OUR VIEWPOINT EDITORIAL
Tablet computers: wave of the future for government
town offi cials will be using Apple iPads on a trial basis for the next couple of weeks. The hand-held computers are being given a trial to see if they can eventually be used permanently as a way to save money on paper costs. The information packets the seven council members use at their meetings can be hundreds of pages long. Over the course of a year, that adds up to reams and reams of paper. This is a great idea and one that has already been adopted by other cities around Arizona and the nation. Although the devices are costly, over the long run they can probably save the town a few bucks. It would seem that these handy computers represent the
wave of the future. When personal desktop computers fi rst became affordable and popular with the general public, futurists proclaimed they heralded the beginning of a paperless society. Well, it didn’t happen right away, but as new technologies are introduced, we might eventually get there. Furthermore, computers and the Internet are helping
Buckeye Town Council members as well as a few other
MORGAN’S OPINION — West Valley View
OUR READERS’ VIEWPOINTS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
make government more transparent. Just a few short years ago, the same information packets city council members consulted in their meetings were often available only to members of the city staff and reporters. Anyone else could also get them if they asked for them far enough in advance that the city staff could photocopy all of the pages and put them in a binder of some sort. Now, all of that same information is available to anyone — or at least anyone who has access to a computer. Most people have computers nowadays. Not only are the packets available to the general public from the comfort of their own homes, so are the council meetings themselves in some cases. So far, the only Southwest Valley city that streams live video of its council meetings is Goodyear, but the day will soon come when they all do. When that day comes, residents can not only watch their city councils in action, they will be able to see the same information the council members are using to make their decisions — and cast their votes. That’s good for democracy.
The meaning of ‘Mom’
As we prepared to celebrate the women who gave us life this Mothers Day, we wondered what we could say about mothers that hasn’t already been said with more eloquence than we are capable. The answer is nothing. So following are some quotes by famous people (and people unknown) about the meaning of motherhood: I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always
followed me. They have clung to me all my life. — Abraham Lincoln
Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together. — Pearl S. Buck The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men — from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. — Oliver Wendell Holmes
An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. — Spanish Proverb The formative period for building character for eternity is in the nursery. The mother is queen of that realm and sways a scepter more potent than that of kings or priests. — Author Unknown A mom’s hug lasts long after she lets go. — Author Unknown A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands. But a mother’s love endures through all. — Washington Irving You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool mom. — Author Unknown You couldn’t fool your mother on the foolingest day of your life if you had an electrifi ed fooling machine. — Homer Simpson The mother of boys work son-up to son-down. — Author Unknown
My mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart — a heart so large that everybody’s joys found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation. — Mark Twain
spelling, punctuation or grammar are those of the author. Two online reader polls have indicated that a majority of View readers prefer that the letters not be edited.
L Avondale needs
more businesses Editor:
My sentiments go to Mr. Syz- manoski’s letter to you in regards to our dismal problem we have had and have in sections of Avondale Blvd. (115 Ave.) south of McDowell Rd. (I-10) in our section of town.
etters to the editor are published without any editing. Any errors in
ought to hire a savvy consultant fi rm to help out with some viable good plans to attract more business on our side of town. Yes we have City Hall, P.I.R., Staples, Jack in the Box — they’ve been there same time I’ve been here. Constantly bragging about
P.I.R. Isn’t only going to bring progress to our side of town. We just went thru a morass traffi c jam & detours for 2 years at the under- pass & I-10 because they didn’t want to disrupt the racetrack’s future water supply. With that out of the way fi nally, why doesn’t someone start getting ideas to put a reliable gas stations so we don’t have to cross the RR tracks or drive fi ve miles to get gas?
