(WKBW) — It's been 27 years since William Rogers retired as the Choral Music Director at Maryvale High School in Cheektowaga dozens of his former students got together to plan a surprise concert for him where somebody doesn't come over to say hi to him That's a testament to his goodwill in the community," Rogers' son working at Maryvale High School from 1962 until 1998 "You almost couldn't find anybody that went to Maryvale that didn't have him as a teacher and wasn't part of the choir," Maryvale Alumna and former Music Director Ann Mosner said We want to hear what’s going on in your community Share your voice and hear from your neighbors The Classic — the annual showdown between Mercy High School and Maryvale Preparatory School — is doing a pretty good job of finding a niche in local high school basketball circles just four years after its inception After what transpired on Friday night at Towson University’s SECU Arena in front of a raucous crowd The Classic could grab even more of a hold on area prep hoop fans Although neither squad boasts a winning record in its respective Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland  conference 24 to watch the Lions’ 45-44 upset victory Cayden Reese’s clutch put-back with 5.4 seconds remaining in regulation turned the tide for Maryvale which won for the first time in the series The junior point guard had missed a jumper from the top of the key a couple of seconds earlier before a jump ball gave the Lions another crack at taking the lead for good “That was devastating,” Reese said about missing the jumper “I’m hard on myself and that’s like the definition of ‘next play,’ so just don’t stop fighting until the end and then I got the rebound and put it up strong Then we played good defense and secured the win.” who is also the school’s new athletic director spirit and drive were the key components to success “But the cool thing about our team is that we’re gritty and when you have a gritty team you always have a chance to win.” There were a multitude of other standouts for the Lions Freshman guard Maddie Moran did a yeoman’s night work on helping to keep Mercy MVP Milan Brown somewhat under wraps although the talented Wake Forest commit still poured in a game-best 31 points Maintaining the legacy of an annual rivalry on the court like the one it shared with the Institute of Notre Dame for 54 years before that 173-year-old school closed in 2020 is as important to Mercy as it is quickly being embraced by Maryvale which debuted in 2022 and dubbed The Classic which now has a 3-1 record against the Lions in the new series To fill the void after IND was shuttered and what was then called “The Game” discontinued Mercy athletic director Nick Gill said that his school’s leadership group reached out to Maryvale to start another chapter in the series’ history “It was just such a good opportunity to keep the tradition alive,” Gill said “It’s a great way to showcase both schools’ communities And it’s probably the biggest crowd most of these girls will ever play in front of.” pep squads and cheer and dance teams were also able to perform at the event Enthusiasm for the Magic hoop squad was on full display at the school during the week culminating with a Friday afternoon pep rally when the players were introduced amid hearty cheers from a majority of students dressed in Mercy spirit gear which also featured spirit week and a Friday pep rally “Everybody is excited about the game,” Marks said before the contest noting that school hallways were decorated with signs supporting the Lions’ effort to garner their first win in the series “The whole school is rallying around the team.” The one constant for the Magic during its first three wins in The Classic was Brown whose jumper from the elbow with 2:48 to go in the fourth quarter knotted the score at 41 junior forward Grace Mooney swished a 3-pointer to give Mercy (5-11 2-7 A Conference) its first lead of the game Moran’s drive with 53 seconds left inched the Lions (9-4 2-4 B Conference) to within a point before Reese’s heroics Marks said that Brown “is a special player who can get up and down the court We have our work cut out for us in trying to stop her While Brown did everything in her power to will the Magic to the victory Moran made her work hard for every point “She’s very athletic and can stay with any guard in the league right now,” Marks said but I’m trying to get her to focus on basketball right now because the sky’s the limit for her.” Mercy did well to overcome an 11-point deficit with just under six minutes remaining in regulation and the girls did that,” said Mercy coach George Panageotou who has piloted the Magic to a pair of wins against the Lions after assisting legendary Mercy coach Mary Ella Marion in The Classic’s inaugural edition in 2022 “I told them in the locker room that it wasn’t their effort We took a three-point lead and somehow that diminished They made shots in the paint and made winning plays.” Click through the slideshow below to see more photographs from the game Mercy High School junior Kaci Scherrer is mentoring with the Catholic Review and contributed to the slideshow Copyright © 2025 Catholic Review Media  Print Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media Catholic Media Assocation Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association The Associated Church Press PHOENIX — A Maryvale neighborhood is now the focus of a redevelopment effort by the Phoenix City Council One major concern is all the trash that is in the area: you can see clothes beer boxes and even shower curtains strewn throughout the street It has gotten so bad here that a homeowner’s son actually spray painted the words "No Dumping" in an effort to get people to stop For neighbors along a portion of 69th Avenue off Thomas Road in Maryvale "Especially when they're throwing dead dogs and cats it was smelling in the back of my yard," said Palmie M who has lived in the neighborhood for 11 years Peralta says illegal dumping has always been a problem Another neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous says he is worried for the safety of his two daughters Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip Connect with us: share@abc15.com Facebook | Instagram | YouTube "There is usually kids running around and racing from one corner to the other because there is no speeds bumps there is not even enough lighting," he said the Phoenix City Council has voted unanimously to declare this area blighted and look to redevelop it The city’s resolution for the effort saying in part: "There are conditions The city is working with The NRP Group to potentially build an affordable housing multi-family project but only with substantial financial investment Residents here are hoping it will lead to better days for their neighborhood "I don't know if that's going to help or not Report a typo After just one change in a light initial week the action heated up last week and the rankings reflect it Archbishop Spalding (Md.) opened its season with one of the biggest wins in program history Paul’s (Md.) in overtime to take down the country’s No 5 in this week’s USA Lacrosse High School Girls' National Top 25 Two teams from the South are among the three new teams in the rankings this week 16 after stopping Mid-Atlantic contender Maryvale (Md.) which had been ranked third nationally as well Similarly IMG Academy (Fla.) picked up its biggest win in program history when it took down a top-10 team for the first time Anne’s-Belfield (Va.) for an impressive victory to put them in the rankings at No Penn Charter (Pa.) also entered the rankings after a 3-0 start Chief among their first three wins was a solid W against Stone Ridge (Md.) there will be even more competition to weigh but one week already generated a healthy amount of movement with each team's previous ranking denoted in parenthesis Compiled by USA Lacrosse writers with input from coaches around the country rankings and records reflect results as of previous Sunday.  