December 1, 2022

In this week's issue: 

• Message from Councilwoman Ann O'Brien
• DOJ Update
• Mark Your Calendars: Community Meeting
• News From the City of Phoenix
• News From Deer Valley Unified School District
• News From Washington Elementary School District
• News From Glendale Union High School District
• Phoenix Boards and Commissions
• City Council Meetings
• Connect with us!

Message from Councilwoman Ann O'Brien

Hello from Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate (ALICE) Training! This week I’ve been joined by Councilman Jim Waring during the ALICE Training Day being held at the Phoenix Regional Fire Academy. This training provides basic violent incident awareness that demonstrates different techniques on lockdown, security, and how to actively distract a shooter/intruder – among other important safety tips. This “train the trainer” training is empowering the participants to train their co-workers and make their work place a safer place in the case of a violent critical incident. This training was sponsored by the Phoenix Suns Charities in partnership with the United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association Local 493.

I want to take a moment to again express my gratitude for all our public safety family members. They are not only keeping us safe every night, but they are working hard to clean up our communities. Just last week the Police Transit Unit conducted follow-up on a complaint of trespassing, bus stop obstruction, and drug use occurring near the bus stop located at 19848 North 27^th Avenue. Detectives observed the bus stop's garbage receptacle was overflowing with garbage and there were numerous trespassers on the 7-11 convenience store property adjacent to the sidewalk which extends behind the bus stop. A brief surveillance confirmed the 5 adult males observed were engaged in the use of drug paraphernalia. Transit Unit detectives conducted enforcement and arrested all five adult males. Two males had outstanding felony arrest warrants, two males also were in possession of narcotic drugs, 3 of the males were in possession of drug paraphernalia. All the arrestees were booked for the listed offenses.​​​​​​

Although our homeless population has increased, and it has been difficult to keep our PD sworn positions staffed over the last couple of years, we are working, step by step, to clean up our neighborhoods and make our communities safer. Already we’ve installed signs letting community members know it’s okay to say no to panhandlers and are looking into similar city ordinances against panhandling like what Glendale recently passed. Additionally, the 27^th Ave Crime Prevention Corridor Steering Committee has been meeting for the past couple months. Hopefully, all the technology will be up and running shortly. Soon, we will be building out a community committee to help us create the 19^th Avenue Crime Prevention Corridor which will mirror the 27^th Ave Corridor Plan and will create a safety buffer around the I-17. And most recently, we passed an extension to a pilot program that will add security to Cortez Park for overnight patrolling to deter criminal behavior in the park.

Moving forward, I’m going to provide you more information from our police officers as it relates to arrests and citations issues, as well as our homeless outreach efforts. Oftentimes we can’t see the change happening, so I want to provide you with the details to show you change is in progress. Also, you can always find out more information on our efforts by attending your local Coffee with a Cop events. You can find information for the Cactus Park and Black Mountain Precincts’ events in the City News section of my weekly newsletter.

Don’t forget, tomorrow is our D1 Community Breakfast being held at the DoubleTree Resort at Metrocenter! City Manager Jeff Barton will be in attendance to speak about his role and provide some fascinating budget information, as well was take questions from you all. Feel free to take the opportunity to make some plugs for what you want to see around the City!​​​​​​

See you tomorrow!

All my best, 

Ann 

Councilwoman, District 1

Weekly DOJ Investigation Update

Week of November 21

• No new updates

Mark Your Calendars: Community Meeting

Our next meeting will be December 2nd and will be located back at the DoubleTree Hilton in MetroCenter (10220 N Metro Pkwy E, Phoenix, AZ 85051). We will be meeting at our regular scheduled time for our breakfast meetings. Plan for check in to begin at 7:30am and the meeting to start at 8am.

Due to the holidays, this will serve as both the November AND December community meetings!

News From the City of Phoenix

Cactus Wren Block Watch Alley Clean Up

Starting at 07:30am on Saturday the 3rd of December members of the Cactus Wren Block Watch are going to meet in the south parking lot of the Cactus Wren Elementary School which is located at 9650 N. 39th Avenue.  They will have a large dumpster placed near the alleyway at 42nd Avenue and will have those gates open by 08:00am to begin the actual clean up.  They should have plenty of electric weed eaters, an electric lawn mower, trash grabbers, lots of shovels/rakes/hoes, garbage bags and hope to get a lot accomplished by 11 am that morning.

