct as a full precinct. It also has been a wish of mine and the community to secure funding to build and maintain a community center at Cesar Chavez Park. A community center will be a place where kids can join safe, supervised activities and get active in quality sports programs and where people of all ages can participate in affordable general-interest classes to learn new skills.

Councilwoman Kate Gallego, D-8

She has represented District 8 on the Phoenix City Council for the past three years.

Question 1: Recently we celebrated the beginning of construction of the 202 South Mountain Freeway, and 2017 is the year when construction will be in full swing.  As the Loop 202 extension progresses, we will finally begin to see the expansion of services that Laveen families have been asking for — new restaurants, construction of a movie theater, and the types of amenities that come with accessibility and connectedness with the rest of the Valley.  At the same time, we will have to do a careful job of balancing this with the things that make Laveen a unique community. This balancing act will be a delicate, but a critical one as this year kicks off what will be a consequential time in Laveen’s history.

Question 2: While I’m not a real estate professional and so am not qualified to speculate about the housing market, the Laveen and South Mountain areas are among the most desired places for young families in the Valley.  With access to schools, natural beauty, and a strong community, Laveen will continue to be a place where residents will come in 2017.

Question 3: The construction of the South Mountain Freeway will be the jumpstart to a period of economic prosperity in Laveen.  Business leaders from around the Valley and around the country have told me how they have plans to expand to Laveen with the coming of the freeway, bringing services and amenities that will be second-to-none in the Valley.  Laveen is at the outset of an economic era that will bring not just jobs, but improved quality of life.

Question 4: To me, what makes Laveen special is its people. It’s rare to find a community that, despite having over 100,000 residents, is still a place where people take care of each other.  The vibrancy of Laveen, and the warmth with which neighbors support neighbors, make it a place I’m proud to represent.

Question 5: In 2017, I hope that we continue to grow not just bigger, but better.  When neighbors take the time to get to know each other, get involved in their community, volunteer, and do all the things that make a community strong — that is what will make 2017 a great year in Laveen.  I hope to do my part, and look forward to what 2017 has to bring in Laveen.

Rob Olson

He is a Laveen resident and owner of Red Bus Realty.

Question 1: Traffic.  Baseline Road is already busy, with overspill onto Dobbins and Southern.  We may start to see construction too, as the freeway begins to take shape.  That will create its own set of headaches.  But, it’s a means to an end.

Question 2: I expect nothing but great things for the housing market in Laveen. Right now, we have an inventory crunch.  It’s a sellers’ market around here. Laveen is also a community that is covered under the “Pathway to Purchase” down payment assistance program.  When people are presented with the opportunity to buy a home with little, or no money down, I need houses to put them in.

Question 3: The Valley lacks a “big city” transit system.  We primarily travel by car everywhere.  So, freeway access is a premium.  Having a freeway through this community will certainly bring more retail.  We’re starting to see more development around 51st Ave and Baseline.  Retail also brings jobs.

Question 4: What is one aspect of Laveen that you treasure and why?

I still like that it’s semi-rural.  We have wide open fields so close to downtown.  There are ranches and farms. And there are the amenities and beauty of South Mountain, too.

Question 5: I’d love to see more community events.  We have great people living here.  Let’s all get together and do great things!

Jeff Hale, 12-year resident

He is also a partner at Turf Realty and co-leader of Laveen Soccer.

Question 1: I don’t think there will be a major problem in the Laveen area, but if I had to choose one thing that will be an annoyance, it would probably be driving in traffic that will get a little worse as the growth continues.

Question 2: The housing market will continue to be strong in Laveen.  In the Phoenix Metro area, the market for homes under $250,000 is still hot and with the incentive programs that encourage people to buy in Laveen, the market will just get hotter.

Question 3: The construction of the South Mountain Freeway will only strengthen the economy here in Laveen.  The easy commute from Laveen to other parts of the Valley will get even easier with the freeway and it will attract more people who want new affordable houses in a great location.  More houses will be built to accommodate that demand and a higher population will encourage commercial and retail to follow, producing even more jobs and economic growth.

Question 4: I love the diversity! I honestly can’t think of another part of the Valley that boasts such a mix of race, culture, religion, etc.

Question 5:  How big can my list be?  I’d love to see more parks that are lit at night, a Major League Baseball spring training facility, movie theater, Costco or Sam’s Club, restaurants, offices, etc.
Phillip Wooley, 16-year Laveen resident

He is principal at Betty Fairfax High School and a member of the Laveen Village Planning Committee.

Question 1: Corporate social responsibility. The residential and commercial developers must continue to take into consideration those of us that call Laveen home.

Question 2: I would expect that the housing market will continue to increase for 2017. We need to make sure our educational opportunities are prepared for the growth.

Question 3: The South Mountain Freeway will bring new positive growth and challenges for Laveen.

Question 4: Although growing all the time, Laveen still has that sense of a small-town community. That is rare in most areas around the Valley.

Question 5: A community pool is on my wish list.

Wendy Ensminger, 12-year resident.

She is also the president of the Laveen Association of HOAs.

Question 1: The most pressing issue is economic development. It is going to be a challenge to mix the small town feel that we have all lived with and the development that will be coming.

The Laveen character is “rural, equestrian and open space.” The open space will be gone with development. I hope that the City of Phoenix will not circumvent the other two, and ruin the character of Laveen and what makes us a unique village in the City of Phoenix.

Question 2: I do think the housing market in Laveen will pick up. I think existing home prices won’t climb very much, but with all the residential zoning requests that were approved we should see an increase in new homes.  We will probably see some apartment complexes going up as well.