Also considered (alphabetical order): Archbishop Carroll (Pa.) USA Lacrosse is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization (EIN 52-1765246) BMORE Lifestyle's Alex Parker visits Maryvale Preparatory School to speak with Patricia J Mitchell Leadership Institute director Laura Scott about the program's tenth anniversary He also discusses the personal impact of the program with Maryvale students Bella Marson When you think about high school music class students can stick with the mainstays — and they can also study mariachi as part of Mariachi Las Panteras De Oro Mike Dominguez is the school’s director of bands he’s created and nurtured the off-campus performing group I figured what better way to not only get these kids to play this awesome music but to make those connections with their roots and their heritage and all that.” His students at the time chose the band’s name and designed the logo A catrina-style panther head topped with a sombrero adorns the back of their trajes “Las Panteras de Oro” is a nod to Maryvale High’s panther mascot and gold colors They’ve performed for the American Heart Association Esmeralda Valencia is a member of Las Panteras always have such a special place in my heart,” Valencia said He’s something of an unlikely mentor for Las Panteras considering his early distaste for mariachi I couldn’t stand mariachi music,” Dominguez said And I was around it all the time because my grandparents listened to it.” around the same time he started to play the trumpet Dominguez trained as a mariachi after school with a group of kids his age Dominguez says that’s what mariachi used to be about: providing for himself One of those students is Esmeralda Valencia she’s the longest-tenured member of Las Panteras but the songs of José Alfredo Jiménez really sparked her passion “I know my parents saw me when I was like 12 years old and was like ‘Aw she’s gonna stop listening to mariachi in a few years like it’s something that’s gonna go away.’ But I don’t think it’s something that can just disappear from my life forever,” Valencia said “It’s something that I will always find a way to carry with myself in a way that will help me communicate with other people.” The string-heavy songs are the truest form of mariachi music “It makes me see how far I’ve come as a violinist and a mariachi Being able to realize how much growth I’ve made in such little time is just so refreshing I don’t think 10-year-old me would be able to see how much I’ve grown,” Valencia said David Castillo finds connection with rancheras a style of mariachi that literally means “from the rancho,” or ranch He moved to Arizona with his family when was 11 “A lot of the people told me a lot since I was a kid it’s just a way that you can communicate towards the gente You’ve got to be communicative towards that type of music.” Castillo and Valencia are leaders of the Panteras the only mariachi performing group in the Phoenix Unified High School District They say they learned a lot from the seniors who guided them through their early high school years Many of those alumni have continued their mariachi careers at Phoenix College “They always were actually ready to rehearse you gotta be there.’ They were always on point Las Panteras attend the Tucson International Mariachi Festival where they get to talk shop with and learn from some of the most accomplished mariachis in the world The first formal mariachi class in the United States was offered at UCLA in 1961 Torres-Ramos is an ethnomusicologist and mariachi director at San Jose State University “The discipline of ethnomusicology has been to study musics that are outside of the Western classical tradition what historically has kind of been referred to as ‘world music,’” he said Dominguez says it means everything to have mariachi programs in schools “I think people are just starting to see the value in being able to teach a folk music that hits so close to home,” Dominguez said “Just some of the stories I can tell you about kids that have come to me While he wishes he’d had a chance like this when he was in high school You can see Las Panteras de Oro perform at the La Cultura Car and Bike Show at Carl Hayden High School on April 5 EDITOR'S NOTE: The story has been updated to correct the spelling of David Castillo's name M&T Bank and Khalil Shakir surprise Maryvale High School with a $5,000 grant in recognition of former teacher Breanna Pelonero the grand prize winner of the M&T Bank Touchdown for Teachers program Teens go extra mile engaging in neighborhood advocacy as they are mentored by officials High school students from the west Phoenix neighborhood of Maryvale worked with residents and artists Adam Vigil (left) and Larry Valenzuela (right) to create a mural along a path adjacent to the Grand Canal the teens use to walk to school between 51st and 59th avenues Photo courtesy of Design Studio for Community Solutions An Arizona State University-based youth leadership training program serving the west Phoenix neighborhood of Maryvale received the city of Phoenix’s District 7 Civic Engagement Award at a Sept The Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions-based Design Studio for Community Solutions (DSCS) developed the Maryvale Youth Leadership Program (YLP) in collaboration with the Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department, local high school students The annual award recognizes neighborhood groups or individuals for outstanding efforts who went the extra mile for their neighborhoods which presented the award at its 2024 Neighborhood Synergy Conference teenagers in the program have painted murals cleaned debris from local properties and held community events as they've learn how to become confident leaders local officials and community members while gaining valuable experience for their futures The program empowers high school students to become community leaders through personal growth skill development and community engagement according to a statement from the Neighborhood Services Department striving to positively impact the community through leadership and service Maryvale YLP is supported by Mike and Cindy Watts’ 2018 gift to the college, said DSCS Director Allison Mullady “The Maryvale Youth Leadership program embodies all of our design studio core principles since it is built with the high school students and evolves with them This has been key in their retention and learning because they engage in high-level leadership and advocacy skills through hands-on projects they believe in,” Mullady said Maryvale YLP students met with city officials and recently became an official neighborhood association “The skills they are learning will not only set them up for future success but build up the capacity of the Maryvale community,” she said “They know how to make change and get things done for their community.” Phoenix District 7 Councilmember Carlos Galindo-Elvira said students have been honing their leadership skills through the Maryvale YLP for more than two years “I am honored to have this cohort of students learning and giving back to their community as a means of preparing tomorrow’s leaders,” Galindo-Elvira said Maryvale and Phoenix will flourish and empower youth to take an active interest in their community.” DSCS senior program coordinator Stephanie Castillo leads the program assisted by ASU student workers Manuel Elizalde and Daniel Moton “The Maryvale Youth Leadership Program empowers young people to take the lead in their community emphasizing the rich diversity and strength that make Maryvale special,” Castillo said our youth have not only created impactful projects but also fostered a deeper connection to their community and its future.” a professor in Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change and a research scientist with the Institute of… Isiaha Rodriguez is a first-generation college student whose journey through applied mathematics at ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences is rooted in curiosity Jack Tess is planning to go to law school — the next step in a journey driven by advocacy equity and representation.He worked as a substitute teacher while earning his master’s degree in… Before Phoenix Maryvale took the court Thursday night at unbeaten Peoria Liberty Maryvale alum Gabe Chavez surprised the players in the locker room with brand new Devin Booker shoes "It really set a positive tone for the game," said coach Jeremy Smith Maryvale then went out and posted the biggest Arizona high school boys basketball upset in recent years knocking off the defending 6A champions 77-75 behind 5-foot-10 junior point guard Adrian Stubbs Stubbs loved the shoes but he was concerned about not having them worked in before taking on Liberty Smith said only Devin Murphy and Jazebel Reyes wore the Book 1 shoes for the game Chavez is West Phoenix-grown and takes pride in the Maryvale neighborhood wanting to give back to the kids before Christmas especially just the school in general," Chavez said "Growing and living my whole life in Maryvale we never really had anyone you know come back and give us things like this So for me to be able to use my resources and my friends