Let me add a little more to Mr. Syzmanoski’s outcry. 2½ years ago I moved to Avondale from Glendale and I can only say it reminds me of how time has almost stood still especially around the intersection of Van Buren. In my opinion it would be nice to have had a QT or any other service station on that corner. I believe all those remaining corners on that intersection (with vibrant businesses on them) would be very feasible and profi table. They would attract many passing customers. (Like Mr. Syzmanoski) More importantly I believe attracting more business to our side of town the city sales tax would stay here in our city. Yes — somewhat progress has been made on Avondale Blvd. But — a fi re needs to be lit under the people running our city government. They
Vincent C. Felix Avondale
Goodyear vision
goes up in smoke Editor:
Remember this? US Airways Magazine October 2007 p 121- 129, “Goodyear Breaking New Ground,” states “Goodyear, AZ is a “go-getter” city, always striving to be cutting-edge.” “Not content to sit back and wait, Goodyear has been proactive in its pursuit of amenities that will distinguish it from other cities and frame the fabric of the community.” Where did this vision go, was it all made up? Where are the offi ces, retail, restaurants, confer- ence centers, the “heart and soul”
new city hall, our post-secondary education, arts and theater, our Palm Valley 303 Mall the “Retail Center of the Southwest Valley?” Now with that said, our Goodyear leaders will probably blame the economy that does not seem like a “go-getter” city. The unfortunate economy may have been in our favor having been able to bid for low contractors. Leaders tell us to shop in Goodyear, but our shopping and entertainment and sense of community are extremely limited. With all the lawsuits the city has been tied up in, the only justifi cations in a lawsuit should be the residents of the City of Goodyear who bought homes and investments anticipating the growth we were promised. When the new city council and mayor were elected their fi rst agenda were raises, I am not sure how the city offi cials justify raises to various city departments and now once again it is on the table when many of those same departments were the very ones involved in law- suits that cost the city and taxpay- ers already. As offi cials get raises, what are the citizens’ getting? What are the opportunities for living in Goodyear? Reports of increased taxes, less services, promises for growth pushed into the future once again disguised as a “good thing,” and basically everything that Goodyear could have been went up in a cloud of smoke.
Catherine G Stroup Goodyear
(See Letters on Page 7)
1050 E. Riley Dr., Avondale, AZ 85323 (623) 535-8439 [535-VIEW] • FAX (623) 935-2103 “The noblest motive is the public good.’’ — Richard Steele Publisher: Elliott Freireich,
publisher@westvalleyview.com
Editorial: Managing editor: Jim Painter
editor@westvalleyview.com News editor: Cary S. Hines
chines@westvalleyview.com Assistant editor: Rich Ott
rott@westvalleyview.com Sports editor: Mike Russo
mrusso@westvalleyview.com Assistant sports editor: Casey Pritchard Staff writers: Sara Clawson, Emily McCann, Rachel Trott, Brent Whiting
news1@westvalleyview.com Staff photographers: Michael Clawson, Ray Thomas
Advertising: Director: Stephanie Hillebrand
Stephanie.H@westvalleyview.com Account executives: Rachael Freireich
rachael.f@westvalleyview.com Kathy Harned
kathy.h@westvalleyview.com Debbie Kelly
debbie.k@westvalleyview.com Donna Lindly
donna.l@westvalleyview.com Advertising assistant: Julie Sargent-Helm
advertising@westvalleyview.com
Bookkeeping: Manager: Rene Hartmann Alejandrina Trujillo
bookkeeping@westvalleyview.com
Composing: Manager: Arthur Schneider
aschneider@westvalleyview.com Assistant manager: Veronica Verdugo-Lomeli
vvlomeli@westvalleyview.com Staff: Jonathan Barnes, Shannon Mead
production@westvalleyview.com
Classified advertising: Anna Brandt
classifieds@westvalleyview.com
Circulation/Distribution: Manager: Chris Yee
cyee@westvalleyview.com Circulation Assistant: Linda Ryan
lryan@westvalleyview.com
Press: Brent Fitzgerald
bfitzgerald@westvalleyview.com Chris Garrison, Jorge Veloz, Marq Mang
West Valley View is published each Tuesday and Friday by West Valley View Inc.
Subscriptions: Home delivery of West Valley View is free upon request within western Maricopa County west of State Route 101 and south of Northern Ave. as well as all of the city of Tolleson. Requested mail subscriptions within Maricopa County: $150 per year, $80 for 6 months. Out of county & state: $175 per year, $90 for 6 months.
Copyright: The entire contents Copyright 2012 by West Valley View, Inc. West Valley View is printed on 100% recycled paper with soy-based inks.
West Valley View, Avondale, Arizona, Friday, May 11, 2012
6
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24