Question 3: If the city does it right the economic development for Laveen should be considerable, but I don’t hold out much hope for that. Our representation for Laveen is lacking.  It is becoming a joke that the city only cares about downtown and the rest of the villages are taking a back seat.  Laveen could be an economic jewel, but I don’t see that happening.

Question 4: The small town feel in the big city (we are 20 minutes away for the airport, downtown, sporting events etc.).  Little story ? At Fry’s (51st and Baseline) I pulled into the parking lot and parked next to a truck with a goat and hay in the back, next to that truck a BMW was parked, and I thought what a unique place to live.  I also love the diversity of Laveen; we really have a great community in Laveen

Question 5: “We are going to grow as a Village (economically and population).  I hope that we grow thoughtfully and responsibly, this could be the best place to live in Phoenix.

Kevin Danziesen, Laveen resident

Danziesen and his family own and operate Danziesen Dairy in Laveen.

Question 1: Sounds weird, but traffic.  With the building of the Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway) we could see substantial road closures.  Getting to major freeways is already a big issue and this could make it worse.  We’re glad this is a short-term problem.

Question 2: We expect the housing market to stay steady. It’s easy to get over confident because of the Loop; however, we feel steady is good!!

Question 3: Expectations are high.  It won’t take long for businesses realize the positive attributes of this community.

Question 4: We treasure the pride Laveen has in its agricultural roots.  Laveen is an awesome place to live and we are proud to be a part of it!!!

Question 5:To make Laveen the chocolate milk capital of the world!!!

Several Laveen residents also expressed their wishes for Laveen in the coming year:

Rick Hakes,12-year resident.

He lives in the Bougainvillea neighborhood.

QUESTION 5: I wish Laveen would stay green. There is almost a mile between my back fence and the next house. In between, lies a golf course followed by alfalfa fields, and then a great view of the mountains. To top all of that off has been the wildlife of coyotes, quail, an occasional skunk, hawks and cottontails. It is really sad to see that it will soon go along with the peaceful silence.

Mark Mitzel, 12-year resident

Mitzel lives in Southern Ridge.

QUESTION 1: The most pressing issue will be traffic. The city continues to not complete projects before they start the next one. The squeeze before our community (on Baseline Road at about 57^th Avenue) has caused dozens of accidents so we need that widened to four lanes ASAP. Leaving our community on Baseline is almost impossible after 7 a.m. They put the stop light in the wrong location. Kids cross right across Baseline to go to school from our community. I guess a kid will have to die before they make this right.

QUESTION 2: The housing market will boom with the freeway coming. I wish we would get actual sit-down places to eat. The fast food here is out of control and we rarely ever eat at any of them. We need a theater and big box shopping. We love Laveen but the crime is getting out of control. We need more patrols and we need to start pushing out people who are criminal elements in our community. See a crime call the police. Have neighbors that don’t follow the rules to our community? Report them over and over and push them out. We need to hold the city accountable to make sure we get the same sound control issues on the freeway as Scottsdale did. They will try to cheap out and due the minimum. We need to have sound walls, sound deadening asphalt, etc. Everything possible to make sure the sound is controlled.

Daniel Felix, 2-year resident.

Felix lives in Laveen Crossing.

Question 1: Crime and traffic.

Question 2: We are staying optimistic about the housing market next year but don’t see it rising until the freeway is completed.

Question 3: We anticipate that more restaurants, commercial business and hoping a movie theater will be built.

Question 4: My fiancé and I do treasure the beautiful views of the mountains and hope to see more parks and recreational places.

Question 5: Our wish list: Costco, Harkins theater, Olive garden, Target and shopping center.

The post What our community leaders predict for 2017 appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.

PHOENIX – Construction scheduled to start early next year on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway may not be as visual as the 22 miles of uninterrupted asphalt to come, but each task lays a foundation for completing this link between the West Valley and East Valley by the end of 2019. 

Along the freeway corridor in the first half of 2017, you may see crews setting foundations for some of the 40 bridges that will be built, including two 2,700-foot-long spans across the Salt River. Or widening eastbound lanes of Pecos Road to maintain two-way traffic flow during construction. Or creating access roads at the freeway’s future interchange with Interstate 10 in west Phoenix. 

Other construction scheduled for early 2017 by Connect202 Partners, the developer responsible for designing and building the $1.77 billion freeway, includes creating drainage structures and roadway embankments, relocating utilities and continuing to extend HOV lanes west from the Loop 202 Santan Freeway. 

As mainline work starts on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s largest-ever highway project, detailed information on these and other construction plans, as well as traffic impacts, is available at SouthMountainFreeway.com. You can also sign up there to receive project alerts. 

Freeway construction is divided into four segments: I-10 Papago, between the I-10 Papago Freeway interchange at 59th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road; Salt River, from Lower Buckeye Road to 51st Avenue near Estrella Drive; Center, from 51st Avenue to 32nd Lane; and Pecos Road, from 32nd Lane to the I-10/Loop 202 Santan Freeway interchange. 

In the first half of 2017, construction will occur in all but the Center segment, where work isn’t scheduled to begin until mid-2018. For more information on construction planned in particular segment, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com  

Preliminary construction began in September with improvements to the I-10/Loop 202 Santan Freeway interchange, including extending Loop 202 HOV lanes and widening the Pecos Road shoulders to near 48th Street. On the west side of the project, utility work has included relocating large Salt River Project siphons carrying water under I-10. 

The 22-mile freeway, expected to open late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

The post ADOT says South Mountain Freeway construction to begin in 2017 appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.