They will have water available to those that participate. So, really other than bringing smiling faces all that is needed is for volunteers to bring a pair of work gloves to make this a successful clean-up. If volunteers want to bring their own equipment that is okay, but hopefully we will have a sufficient quantity available to get this area looking spin and span!!!

Thrive Phoenix Clean-Up

Also on Saturday, December 3rd, Thrive Phoenix will be hosting a community clean up of Bell Rd. They will be meeting at 1512 W Bell Rd Ste #3 at 9am and will be cleaning up the road until 11am. Make sure to reach red & green to keep with the holidays! Christmas cookies and hot chocolate will be served after the clean-up.

Lifeguard Certification Classes Starting

We wanted to make you aware that registration is open for the upcoming StarGuard Lifeguard Certification classes at Paradise Valley Pool (beginning on Saturday, December 3) and Cortez Pool (beginning on Saturday, December 10). Interested individuals can register online at phoenix.gov/lifeguard and selecting the “Get StarGuard Certified” link.

Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Application Now Open

The 2023 Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program (NBWGP) application process is now open. The application submission deadline is Monday, December 5, 2022, at 4:00 p.m., Arizona local time. The NBWGP program provides an opportunity to enhance the safety and quality of life in the City of Phoenix through empowerment of community groups. NBWGP funds offer neighborhood groups the resources to create new and innovative programs and activities designed to prevent and reduce crime in their community.

To begin your application, please click here.

NBWGP staff will provide training on how to submit a 2023 Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program application. The training will cover registration in the Grants Management System (GMS), creating a new application, entering budgets, uploading documentation, printing reports, and application submission. Staff will also cover eligibility criteria and will be available to answer questions.

• Tuesday, November 15th, 22nd, and 29th at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Arizona local time
• Thursday, November 10th, 17th, at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Arizona local time
• Thursday, December 1st, at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Arizona local time
• To attend the 10:00 a.m. workshop, please click here.
• To attend the 2:00 p.m. workshop, please click here.

If you have any questions, please contact NBWGP staff at 602-534-2036. 

Gas Raffle - Enter to Win $1000 Towards Your Gas

The North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce is raffling off $1000 worth of gas cards. Each entry or chance to win costs $5 each.  There are only 400 tickets available, and once they are sold out the winner will be selected randomly.  

Most board members have tickets available. Call the office at 602-482-3344 and make arrangements to come by and enter to win.

ADOT Traffic Closures

Westbound Loop 303, between I-17 and Lake Pleasant Parkway is scheduled to be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, to 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 5, and nightly from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday and Tuesday nights, (Dec. 5-7).

Northbound Interstate 17 ramps to Loop 101 closed overnight Dec. 1

The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for the following restrictions along northbound Interstate 17 in north Phoenix from 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, to 4 a.m. Friday, Dec. 2, for maintenance work.

• The northbound I-17 ramps to east- and westbound Loop 101 will be closed.
  • DETOUR: Northbound I-17 drivers can consider exiting at Utopia Road/Yorkshire Drive and using northbound 23rd or 27th avenues to access east- or westbound Loop 101.
• The northbound I-17 on-ramp at Utopia Road will be closed.
• The northbound I-17 off-ramp at Rose Garden Lane will be closed.

Southbound I-17 on-ramp at Northern Avenue closed Dec. 1

The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for the southbound Interstate 17 on-ramp at Northern Avenue to be closed from 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, to 5 a.m Friday, Dec. 2, for electrical work as part of the I-17 Van Buren Street to Anthem Way: Intelligent Transportation System Infrastructure Installation project.

• Detour: Drivers may consider using Dunlap or Glendale avenues to access southbound I-17.

Cactus Park Coffee With a Cop

Please join your Cactus Park Precinct Community Action Officers for Coffee with a Cop at Brushfire Tacos Y Tapas at 14240 N 43^rd Ave Ste 600 on January 18^th 2023 at 8:30am on Wednesday. This will be located on the Pure Heart Church Property in the back portion of the property.