to help the boys out Chavez has been doing freelance photography work with Phoenix Suns players for eight years He works with athletes from all over the Valley from Suns star Devin Booker to Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray It was a motivational boost for a Maryvale team that heads into the Christmas break with a 7-6 record after the stunning upset of a 7-1 Liberty team that lost one of its top players who was rushed to the Emergency Room an hour before the game with abdominal pain Liberty coach Mark Wood said that Miller will be fine "Maryvale played extremely hard and that needs to be the focal point," Wood said Maryvale had to rally out of a 20-4 hole four minutes into the game "The nerves were evident and I had to take a moment to settle the guys down," Smith said I emphasized the importance of stepping up," Smith said Smith called timeout to design a play for Stubbs hitting a jumper with 17 seconds left that put the Panthers up by two Defenders then dug in and a 3 from Liberty at the buzzer rimmed out Stubbs, who was voted The Arizona Republic's boy high school athlete of the week for Dec "I knew we could win that game," said Stubbs who was coming off an incredible tournament in Farmington whether they did something bad or something good." Stubbs continually attacked the basket on drives "We had a game plan and applied that to the floor," Stubbs said PHOENIX — The Phoenix Police Department has made an arrest in a decades-old cold case out of Maryvale On Thursday, authorities announced that 70-year-old Alfred Earl Green has been arrested for the 1986 murder of 18-year-old Lachelle "Shelly" Waite "She just finished high school at Maryvale High so this is a local kid growing up that her life was cut way too short," said Sgt Police say Waite was found dead in her home near 59th Avenue and Thomas Road on January 16 The cause of death was determined to be strangulation detectives did not find any sign of forced entry into the home and believed she knew the suspect "The detective has been able to identify that the suspect in this case was known to the victim through the victim's boyfriend at the time," said Sgt Personal property was also discovered to have been stolen from the home during the time of the murder Phoenix PD officials say detectives had a strong lead at the time but did not have enough evidence to make an arrest and the case went cold Phoenix police's cold case unit reviewed the investigation and identified a piece of evidence collected at the scene that could not be processed at the time of the murder and after additional advancements in technology it was finally submitted for advanced DNA testing in 2022 detectives were able to identify Green as the suspect in the case according to the Arizona Department of Corrections Phoenix Police said he was serving time for another unrelated Phoenix murder The ADCRR's website said he was sentenced to 25 years to Life but ABC15 is reaching out to learn the specifics of his sentence Green appeared in front of a judge on Thursday for his initial appearance where prosecutors claimed that he stole jewelry and a gun and "sold them immediately after he murder." Green responded to the charges and allegations in court "I know she did a lot of lying," said Green The 70-year-old also said that he didn't care what the bond amount was He will be back in court next week for his arraignment police said a motive is still under investigation Green is charged with first-degree murder after detectives submitted the case to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office ABC15 did speak with Waite's family briefly Friday but they are asking for privacy at this time Check out more cold case coverage from ABC15's series Arizona Crime Uncovered in the player below: Want to watch more Arizona Crime Uncovered AZ — It's a Thursday morning at the Watts Family Maryvale YMCA and the attendees of a workout class are making one last pit stop before they head out "It's crazy how expensive things are," Angelica said in Spanish are grabbing a blue bag filled with food at the location's first-of-its-kind food pantry She says it will help feed not only herself but her parents who are staying with them as well It's a common living arrangement for those living in this West Valley neighborhood While working at the Y for the past few years affording food is one of the many challenges his neighbors face but it didn't at the same time because I could see the cost of food rising," he said they give away anywhere between 500 and 1,000 pounds of food It's all donated by the nonprofit Waste Not they also have the Valley's first-ever food pantry inside a YMCA So if someone misses out on grabbing a bag there is more food on hand at any point in the day Zavala says it feels good to start something new "I enjoy it because I've seen the impact it has on the community helping these families is important to me." Zavala says that right now, the food is only for members of the Y, but he says they never turn away someone who is hungry. You can join the Y for a monthly fee, and they also offer financial assistance to become a member. They pass out the food on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Maryvale location That project hit another milestone in Maryvale on Saturday as over 100 community members celebrated four new miles of path in their neighborhood The ceremonies included a ribbon cutting and the first crossing of the pedestrian bridge District 5 Councilwoman Betty Guardado said it’s an important step for investment in Phoenix west of the I-17 “These are working class communities and sometimes it’s a lot easier to come and exercise here rather than get a gym membership with the economy the way that it is,” Guardado said Funding from the Salt River Project and grant money helped the city complete this $20 million project to make the upgrades for the path and make it usable for the community," Leslie Meyers with the Salt River Project said Maryvale bicyclists like Elizabeth Aguilar also celebrated the canal's safety features “Well now that they have the HAWK light here Over 100 "HAWK" lights have been installed in Phoenix. The pedestrian activated streetlights were a priority for bringing this project together “We’ve put in almost six HAWK lights along this path so people can get across those busy streets safer," Phoenix Street Transportation Department director Brandy Kelso said Another big upgrade is lights along the whole Canalscape not only making the path safer but also accessible in the summer when it’s too hot during the day ‘It’s just great to be here today and see so much community enthusiasm We also put in some extra park amenities and they’re already getting great use," Mayor Kate Gallego said Community members like Donald Aguilar said the project is not just a path for people but a path forward for Maryvale as a whole “The bridge joining the two communities together it's just all positivity here today," Aguilar said There are now 16 miles of path along the Grand Canalscape. With one more phase to complete the city will add a few more miles in the near future LUTHERVILLE – Maryvale Preparatory School marked the 10th anniversary of its Patricia J Mitchell ’65 Leadership Institute by welcoming Dr a clinical professor of managerial psychology at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business faculty and staff at Maryvale’s 100-acre Green Spring Valley campus before delivering a keynote address that evening special recognition was given to the institute’s attending architects The event honored key figures behind the institute for whom a new award in leadership excellence was announced Also recognized were current institute director Laura Scott school President Malika DeLancey and Tracey Ford a philanthropist and retired IBM vice president of Global Sales Operations for whom the institute was named in 2023 said her goal “is to change the global conversation about leadership” and to “go wiser younger,” helping everyone from high-level executives to high school students When Ginzel received Maryvale’s invitation to come speak about what leadership entails the longtime friend of Fise leaped at the opportunity “You see what Maryvale is doing – leadership with a capital ‘L,’” she said The independent Catholic girls’ school affiliated with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur is the first in the Baltimore region and beyond to offer a specific leadership institute Ginzel shared insights from her book “Choosing Leadership Revised and Expanded” and passed out copies to attendees that she signed having