Phoenix, AZ

Considering that Phoenix is one of top ten largest cities in the nation, the traffic inside the city isn’t as bad as, say, Los Angeles. You can still cross the Valley in about two hours, as compared to five to ten hours. You can reach the countryside, depending where you live, in a half hour or less.

The streets of Phoenix are laid out in a grid, making it one of the least confusing cities to navigate. When there are traffic problems, you can figure that going up and over one block will get you passed whatever the situation is. (If it isn’t that easy, thank the new light rail system going in, which is for another post.)

Phoenix streets, grid, light rail system

The Weather. What I like about the weather is that you can set up a call with a relative in the Midwest in winter and say with great conviction: “Brrr! It’s 55 degrees out here!” See what kind of reaction you get!

Today I shall start listing the pluses and minuses about living in Phoenix. I’ll list ten pluses and ten minuses. Here goes!

The U.S. Postal Service is changing some of the Valley’s zip code boundaries in an efficient and cost-effective move. Some residents of Avondale, Chandler Ocotillo Center, Gilbert Val Vista, Goodyear, Maricopa, Phoenix Daisy Mountain, Queen Creek and Scottsdale Kachina will be notified by mail of the change. July 1st is the when the new ZIP codes take effect.

Please remember the families and friends of the following servicemen from Arizona.

Chandler: Sergeant Caleb Christopher was killed in Iraq Sunday from an improvised explosive device that exploded near his vehicle. Christopher was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas. Christopher is the second soldier from Chandler to be killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Florence: Army Staff Sergeant Charles Browning of the 158th Battalion was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Afghanistan. Browning was promoted posthumously to the rank of staff sergeant from sergeant. Browning grew up in Tucson and graduated from Palo Verde High. A 10:30 a.m. service will be held on June 14th at Evergreen Cemetery in Tucson. The corrections officer from Florence leaves behind a wife and two stepdaughters.

Army National Guard, Chandler, Florence, Tucson, Gilbert, Fort Hood, Iraq, Afghanistan

Doors open for Canned Heat’s last performance at 7 tonight at 1019 E. Indian School Road. It’s a show for those 21 and older. Tickets are $16. You can call 602.265.4842 for more information or Canned Heat’s website.

Canned Heat, The Rhythm Room, jam

As a creative, I’m always excited to find a new event supporting the arts. Here’s one if you enjoy music, poetry reading and watching painters create. It’s simply called Paint, which is open to the public every Tuesday’s 8 p.m. at The Paper Heart Arts Venue
at 750 N.W. Grand Avenue. It’s $3 before 10 p.m. and $5 after 10.

art, music, poetry, Paint, The Paper Heart Arts Venue

We’ve got another food recall in relation to E.coli contamination. Again.

Fresh ground beef in chubs from United Food Group in Vernon, California were produced April 20th and sold at least at Albertsons, Smart and Final and Fry’s stores in the Valley. Any of the bad beef that has hit the store fronts has been taken off the shelves, so you won’t be running into any of it at all if you haven’t a chub or two already. If you have more questions about this incident, you’re welcome to call 1-800-325-4164 any time of the day.

E.coli, E-coli, ground beef, United Food Group, California, Albertsons, Fry’s, Smart & Final

I read an article about Mayor Phil Gordon meeting with home builders and utility companies last week to talk about copper wire theft rising in the Valley. Hubby and I do our own “newsing” by reading other cities’ and countries’ updates, so we’ve seen this coming for almost a year. What happens when the government acknowledges that this is a problem? It passes new legislation to up penalties for the thieves and for those selling copper to dealers to keep from being mystery faces. Woo.Hoo. Our taxpayer money hard at work.

Here’s the real head scratcher: anyone risking electrocution to steal a bunch of copper for maybe $20. If these thieving “geniuses” approach stealing copper wire wrong, they end up dead. Talk about swift in more ways than one.

copper wire theft