Family Movie in the Park

When: From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on December 10.
Where: Deer Valley Community Center, 2001 W. Wahalla Ln

Description: Deer Valley Community Center is hosting a free family movie in the park event series this fall. Each month, community members can join to watch movie with free popcorn, themed crafts, lawn games, and prizes. On November 4 at 6 p.m., the Secret Life of Pets will be shown, and on December 10, community members can register to watch Frozen and participate in a Holiday Family Jubilee. Please contact Deer Valley Community Center at 602.495.3735 or deer.valley.cc.pks@phoenix.gov with any questions.

News From Deer Valley Unified School District

Pre-Register Your Student Today for 2023-24 Kindergarten!

DVUSD is currently working to update the district registration system to enhance the school enrollment process for families and future students. Registration for the 2022-2023 School year is expected to be active by the beginning of 2023. To pre-register and receive an alert as soon as the system is open, sign up now at www.dvusd.org/prereg!

News From Washington Elementary School District

WESD to Host Teacher Fair

The Washington Elementary School District (WESD) is hiring teachers for current vacancies and offering contracts for the 2023-2024 school year! The WESD will host a Teacher Interview Fair on Monday, December 5, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the WESD Administrative Center, located at 4650 W. Sweetwater Ave., Glendale, AZ 85306. In-person and virtual interviews will be available. Interviews are open to currently certified teachers, student teachers, soon-to-be graduates and those with a bachelor’s degree in any area interested in becoming teachers.

For those with a bachelor’s degree, the WESD provides paid teacher training through the WESD BRIDGE program, a two-year ADE-approved teacher certification program. This program eliminates the time and financial barriers typically associated with a career change. 

The WESD offers many other great benefits including competitive salaries, paid time off, loan forgiveness and employer-matched contributions to Arizona State Retirement. All teachers enjoy weekly professional development and the opportunity for mentoring from experienced staff. Additionally, the WESD offers several opportunities for advancement including support for those looking to take their career to the next level through National Board Certification and training for those interested in becoming school administrators.

To learn more and preschedule an interview, please contact Lydia Garcia, HR analyst, by emailing Lydia.Garcia@wesdschools.org or by calling 602-347-2622. Apply online at https://jobs.wesdschools.org/.

WESD Accepting Tax Credits

Give back and get back when you make a tax credit donation to your local WESD school! This year, tax credits can help fund items such as risers, scoreboards, soccer goals, marquees, playground equipment, 3-D printers, library books, classroom furniture and more! Tax credits also help fund extracurricular activities. The best part is that you will receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction on your state income taxes. www.wesdschools.org/taxcredit to make an online donation today.

News From Glendale Union High School District

Cortez High School Students Attend Girls Get IT Workshop

Excellence continues at Cortez High School as students from Computer Science and Coding Class went to the Girls Get IT 2022 workshop at Scottsdale Community College.

They learned from other women who have experience in the IT Career world and enjoyed the encouraging words from the guest speaker Dr. Sian Proctor.

To learn more about Cortez High School news, visit @CortezHighSchoolAZ on Facebook.

Greenway High School DECA Students Head to Championship

Excellence continues at Greenway High School as DECA students won in two Virtual Business events, sending students to the finals in Orlando, Florida. Nearly 6,000 students competed with only the top two in each event moving forward. Of the three qualifying students from Arizona, two are Greenway students. This is also the 11th straight year of Greenway champions, which is a record unmatched by any DECA chapter in international competition.

To learn more about Greenway High School news, visit @GreenwayHighSchoolAZ on Facebook.

Moon Valley High School Newspaper Places at AIPA Convention

Excellence continues at Moon Valley High School as journalism classes attended the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association Convention. Students won 14 individual awards. They also took 2nd place for Best Newspaper in the state of Arizona.

To learn more about Moon Valley High School news, visit @MoonValleyHighSchoolAZ on Facebook.

Interested in serving on Phoenix's Boards and Commissions? 

District 1 is seeking community leaders interested in serving as the District's representative for various boards and commissions, such as the Village Planning Committee. 

To start the application process, please visit the Boards and Commissions webpage. 

Upcoming City Council Meetings

• Next City Council Policy Meeting: December 6th
• Next City Council Formal Meeting: December 7th

Councilwoman O'Brien has been appointed chairperson of the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee, and is also a member of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee and the Economic Development and Equity Subcommittee. Visit the Council Subcommittee webpage for the schedule of public meetings.  

Learn more about Councilwoman O'Brien, her priorities and focus for District 1 on the district's webpage.

Connect with us!

phoenix.gov/district1