been inspired by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda who always wrote in green goes hand-in-hand with “the self-understanding that is essential to leadership development.” With an engaging presence and self-deprecating humor emphasizing that leadership is a skill anyone can develop This makes leadership a set of skills that anyone regardless of age should practice constantly she also has executive MBA students in Hong Kong She’s designed educational programs for Fortune 500 companies and is one of the country’s leading consumer advocates whose work on product safety has saved countless lives she was awarded the President’s Service Award the nation’s highest honor for volunteer service in solving critical social problems To start teaching about leadership to the young, thwarting the stereotype that only high achievers can lead, Ginzel has also written a small picture book, “Leadership is …,” for her students to enjoy with the children in their lives. It is free to download at the website choosingleadershipbook.com “I’m trying to help people understand that leading is a behavior and there are many ways to lead,” Ginzel said of course – both are necessary in different ways “Let children tell you why the moon is leading and the sun is managing,” she challenged “You’ll be surprised by how interesting and creative they are.” No one has the ultimate definition of leadership on which everyone will agree she urged everyone to “start with what you think leadership is then inform your understanding with what others – such as practitioners and academics – think about leadership … But you need to have your own definition of leadership as it will form the basis for your own actions.” Throughout the process of reflecting on one’s own definition of leadership it doesn’t exist.” When you write something down it becomes data that you can study and begin to understand the value of your own experience emphasizing its broad and inclusive approach to leadership.  Ginzel is that anyone can be a leader,” she said “There is no clear-cut definition of the word ‘leadership.’ It allows you to interpret it however you want A leader is … someone who inspires others and doesn’t back down from a challenge there are moments in everyone’s lives when they have portrayed leadership qualities.” said the presentation taught her the value of writing down ideas.  “This enhances my view of leadership because I can understand that my ideas could be the start of something amazing,” she said Ginzel noted that the Maryvale middle schoolers were the youngest audience to whom she had ever presented a leadership seminar  Print Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this article incorrectly listed state Rep Lydia Hernández's position on the Cartwright Elementary School District 83 school board Leer en español Cassandra Hernández began attending the Cartwright Elementary School District 83 school board meetings when she was a kid alongside her mom Cartwright school board president and recently elected Arizona state Rep Then 6-year-old Hernández would attend these sessions not fully comprehending what would transpire On Nov. 5, approximately 13 years later, at 19, Hernández cast her ballot as a first-time voter while other registered voters cast their ballot for her to serve a four-year term on the Cartwright Elementary School District 83 school board where over 80% of students identify as Latino Coming from an immigrant father and south Texas farmworker turned current state legislator mother Hernández said she was born and raised in the west Phoenix neighborhood of Maryvale where she attended the Justine Spitalny STE³AM School and the Glenn L both in the Cartwright Elementary school district Located in west Phoenix, Maryvale Village is home to ‭221,353‬ people who, according to U.S. Census data, identify as Hispanic and make up over 70% of the population. At least six school districts call the West Valley neighborhood home According to the National Center for Education Statistics of Cartwright district parents did not graduate from high school; 37.9% graduated from high school; 18.2% had some college or associate's degree; and only 3.2% obtained a Bachelor's degree or higher and Hernández's successful journey in beating odds drug abuse and gun violence at the early age of 12 Hernández said she understood the impact adequate schooling could have on her future Becoming a mother at 16 only cemented that deciding to move from Maryvale High School to the Linda Abril Education Academy in the Phoenix Union High School District She credits her son and her mother for her journey into community service she said she remembers a lot of her friends would come to her and tell her about issues they had going on at home They vented to her about their issues without knowledge of who her mom was "My mom would know what to do," Hernández said was the thought that would come to her mind as she listened to her friends raising three kids and fighting for her husband's immigration case but Hernández admires that she always found a way to give back "My whole life she's been giving back to this community," Hernández said She was always involved in helping her mom from a very young age canvassing on her behalf every time an election came around as she campaigned in support of her mom's state legislature bid she realized she wanted to run for the school board where she grew up She sat down with the soon-to-be-elected representative and told her about her aspirations all of which came to her after speaking with Maryvale constituents The experience of speaking with voters triggered an emotional response Hernández said she is often asked if she will follow in those same footsteps During her interview with The Arizona Republic she didn't comment on this but agreed that much of her guidance on the school board will come from her mom Hernández responded to a questionnaire from The Arizona Republic that asked school board candidates what issues they prioritized Hernández wrote that youth her age were dealing with a lack of education and opportunity Hernández did not specify how she would address this but said she planned on stepping into her role ready to learn what's being done and what can be changed Asked about how she would address the fears the Latino and immigrant communities face regarding the passage of Proposition 314 Hernández said she acknowledged the harsh realities of many Maryvale students struggled for years with his immigration case she said she supported having law enforcement in schools but did not clarify in what capacity the Cartwright district has school resource officers on campuses The main provision of Proposition 314 — making illegal crossing of the international border a state crime — has not taken effect was highlighted by critics as potentially disastrous to the immigrant and Latino communities because of feared civil rights abuses The provision relies on a court determination that Texas' Senate Bill 4 Justice Department under President Joe Biden's administration she said the point of having law enforcement in schools is to make sure "we have a backbone to rely on so law enforcement should be instilled in schools." Hernández also said she was against the current four-day school week adopted by the district during the pandemic Hugo Rodríguez, the Cartwright Elementary School District 83 spokesperson, told The Republic in a 2023 interview that the schedule was favored by parents and The schedule change also made the district more appealing to teachers noted how heavily this impacts students facing excruciating circumstances leaving them with few safe places to go after school also makes her feel like education is less of a priority but with every bit of motivation from her mother Hernández acknowledged her age and compared this experience to starting school "There's going to be a lot of learning," she told herself "I want to be able to be an inspiration because I am so young," Hernández said Hernández celebrated her 20th birthday on Dec about a month after winning her election bid She celebrated it by obtaining her Certificate of Election as a governing board member from the Maricopa County School Superintendent's Office the hard work is done but it has just begun Reach La Voz reporter David Ulloa Jr. at david.ulloa@gannett.com The Buffalo Bills and M&T Bank celebrate the winner of the 2024 M&T Bank Touchdown for Teachers competition with a special event at Maryvale High School on Tuesday Khalil Shakir and Billy Buffalo joined M&T Bank to announce Breanna Pelonero as this year's winner and present the Maryvale School District with a $5,000 grant to further Pelonero's impact in the school community Scroll to see photos from the 5th Annual Micah Hyde Charity Softball Game where the Buffalo Bills Defense and Offense competed in both a softball game and home run derby to benefit the Imagine for Youth Foundation Stevie Johnson sat down for the first time in Bills history to chat on the inception of "Bills Mafia" and all things Buffalo Bills as well as plenty of anecdotes from Schefter and Johnson about the 2025 NFL Draft and their favorite Buffalo Bills memories from over the years Buffalo Bills fans had the opportunity to hear from GM Brandon Beane Ruben Brown and others following the 2025 NFL Draft provided a behind-the-scenes look at the draft process The Buffalo Bills together with Wegmans and FeedMore WNY visited Orchard Park High School in celebration of their first-place finish in the 2024 Huddle for Hunger High School Challenge and Darrynton Evans came to celebrate the students Visit buffalobills.com/huddleforhunger to sign up for the 2025 Challenge Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres proudly partnered with the Seneca Gaming Corporation to host Seneca Sports Day at the Allegany Community Center for Seneca Nation youth the participants had the opportunity to sharpen their hockey skills with Sabres Alumni learn the fundamentals of flag football with Bills Linebacker and Buffalo native Joe Andreessen and develop their lacrosse game with Bandits players Billy Buffalo and Sabretooth appeared throughout the event which also included airbrush tattoos for the kids The Buffalo Bills partnered with the Niagara Youth Flag Football Organization to host a girls flag football clinic for middle school and high school girls at Youngs Sportsplex in Welland Buffalo Bills Alumni Lorenzo Alexander made the trip to Welland to support the girls flag players by coaching the participants at the flag different stations and taking pictures and signing autographs at the end of the event in partnership with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Concordia Dental offered free dental services to 220 local elementary school students promoting the significance of proper oral health Bills Defensive Tackle DeWayne Carter and Running Back Ray Davis visited the kids in the afternoon to wish them well with their procedures The Buffalo Bills hosted the High School Girls Flag Football Kickoff this weekend for 65+ teams from Western New York to the Finger Lakes Region in partnership with UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine The Buffalo Bills and Highmark teamed up to host an event focused on mental and physical well-being through a women-led panel healthy tips on nutrition and physical fitness/exercise and provided networking opportunities with Bills professionals The Buffalo Bills were proud to support the Say YES Saturday Academy and Black Family Wellness Expo at BUILD Academy In partnership with the American Heart Association the event featured hands-only CPR training equipping attendees with life-saving skills who was honored with the Health Equity Award for his dedication to advancing healthcare access and equity in the community As part of the Buffalo Bills Black History Month celebrations the Bills partnered with Zeneta & Zaire's Book Club for a story hour at Nanny's Nook Day Care including a reading of The Lil' Player that Could by Ja'Marcus Ingram The Bills were proud to partner with Buffalo Fashion Runway for the second annual Black Carpet II event The spectacular evening was dedicated to honoring Black History Month by celebrating the resilience and influence of Black fashion through the ages Black Carpet II spotlit contemporary designs while paying tribute to the trailblazing journey of Black fashion The night also highlighted and celebrated 10 distinguished Black Icons — influential leaders across various fields in Buffalo — with special awards recognizing their invaluable contributions to the community after a year away from Arizona as assistant high school coaches in Georgia are returning to Phoenix to lead Maryvale High School's struggling football program The twin brothers two seasons ago led Goodyear Desert Edge to the 5A state final where they lost a heartbreaker to Gilbert Higley After an alleged off-season recruiting violation that led to the school being placed on probation, the Carter brothers decided to step down in April 2024 in order for the Arizona Interscholastic Association to lift the probation status and allow the Scorpions to compete in the postseason Under the direction of former assistant Henri MacArthur, Desert Edge ended up winning the 5A state title this past season "Arizona has been our home for so many years," Marcus Carter said We're just moving forward to help Maryvale get back to the old days." Last summer, they moved to Georgia where they were assistant coaches at Griffin High School This marks a return to the Phoenix Union High School district for the Carter brothers who led South Mountain for four years and have always been co-head coaches Marcus coaches the defensive side of the ball They were part of The Arizona Republic's video documentary, "Beyond the Gridiron," in 2019 when they were at Phoenix South Mountain winning their first region title in 11 years They kept their homes in the Valley while in Georgia Former Arizona Cardinals assistant coach George Martinez took a turn at it Maryvale's only state championship game experience came in 1975 when the Panthers lost to Tucson Amphitheater they produced very good teams and future NFL players such as Darren Woodson and Phillippi Sparks creating one of the best high school football rivalries in the state between Maryvale and Trevor Browne billed back then as "The Pride of the West Side." The Panthers went 3-7 for two straight years before that They did not play football in 2020 due to the pandemic and the Phoenix Union High School District starting late and abbreviating the season Maryvale never got a game in due to COVID-19 "What we learned at South and learned at DE is consistency," Mark said "Marcus and I have prided ourselves in being consistently consistent Those kids in that area are people we can identify with And some people who know we're going to be there to help them We're really excited to get to Maryvale and start working." They are working out the details now on coming back to the Valley They expect to be here in time for May's spring football workouts get them to understand what football at Maryvale is all about," Marcus said they haven't had the best experience with football It's get them to buy in like all of the other schools we've been to Get them to buy in and keep the kids who are supposed to go to Maryvale to go to Maryvale." To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert An arrest has finally been made in Phoenix’s oldest cold case homicide nearly 39 years after a teenager was murdered in Maryvale The Phoenix Police Department announced Friday that a suspect has been charged in the 1986 killing of 18-year-old Lachelle "Shelly" Waite. The suspect was already serving a life sentence for another murder committed just a few years later was convicted by a jury in 1989 of shooting dead his ex-girlfriend an 18-year-old recent graduate of Maryvale High School was known for tutoring fellow students and actively participating in dance and choir her smile radiates the promise of a young life filled with potential Waite was found dead in her room by her older sister She had gone to pick up Shelly for her shift at a discount department store in the now-closed Maryvale Mall when she made the tragic discovery according to an Arizona Republic report at the time investigators suspected Waite may have known her killer to some extent but it remains unclear if she had any connection to Green who was 31 years old at the time of the murder "Detectives had a strong investigative lead at the time but didn't have enough evidence to make an arrest and the case went cold," a statement from the Phoenix Police Department from today read investigators identified a piece of evidence from Waite’s murder scene that “could not be processed at the time.” Thanks to advancements in DNA technology it was finally submitted for testing in 2022 the Waite family may finally find some closure “I've gotten close with Lachelle's family over the years and I've learned what an amazing person Shelly was," Cold Case Detective Dominick Roestenberg said in a statement from the Phoenix Police Department kind and had an amazing future ahead of her." Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPHOENIX (AZFamily) — The Phoenix City Council unanimously voted Wednesday night to force the sale of a nearly 10-acre property on Thomas Rd by designating it ‘blight’ and a public health hazard Palmie Peralta has been living in the neighborhood for 15 years Her only grievance is dealing with a constant issue since she’s moved in: illegal dumping Trash all over and tall trash,” she pointed out Peralta said she’s also found dead animals dumped in the area by homeless people who hang around the fenced-off area of a piece of the 10-acre property that’s behind her home Arizona’s Family talked with a neighbor who said she’s lived in the neighborhood since the 80s and said the land has been unkept ever since She said she’s noticed more illegal dumping along the property in the past couple of years but it’s been an issue since she bought her house Peralta said she used to clean the trash but has given up But her grandchildren painted ‘No Dumping’ on one of her walls and posted flyers from the City with the same message Peralta had security cameras installed outside her home to help deter people from going into her property the Phoenix City Council voted unanimously to have the property redeveloped by declaring the neglected plot of land “blight” and a public health hazard a developer has purchased the land and is planning to clean the property up and build nearly 300 apartment units on top of it Part of their pitch is to revitalize the neighborhood and install a gate and potentially have on-site security guards One neighbor isn’t looking forward to that It’s just going to get congested around here So many apartment buildings have come up around here It doesn’t seem okay to have another one right in the middle of a bunch of houses,” said Janice Wells Peralta is hopeful the redevelopment of the land will mean less trash around her home I’ll probably end up selling,” said Peralta It’s unclear how soon the developer will break ground or when they plan to complete the project Wednesday’s vote by the city council will help prioritize their approval process with the city See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description As children behind her said indiscernible words and distant music played from one of the many colorful stalls inside Phoenix Marketplace Yaritza Flores Bustos smiled as she recalled walking under the blue hue shining brightly from the Phoenician sun hitting the tarps that hung overhead at El Gran Mercado This swap meet once called the intersection of 35th Avenue and Buckeye Road home a multidisciplinary Maryvale-based art collective said it was in the vibrant swap meets where she first experienced art in this west Phoenix neighborhood The art collective she's a part of seeks to recreate this swap meet-esque atmosphere through "El Mundo es un Barrio," a free art installation being hosted at the Maryvale Community Center this weekend It intends to mimic swap meets of old with a twist — instead of typical vendors provide community resources and host various food vendors and musical performances the Maryvale district of west Phoenix is home to a Hispanic and Latino majority where over 50% of adults over the age of 18 speak Spanish in addition to English at home Founded by artists who grew up in Maryvale Salcido said the purpose of Labor is to be the bridge that shows the artistic capacity and potential of Maryvale because the neighborhood is too often stereotyped was creating sculptures and pottery that honored Maryvale she believed that in order to excel as an artist she had to leave Phoenix The start of the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to slow down observant and reflective about growing up in Maryvale Trendy cultural statements of pride that are now commonplace among Gen Z and Alpha — like playing corridos in the bathroom or showing up to school in Mexican cowboy boots — would have never happened when Flores Bustos was a student at Trevor G being Mexican was not often boasted with pride these unashamed statements of cultural pride fill Flores Bustos with joy "I want every child and every person and every individual that grew up here to feel that way," Flores Bustos said we may not have these huge luxuries that I think the majority of the world considers luxuries but places like this (Phoenix Marketplace) left the area near 51st Avenue and Encanto Boulevard that he found his artistic niche "It took me to step away from Maryvale to really appreciate it," said Torres the co-director and co-curator of a space off Roosevelt Row that houses Palabra art studio being able to host this event in Maryvale is a full-circle moment for him he felt that the arts weren't being fostered in the area he and his partners do just that for the younger generation of artists The same goes for Flores Bustos who ate several meals learned how to use a computer and spent a lot of her childhood at the Maryvale Community Center while she said she waited for her parents to pick her up after school "Sometimes I'm in complete disbelief I get to do this It's an immense honor to be able to support the people that I love," she said Torres said he hopes this event shows aspiring artists they do not have to leave Maryvale to find their passion and continue their craft in their hometown Details: Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Maryvale Community Center, 4420 N. 51st Ave., Phoenix. For more information, contact the Maryvale Community Center phone number: 602-262-5030 Cayden Reese will continue a lacrosse legacy at the University of Maryland Right now, she’s a big part of a basketball renaissance at Maryvale Preparatory School in Brooklandville, Maryland The Lions are 9-4 this season after three straight losing seasons She helped Maryvale to one of its biggest wins in several years Reese scored the winning basket on a put back with 5.4 seconds remaining in regulation giving the Brooklandville (Md.) school a 45-44 win over Mercy in  “The Classic” at Towson University “We were going to show how hard we’ve worked.” 1 girls lacrosse prospect in the Class of 2026 national select U-16 squad that won the Brogden Cup last October College Park has been a second home for Reese since she was born has won five national championships (12 total as player/assistant coach/coach) at Maryland was an All-American defenseman at Maryland from 1995-98 Brother Riley is a junior defenseman for the Terps’ men Cayden loves the positive momentum  she’s helping to build on the hardwood for Maryvale The Lions’ win over Mercy was their first in “The Classic,” which was played in front of more than 2,000 and first overall against Mercy since 2019 “This is such a great opportunity ,” said Reese “You just have to have fun with it…knowing your school has our back is simply great.” DEREK TONEYDerek Toney is an award winning sports journalist with nearly four decades of content creation editing and management experience in the DMV area He has served as a reporter with the Baltimore Sun He also spent 12 years as a Senior Content Editor with Varsity Sports Network He has been writing for High School on SI since 2023 © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Maryvale YLP members and artist Larry Valenzuela paint the second mural along the Grand Canal Photos courtesy ASU Design Studio for Community Solutions The public is invited to the unveiling of the second of two murals produced by teens from Maryvale participating in an ASU leadership program and local artists A free community celebration is 3 to 5 p.m near another one created earlier this year along the Grand Canal between 59th and 67th avenues south of Indian School Road the second was created by teens in the Maryvale Youth Leadership Program with the help of area artist Larry Valenzuela Valenzuela and fellow local artist Adam Vigil helped teens create the first mural earlier this year The Watts College-based Design Studio for Community Solutions (DSCS) developed the Maryvale YLP in collaboration with the Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department, local high school students the city honored the program with its District 7 Civic Engagement Award which recognizes neighborhood groups or individuals for outstanding efforts and going the extra mile for their neighborhoods Two Watts College researchers are explaining the many ballot propositions facing Arizona voters on Sun Sounds of Arizona’s Sun Talk Election 2024 Statewide Ballot Propositions Show Sun Sounds of Arizona provides audio access to print information on the radio smart home devices and internet for people who cannot read or hold print material due to a disability.  Sun Sounds broadcasts the reading of over 200 local and national publications 24 hours a day from studios in Tempe, Flagstaff and Tucson. All reading is done by hundreds of trained volunteers. For more information, contact director Andrea Pasquale at (480) 774-8304, or email apasquale@sunsounds.org UA Regents Professor Christopher Segrin and UA Associate Professor Yotam Shmargad “cared about the contributions the academy could make to enhance civility and the quality of life,” Martinez-Brawley (right) Roatch Distinguished Professor in Social Work said it became apparent to her “that making the topic of offensive speech (whether legally ‘hate speech’ or not) the subject of our roundtable would offer the audience a chance to express I trust that at the end of the program we will have generated many new ideas improvements and perhaps solutions.”  The Classic is a women's high school basketball tradition that dates back more than 60 years It features Mercy High School and Maryvale Preparatory School The game is played at TU Arena at Towson University "To be on that stage at Towson University in front of that many fans to play on a college court It's a great experience for the girls," says George Panageotou They're looking to make it four straight on Friday night They're led by one of the state's top guards The star guard is averaging 30 on the year "When you step on the court in The Classic your family in the Mercy community as well as Maryvale cheer you on on the court is like no other feeling You kind of just take it in and taking the moment Brown's teammate Grace Mooney has ties to this game Years ago her mom played in this game as a member of Mercy how much it means to everyone and her and and I'm glad I get to live in the moment that she did and see what it's like," says Mooney who continued this rivalry after IND closed down in 2020 is looking for its first win in the rivalry "We're just hoping that our students have a really great experience I want them to be able to just compete and that they feel celebrated to be able to participate in such really awesome game and have their team meeting their classmates celebrate them," says Telia Marks director of athletics and head coach at Maryvale Maryvale's Maddie Finkle says her aunt played for IND in this rivalry She's excited to continue this legacy for the first time "This is my first year ever playing basketball and first year ever playing in the game so I'm excited to be part of the team this year," says Finkle Tessa Deluca believes it'll take a scrappy effort and laser focus to walk out of Towson with their first win in this rivalry Friday night but just focus on what's on the floor and what's in front of you," says Deluca This game is Friday night at 7 pm at TU Arena Phoenix police officers fatally shot a man on Thursday night near 79th Avenue and Mitchell Drive in west Phoenix's Maryvale Village where residents say gun violence has overtaken their neighborhood The suspect who was shot has been identified as 48-year-old Saul Alonso Loya who was possibly armed harassing another near 83rd Avenue and McDowell Road The caller told officials they were following a vehicle that Loya was driving Police officers found the vehicle and tried to pull it over The department used air support to track the vehicle to the area of 79th Avenue and Mitchell Drive Loya then fled from the vehicle and ran into a backyard An officer spotted a man matching Loya's description who "was seen with a handgun in his hand and raised it up," the news release stated Phoenix police said Loya was shot once and died from his injuries on the scene despite officers' attempts to provide life-saving measures Police said officers found the gun at the shooting scene Officials warned that the area would be shut down while detectives investigated the situation Based on information previously shared by Phoenix police this is at least the 18th person the department has shot this year and at least the fourth person they have shot this month Based on data compiled by The Arizona Republic and this month's most recent fatal shootings there have been at least 14 people fatally shot by Phoenix police in 2024 Residents express concern: 'It's been horrible'Friday morning through at least the afternoon police cordoned off a few homes on West Mitchell Drive and a few department vehicles could be seen parked on the street The cordoning blocked the entrance from 79th Drive keeping back people Connie and Keith Rohrman hoped would spend cash on their two-day yard sale at their West Mitchell Drive home have lived at the house that sits across from Starlight Park Situated between Mitchell and West Osborn Road The seemingly tranquil community space has recently become a meeting ground for those looking to shoot their guns the Rohrmans and neighbors told The Republic Police activity: Investigation underway after man shot, killed in east Phoenix said there was a shootout Tuesday night between about eight male teens at the park's baseball field one returned in his car and was cornered by an officer before he dashed The Republic reached out to the City of Phoenix for comment on Friday afternoon City offices were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday and no one immediately responded Among the group of friends helping the Rohrmans with their yard sale was Juliana Nuñez She said her sister discovered Wednesday morning that her house on West Whitton Avenue Turning north around the street corner into North 79th Avenue brothers Jose and Santos Ortega attested to how Starlight Park has descended into a shooting field where visitors often find bullets the 61-year-old Jose and the 69-year-old Santos discussed the series of rounds they heard emanating from about some blocks north Santos Ortega said it sounded like 50 rounds from 10 firearms The brothers said they heard ambulances shortly after the gunfire ended They said the nearby area between North 76th Avenue and West Indian School Road was closed for several hours The Republic reached out Friday to Phoenix police for confirmation about the reported shooting incidents Tuesday at Starlight Park and Wednesday near 76th Avenue and Indian School Police said in a Friday night email that both incidents related to a Tuesday night shooting on West Mitchell Drive resulted from an armed robbery A wounded man was hospitalized while the suspect tried fleeing in a vehicle that eventually crashed in the area of North 75th Avenue and West Indian School Road Those in the car were detained following the crash as were others in a separate vehicle following the help of the department's tactical team This story has been updated to provide new information The Maryvale baseball team defeated Gowanda Maryvale's Luke Altieri (32) slides safely home during the third inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Jacob Kuciel (23) throws a pitch during the first inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday A Frontier flight takes off as Maryvale's Jacob Kuciel (23) warms up on deck during the first inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Carter Capozzi (2) slides safely into home during the third inning against Maryvale at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Blake Herman (27) throws a pitch during the second inning against Maryvale at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Isaiah Hill (20) slides and beats the throw to second base for a stolen base during the sixth inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Jaxsyn Moritz (6) makes a catch to end the game against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Isaiah Hill (20) stands on deck during the game against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Carson Huch (4) warms up on deck during the second inning against Maryvale at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Carter Capozzi (2) scores during the second inning as Maryvale's Chris Kern (1) catches the throw from the outfield at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Carter Capozzi (2) throws a pitch during the sixth inning at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Drew Kota (7) swings a bat outside the dugout during the game against Maryvale at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Eli Miller (7) fields a ground ball and throws for an out during the second inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Kyan Austin (9) is hit by a pitch during the second inning against Maryvale at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Jacob Kuciel (23) rounds third base and runs home during an inside-the-park home run during the third inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Luke Altieri (32) celebrates an RBI double during the third inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Carter Capozzi (2) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against Maryvale at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Eli Miller (7) gets a hit during the sixth inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Brayden Smith (21) makes a catch during the sixth inning against Maryvale at Maryvale High School on Monday Gowanda's Blake Herman (27) collides with Maryvale's Eli Miller (7) at second base during the seventh inning at Maryvale High School on Monday Maryvale's Luke Altieri (32) throws a pitch during the seventh inning against Gowanda at Maryvale High School on Monday Email notifications are only sent once a day A fire broke out Thursday afternoon at 36 Church St As firefighters worked to contain the blaze area streets were closed and huge plumes of … thousands of Bills fans flocked to Sahlen Field for the annual Micah Hyde charity softball game on Sunday shows off the work of more than 40 designers in the historic George U… Hundreds of protesters demonstrated against Delaware North We all know that Western New York is an amazing place – its diverse weather Clarence defeated East Aurora in a high school girls lacrosse game Wednesday The Buffalo Bandits defeated the Vancouver Warriors during Game 1 of the best-of-three NLL semifinal at KeyBank Center on Friday Williamsville South softball defeated Starpoint The Orchard Park Quakers defeated the Hamburg Bulldogs 10-9 in a boys lacrosse game at Orchard Park High School on Saturday Visitors from Western New York and beyond flocked to the bright pink blooms of the cherry blossoms at the Buffalo Japanese Garden over the wee… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account (WPMI) — Tuesday afternoon officials celebrated the grand opening of Maryvale Place on Hurtel Street with a ribbon-cutting ceremony All 96 units at the $29 million complex must be used for affordable housing for the next 40 years "Projects like this absolutely change the quality of life for everybody that's living here and actually impacts the community surrounding this It also helps workforce development," said Mayor Sandy Stimpson The city donated the land and also kicked in $7.8 million toward the public-private project A second phase in the back of the complex is planned for seniors The Mobile Housing Authority says all of the units at Maryvale Place will have people who qualify for housing vouchers living in them "HUD doesn't have the amount of resources that it had previously to maintain all of the public housing that they have throughout the nation And so these public-private partnerships really help because you bring the private sector in they actually own it and manage it in many instances And so what the Housing Authority is doing is providing access to our clients who have these vouchers and the client pays up to 30% of their adjusted income," said MHA Executive Director Michael Pierce Pierce says people who had to move out of nearby Thomas James Place and RV Taylor because they're being torn down will be given some priority in the application process to move to Maryvale Place and return to the community The city says this is the first multi-family affordable housing development built on the east side of Mobile in several decades OLEAN — Maryvale had bullied three Section 6 Olean High made sure that it wasn’t the fourth AZ — A Maryvale school is making some shady improvements that will hopefully benefit the area for years to come Trees Matter worked with the Cartwright School District to plant 18 trees at Peralta Elementary School marking another step ahead in creating a more equitable tree canopy in the Valley of the Sun The organization's mission is to inspire others to learn the importance of all generations having lifelong access to the benefits of trees ABC15 Meteorologist Ashlee DeMartino attended the tree-planting event Thursday to learn more about the organization that is Impacting Earth in a positive way Watch the full report in the video player above See more Impact Earth stories here. Leer en español Hundreds of people from Maryvale and surrounding west Phoenix communities came together on Monday afternoon to celebrate the grand reopening of El Oso Park's baseball fields, where members of the Arizona Diamondbacks cemented their commitment to invest in developing local infrastructure The reopening of the fields was a collaboration between the Cactus Youth Baseball League (CYBL) and the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department As the Diamondbacks mascot Baxter the Bobcat directed the crowd's attention the hosts unveiled a new digital scoreboard with a large Diamondbacks "A" at the top little league teams were gifted new gear and got a chance to play ball on their newly renovated community baseball fields said in an interview with The Arizona Republic that the purpose of Monday's event was to ensure that children from west Phoenix have the same facilities that children in east Phoenix communities City of Phoenix Parks Director Cynthia Aguilar recognized the importance for children to have a baseball field that they can take pride in Aguilar said the park had fallen into disrepair for too long and it "needed some love." The refurbishment of the baseball fields was proposed in 2023 to the Phoenix City Council to be financed under the Dbacks' Mike Kennedy "Diamonds Back" Field Building Program through which the organization has invested millions in revamping local Arizona parks with updated baseball infrastructure The project at El Oso Park included refurbishing the two existing fields kickboards and new electronic scoreboards for each field "For them to now have this space means that kids in the Westside are now getting respected The kids in the Westside are getting their fair share of what they should have always had," Guardado said Aguilar said their department promised to take on the responsibility of maintaining the field and "to do a good job." In addition to representatives from the City of Phoenix and his family were in attendance giving high fives to each of the CYBL teams who founded the Cactus Youth Baseball League in 2009 the Vice President of the Cactus Youth Baseball League said CYBL team members come from different parts of the Valley to play at El Oso and Marivue Park "They all come together here in the Valley to distract themselves from the world to come have some fun and play some baseball," Tolano said adding that the league's main goal was to keep kids "off the streets" by providing them with a clean and safe playing environment CYBL alumni and current employee of the Arizona Diamondbacks said he loves participating in events like the reopening because he was once in those children's cleats Growing up only two minutes away from El Oso Park and an alumni of the next-door high school Trevor G Alvarado said Monday's event was close to his heart because it took place at his "home field," where he used to play with the CYBL "I did a good job of not getting emotional today but I definitely thought the waterworks were going to start today," Alvarado said Guardado encouraged children to stay true to themselves and to keep on playing baseball hopeful to see them make it to the major leagues for these kids to come out and talk about the story of today," Guardado said (This story has been updated to add or change a video.) Have story tips on Latino culture and cuisine in the Valley? Reach La Voz reporter David Ulloa at david.ulloa@gannett.com PHOENIX — Phoenix police are investigating a homicide involving a man who was found dead in a Maryvale apartment complex Phoenix police officers patrolling the complex near 51st Avenue and Indian School Road were stopped by a witness who reported they saw a man injured near the community dumpsters Officers reported the man was unresponsive had obvious signs of trauma and was later confirmed to be dead He has been identified by police as 38-year-old Mark Anthony Montano Homicide detectives were dispatched to the scene and are investigating The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office is looking into the cause of death The victim has only been identified as being an adult male If anyone has information on the identity of the suspect or surveillance video showing suspicious activity in the area at the time of this incident they are encouraged to call into Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO