2026 January issue of InMaricopa Magazine

2026 January issue of InMaricopa Magazine InMaricopa.com InMaricopa is Maricopa's premier local news source InMaricopa is your go-to source for hyper-local news and information about Maricopa, Arizona. Stay informed with the latest community updates, events, and stories that matter to our city. InMaricopa is the only dedicated news outlet focusing exclusively on the city of Maricopa, ensuring residents are always in the know.

www.InMaricopa.com

January 2026

Wired for the long haul ED3 stays current a century after electrifying the desert

HISTORY • COMMUNITY • BUSINESS • SPORTS • HOME • MORE

CONTENTS

Compassionate Care. Exceptional Services.

LEADING OFF Editor’s letter 4 Contributors 4 HISTORY This month in history 6 Making art in Stanfield’s cattail thickets 8 YEAR IN REVIEW Readers’ choice 10 Most and least expensive home sold 14 COMMUNITY Shop with a Cop: Breakfast with Santa edition 16 EDUCATION Why MUSD teachers are shaping Arizona’s math conversation 20 Maricopa High School dancers put emotion into motion 24 SPORTS Basketball boys bounce back on their home court 26 Soccer Rams even record going into the break 27 BUSINESS Built for rural desert, ED3 scaled to serve a modern city 28 Data center proposals are popping up around Maricopa. Can the rural lifestyle survive? 30 Restaurant inspections 35 Fine-dining chefs craft breathtaking plates in winter 36 Mapping business news around the city 40 HEALTH & WELLNESS Why BHRT could be the New Year’s resolution you end up keeping 44

HOSPITAL & 24/7 ER Maricopa’s State-of-the-art

PATIENT TESTIMONIAL

HOME City Realtor forecasts what to expect from the market in 2026 47 How and when to safeguard your garden against the desert’s nighttime chills 48 This simple maintenance decision can cost landlords thousands in repairs 49

TRENDING A look at what’s hot on InMaricopa.com 63

PARTING SHOT Great blue heron 64

WWW.EHC24.COM/MARICOPA Visit us and read Mark’s full story online at

Extreme monthly home sales 50 Is the housing market ready to take off this year? 54

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ON THE COVER David Iversen captures Electrical District No. 3 lineman Sean Scarlato directing traffic on Stanfield Road.

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InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

FROM THE EDITOR

J Blank squares JANUARY BEGINS WITH BLANK CALENDAR pages, as every new year does. But in Maricopa, daily life does not pause to match them. Neighborhoods are full. Patios are buzzing again. The city has entered its winter season, and it‘s a familiar contrast here: quieter on paper, fuller in real life. This issue reflects that moment. You’ll find reporting on the wave of data center and energy proposals quietly taking shape across rural Maricopa. Our coverage focuses on where these proposals are, who is behind them and why their scale and proximity matter to this community. You’ll also read about innovation happening inside Maricopa classrooms. The educators featured in this issue are being recognized for new approaches to teaching math, work rooted in daily classroom practice that has gained attention far beyond the city. Winter shows up in different ways as well. Monica D. Spencer’s foodie photos lean into how this season actually plays out in Maricopa, a time when people linger longer over meals, restaurants settle into their busiest stretch and food becomes part of how the city experiences winter.

Publisher SCOTT BARTLE

Advertising Director VINCENT MANFREDI

New homes starting in the $300’s

This issue also includes our annual Year in Review , a look back at the stories that shaped Maricopa in 2025. Growth, debate, development

Editorial Director ELIAS WEISS

and community moments all left their mark, and we’re proud of the work our newsroom did to document them accurately and consistently. That coverage continues every day online. Since our last magazine issue, InMaricopa.com launched a new homepage on Dec. 17. It’s faster, cleaner and easier to navigate, and it’s where we publish daily coverage of the city we all call home, whether

Operations Director TIFFANY WELCH

Find your community here

Advertising ERIKA PARAMO AMBER ROGALLA BRITTANY RUSSELL MICHELLE SORENSEN

Writers KRISTINA DONNAY

DAVID IVERSEN DAYV MORGAN BRIAN PETERSHEIM SR. CHERYL PURVIS

you’re here year-round or just for the winter. As for me, I’ll be here all 365 days, covering Maricopa with our amazing team. Yes, even on New Year’s Day. Thank you for reading, and welcome to January in Maricopa.

KAYDENCE SHIPMAN MONICA D. SPENCER SHERMAN AND EUPHEMIA WEEKES

Photographers DAVID IVERSEN VICTOR MORENO MONICA D. SPENCER

ELIAS WEISS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Elias@inMaricopa.com

Designer CARL BEZUIDENHOUT

Send your reactions with a photo of yourself at the QR code to be published in a future edition of InMaricopa magazine.

MISSION Inform readers/viewers. Enrich advertisers.

BELIEFS We believe in: • An informed citizenry. • Holding ourselves and others accountable. • The success of deserving businesses.

CONTRIBUTORS

VALUES

• Integrity • Accountability

• Open, honest, real-time communication • Prosperity for clients, community, company

Volume 21, Issue 1 InMaricopa 44400 W. Honeycutt Road, Suite 101 Maricopa, AZ 85138

D.R. Horton is an Equal Housing Opportunity Builder. DRH Properties, Inc., Broker. Home and community information, pricing, plans, elevations, included features, options, terms, availability, amenities, and co-broke, are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. Drawings, pictures, photographs, video, square footages, colors, features, and sizes are for illustration purposes only and will vary from the homes as built. Square footage dimensions are approximate and vary by elevation. If Buyer is working with a licensed real estate agent or broker, the agent or broker must accompany and register buyer on first visit to the community. See sales agent for complete details and pricing, including a list of available homes. Prices vary by community. D.R. Horton reserves the right to cancel or change all offers without prior notice. Prices shown are base home prices and do not include closing cost and fees, lot premium, modifications to plans and custom features which may substantially affect final cost of the home. Furnishings and decorative items not included with home purchase. Construction by DRH Phoenix East Construction, Inc., License #ROC 064532-B. Contact us for Maricopa specific homebuyer incentives. 480-780-2171 or PhoenixInfo@drhorton.com

520-568-0040 Tel News@InMaricopa.com Advertising@InMaricopa.com

Published advertisements are not an endorsement of products or advertising claims by InMaricopa . No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without the prior written permission of InMaricopa . Copyright 2025.

KRISTINA DONNAY Dr. Kristina knows how to make your weight-loss resolution stick in 2026.

BRIAN PETERSHEIM SR. Realtor Brian recaps 2025 and looks ahead to the 2026 market.

CHERYL PURVIS Master gardener Cheryl warns the desert holds its own threats to plants in winter.

InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

HISTORY

YOUR TRUSTED

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY For these and other historical stories, visit InMaricopa.com.

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5 years ago A Maricopa Meadows woman credited her pet boxer, Oliver, with alerting her to a would-be intruder after the dog’s unusual whining woke her around 3:30 a.m. Armed with a Ruger pistol inherited from her grandfather, the 67-year-old grandmother investigated and came face to face with a man outside her patio door. She fired a single shot into the patio to scare the intruder off, and he fled over a block wall. No one was hurt, and police were never called.

10 years ago

15 years ago

20 years ago

Then-Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles announced his office would seek the death penalty against Jose Valenzuela in the murders of Mike and Tina Careccia. The couple disappeared after a 2015 Father’s Day party and were later found in a makeshift grave beside Valenzuela’s Papago Road home. Both had been shot. Prosecutors cited the personal nature of the crime and its especially heinous circumstances. Valenzuela confessed by phone before a standoff. He was later sentenced to life in prison for Tina Careccia’s murder and an additional 25 years for Michael Careccia’s murder.

Maricopa briefly found itself tied to national politics and pop culture when the Valley’s MIX 96.9 offered Bristol Palin a spot on its morning radio show. The offer was made on air and pitched as a potential new career for the daughter of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who had recently purchased a home in Maricopa. Station officials said her differing viewpoints could create an interesting on air dynamic, though Palin never accepted the role.

Maricopa Middle School, in its final year before Maricopa Wells Middle School opened that fall, issued student report cards online for the first time. The move followed parent feedback calling for better communication. Principal Stephanie Sharp also launched the school’s first electronic newsletter. The change coincided with the campus’s first online grade access, led by science teacher Michael Russoniello, who remains a teacher at Maricopa Wells Middle School two decades later.

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InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

HISTORY

BINGO IS BACK!

In the reeds In the summer of 1973, Julia Francisco moved with practiced ease through the cattail thickets along the Stanfield Ditch south of Maricopa, near what is now the southern end of State Route 347. Arizona State Museum photographer Helga Teiwes captured her that August afternoon cutting long, straight cattail stalks, the plant that forms the bundle foundation of traditional Pima baskets. The image is part of a remarkable visual record Teiwes created while documenting basketry traditions of the Gila River Akimel O’odham communities. Earlier that spring, Teiwes visited the Gila River Reservation near Bapchule to follow Francisco’s full basket- making process. She photographed the gathering of willow, devil’s claw and martynia, the careful cleaning and drying of the materials, and finally the creation of a woven basket with a squash-blossom design. Teiwes returned in mid-August to Stanfield for the cattail harvest. The work was rhythmic and precise: Stalks were cut, bundled and hauled out of the ditchbank to dry before being stripped and shaped for weaving. For Francisco, the harvest was not simply a materials trip but a link in a generational chain. Cattail has been used for centuries as the supportive core inside coiled Akimel O’odham baskets, giving them structure beneath elaborate exteriors of willow and devil’s claw.

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InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Janaury 2026 | InMaricopa.com

Readers’ Choice BY ELIAS WEISS

Since 2004

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IN 2025

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MOST-LIKED POST

MOST-WATCHED VIDEO

KAYAKS AT FRY’S OCTOBER

THE SIGN THAT BROKE FACEBOOK DECEMBER

A tropical storm turned Fry’s parking lot into a shallow lake — and Maricopa turned it into entertainment. When floodwater pooled across the commercial strip, a group of kids grabbed kayaks and pad- dled straight through the lot, creating the city’s most viral moment of the year. The clip exploded on Facebook, drawing 1.2 million views, more than 10,000 reactions, 2,600 shares and hundreds of comments from residents who declared the scene “Peak Maricopa.” What could’ve been just another monsoon washout became the lightest moment of the summer — and a reminder this town knows how to make the best of anything, even a flooded grocery store parking lot.

With more than 45,000 total likes, the story about former Pinal Coun- ty Sheriff Mark Lamb calling for a Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway in Arizona became the most reacted-to post of the year. Lamb’s com- ments to InMaricopa followed his visit to Florida, where a highway had just been named for the conservative activist, and immediately touched off a wave of local reaction. Readers quickly began floating ideas for where such a designa- tion could land in Maricopa, with much of the discussion focusing on State Route 347, the city’s main corridor and one of the only major state highways in metro Phoenix without a formal nickname. Lamb stopped short of endorsing any specific road, but the suggestion un- leashed widespread debate, humor and speculation that pushed the story to the top of the year’s engagement list.

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InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Readers’ Choice

9 SAY CHEESE! DECEMBER BY DAVID IVERSEN

10 HIGHLIGHT FACTORY APRIL BY DAVID IVERSEN

surveillance footage placing Logan’s Kia Optima at the scene, a fresh bullet hole in the vehicle and .40-caliber rounds matching shell casings recovered along the route. Logan apologized during sentencing and will be eligible for release in 2029. 7 HELD TO ACCOUNT NOVEMBER BY ELIAS WEISS

To kick off our year in review, we took a look at the stories that mattered most to our readers. To curate this list, we looked at the top 10 most read stories of the year. 1 KILLED ON CAMERA FEBRUARY BY DAVID IVERSEN

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A nationwide shredded-cheese recall reached Maricopa after the FDA expanded a sweeping voluntary action covering more than 260,000 cases of mozzarella and blended cheeses produced through Great Lakes Cheese Company. Regulators said metal fragments were found in a supplier’s raw materials, prompting an October recall that later widened to include dozens of products sold under major private- label brands across 31 states. The recall affected retailers throughout Arizona, including Maricopa’s Sprouts and Walmart stores. Local representatives said all impacted items were pulled from shelves and replaced with new inventory once they confirmed the affected lots had been removed. Consumers were instructed to discard or return the recalled cheeses for refunds.

What began as a father filming his sons’ flag football games quickly grew into one of Maricopa’s most prolific grassroots sports media efforts. In just its first year, Ruiz Sports Videos produced more than a thousand highlight clips spanning youth leagues, high school matchups and citywide exhibitions. Scouts took notice of the content, with at least two local athletes receiving scholarship offers after Ruiz posted their footage. Working nights after his full-time job in education, Ruiz shot and edited every reel himself, adding graphics and full-game uploads while fielding requests from tournaments across the region. His work built a new platform for young athletes in a city that lacked one, and Ruiz said he intends to keep Maricopa as the hub of a growing operation.

metro-area operations, DHS launched a new “Worst of the Worst” database that included two arrests tied to the city, and federal authorities captured a former Stanfield resident listed as an ICE “Most Wanted Fugitive” in the 2022 killing of his girlfriend. 3 MIRACLE, THEN MOURNING AUGUST BY ELIAS WEISS Two months after surviving a 400-foot fall near Sedona that drew international attention, former Maricopa resident Janelle Banda died by suicide in Pinal County. Banda, 32, had been rescued in June after disappearing during a camping trip at the Edge of the World, where a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crew found her injured but alive after two and a half days in the canyon. Her death occurred near Hunt Highway and East Franklin Road and was confirmed by the Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office. The loss stunned those who had followed her rescue, which had been widely described as miraculous after she endured extreme heat, cold and severe dehydration before being found. 4 CALLED TO DUTY JUNE BY DAVID IVERSEN 64,505

years. War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Army had reached its best figures since 2010, attributing the rebound to President Donald J. Trump’s reelection, new preparatory initiatives and strategic changes following missed recruiting goals in 2022 and 2023. 5 TRAGEDY ON THE TRACKS FEBRUARY BY ELIAS WEISS

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A robbery at the Chase Bank on John Wayne Parkway prompted a major police response before officers arrested 40-year-old Cesar Sanchez within minutes of the holdup. Police said Sanchez passed a note to a teller claiming to have a gun and demanding money before fleeing the branch. Witness descriptions led officers to Sanchez nearby, where he was detained without incident and later identified by bank staff. Investigators recovered the stolen cash after Sanchez dropped an envelope containing the money as he was taken into custody, according to court records. No firearm was found. Sanchez was charged with felony robbery and pleaded not guilty in Pinal County Superior Court. He remained in custody on a secured $50,000 bond and was ordered to avoid weapons, the bank and the alleged victim. Prosecutors signaled they may use prior convictions to impeach Sanchez if he testifies as the case proceeded to pretrial hearings in mid-December. 8 CHARGED AND RECHARGED JANUARY BY BRIAN PETERSHEIM JR.

An armed confrontation at the Circle K near Alterra escalated into a shootout that left Maricopa Police Officer Sebastian Sanchez seriously wounded and 37-year-old Keith Prock dead. Investigators said Prock, a known violent felon, opened fire on Sanchez as officers approached him outside the store, just minutes after nearby schools released students for the day. Sanchez survived multiple gunshot wounds and spent a week in the hospital before returning home to recover. Authorities later identified Prock and detailed his extensive criminal history alongside a public digital footprint that showed contrasting glimpses of family life and erratic behavior. The case returned to public attention when police released body-camera footage capturing the moment Prock shot Sanchez and the gunfire that killed Prock. The video became InMaricopa’s most viewed YouTube upload of 2025, drawing more than 512,000 views. 2 SCOUT’S DISHONOR MARCH BY DAVID IVERSEN

63,897

Local 16-year-old Bonaventure Molina-Roberts was killed after being struck by a train in Maricopa’s Heritage District. Police and fire crews found him on the tracks near the city’s Amtrak station, where he was initially believed to be an adult before investigators confirmed his identity and age. Union Pacific said he had been walking on the tracks rather than in a designated crossing, and its police department handled the investigation. The train crew was not injured. 6 ROAD RAGE RECKONING MARCH BY DAVID IVERSEN

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A road-rage confrontation in Casa Grande ended with former Maricopa High School quarterback Damian Logan fired multiple rounds into an occupied vehicle before fleeing the scene. Investigators said the shooting began after a dispute at a McDonald’s and continued into a nearby subdivision, where as many as 10 shots struck the victims’ car. No one was seriously injured. Two days later, the Pinal Regional SWAT team arrested the 18-year-old at a home in Maricopa’s Desert Cedars neighborhood, recovering firearms, ammunition and clothing linked to the case. Logan ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault and one count of drive-by shooting. A judge sentenced him to five years in state prison, with four years of probation to follow. Evidence in court records included

26,788

A staffer at the AutoZone on Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway was accused of running a battery-return scheme that investigators said netted him more than $2,300 in fraudulent refunds. According to an AutoZone divisional investigator, 33-year-old Jorge-Leonel Mendez admitted during a phone interview that he processed multiple fake warranty returns and kept the cash. He later told police he did it because he needed money for rent. Officers filed a felony theft charge, which carries a potential prison term of more than two years. Court records for the case were not available, but public filings show Mendez was evicted from his Maricopa residence in May.

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Federal agents arrested a suspected cartel scout just south of Maricopa, part of a broader Casa Grande station operation that unfolded in late February. Agents said they encountered the Mexican national in the Maricopa Mountains on Feb. 24 and found observation equipment commonly used by cartel lookouts. During questioning, the man admitted crossing the border illegally and was linked by investigators to the Los Memos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. The year saw unprecedented immigration- enforcement activity across the city. ICE convoys were spotted moving through Maricopa during

LET’S

THAT NEW YEAR’S PROJECT

More than two dozen JROTC cadets from Maricopa High School and Desert Sunrise High School enlisted in the U.S. military as the class of 2025 graduated, marking a standout year for the district’s programs. Senior Cadet Julius Moore became the first to sign an enlistment contract, choosing the Marine Corps with plans to enter military police. Other cadets cited mentorship, structure and family service traditions as motivations for joining. The enlistments coincided with the U.S. military’s strongest recruiting numbers in 15

SCAN FOR DEALS “It’s simple: Neighbors helping Neighbors.”

InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Janaury 2026 | InMaricopa.com

REAL ESTATE

This custom modern home stands out as a premier desert property, offering nearly 3,200 square feet of high-end living at the base of the BLM mountains. The single-level design features expansive windows that frame sweeping mountain views and fill the home with natural light. Indoor and outdoor living blend seamlessly through a private courtyard and a rooftop deck designed for sunset watching. A three-stall garage provides ample room for vehicles and gear. Built with top-tier materials including 2x6 walls, full sheeting, Anderson windows, R-19 insulation and house wrap, the home delivers exceptional craftsmanship and comfort. A rare, architect-quality retreat in Maricopa’s wide-open landscape.

MOST EXPENSIVE

June 5

840,000

15574 N. Brielles Way

MOST EXPENSIVE 2. 40725 W. Hall Drive, Rancho El Dorado.........................................................................$785,000 T3. 40516 W. Hall Drive, Rancho El Dorado.......................................................................$755,000 T3. 40610 W. Desert Fairways Drive, The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado...................$755,000 5. 43323 W. McClelland Drive, The Villages at Rancho El Dorado...........................$750,000

Previous sales: N/A Community: Hidden Valley Square feet: 3,194 sqft. Price per square foot: $262.99

Lot size: 2½ acres Days on market: 57 Builder: Custom Year built: 2022

Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3

LEAST EXPENSIVE

Sept. 10

65,000

684 S. Conejo Road

This investor special offered a fully fenced, level lot in Hidden Valley, complete with septic and electric already in place. Surrounded by natural desert landscaping and sweeping mountain views, the property sits just off paved roads with no HOA and ample room for horses, equipment and outdoor toys. It promised a rare mix of privacy and convenience for buyers seeking seclusion without sacrificing access to local amenities. It was back on the market Dec. 2 for $239,900. As of publication, a sale was pending.

LEAST EXPENSIVE 2. 735 S. Ruby Road, Hidden Valley Estates........................................................................$90,000 3. 50305 W. Cimarron Road, Hidden Valley Estates........................................................$95,000 4. 32297 W. Trading Post Road, Saddleback Farms........................................................$130,000 5. 53129 W. Badger Road, Hidden Valley Estates .......................................................... $140,000

Previous sales: $44,877 (2005) Community: Hidden Valley Estates Square feet: 1,400 sqft. Price per square foot: $46.42 Lot size: 1 acre

Days on market: 8 Builder: Unknown Year built: 1986

Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2

InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Janaury 2026 | InMaricopa.com

COMMUNITY

Shop with a cop Officers, volunteers and local kids kicked off this year’s Shop with a Cop event Dec. 13 with a shared breakfast that set the tone for the day, sitting side by side to talk, laugh and connect. The Maricopa Lions Club prepared and served the meal, continuing a tradition central to the event, while a visit from Richard “Maricopa Santa” Huggins (as featured on last month’s InMaricopa magazine cover) added excitement before the signature lights-and-sirens escort to Walmart. Once inside, officers and kids paired up to choose gifts, hunt for special surprises and enjoy the experience together. After shopping, Maricopa Police Foundation board members and volunteers stepped in to wrap every gift.

InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Janaury 2026 | InMaricopa.com

GOVERNMENT

Attendees will have the opportunity to visit a variety of exhibitor tables to gather resources, and more!

BRIEF

Permits Nov. 11-Dec. 10

Reinsman Commons shade structure permit at Waterman Apartments valued at $7,160. Contractor is Shade N Net of Arizona. RESIDENTIAL Castlerock Communities to construct 6 homes in El Rancho Santa Rosa. Century Communities to construct 3 homes in The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado. D.R. Horton to construct 4 homes in Elena Trails and 2 in Sorrento. Gehan Homes to construct 1 home in The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado. Lennar to construct 2 homes in Anderson Farms. Meritage Homes to construct 7 homes in Rancho Mirage. Pulte Homes to construct 1 home in El Rancho Santa Rosa.

5 RESIDENTIAL SOLAR 11 RESIDENTIAL SWIMMING POOLS 26 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES 6 RESIDENTIAL ALTERATIONS 1 TEMPORARY SIGN

COMMERCIAL F.O.R. Maricopa detached structure permit for 960-square-foot food storage at 19428 N. Maricopa Road valued at $72,508. Gunsmoke at Hancock multifamily residence permits for 36 units at 19550 N. Gunsmoke Road. Contractor is BeckShar. Gunsmoke at Hancock shade structure permit for a playground at 19550 N. Gunsmoke Road valued at $26,227. Home at Maricopa shade structure permit for carports. Contractor is Sam Construction Group. Maricopa 64 Partners retaining walls permit at 45210 W. McDavid Road valued at $145,204. Contractor is Diamond Masonry Inc.

Maricopa Library & Cultural Center Free Entry | January 17th |9 AM - 12 PM

The choices we make today are the tales we'll tell tomorrow . Writing Maricopa's Story:

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InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

EDUCATION

We offer 24-MONTHS

Paz will share the methods behind those moments this month when he presents at the University of Arizona’s statewide mathematics educators conference Jan. 24. The gathering is the largest of its kind in the state, and this will be Paz’s second year speaking. “I didn’t expect to present last year,” he said. “Now I’m doing it again, and it still feels like a big opportunity. Every year I have to refresh, relearn and even learn from my students. That’s why I do this.” Making math click Paz, who teaches Algebra 2 after two years of Algebra 1, says the hardest part of teaching math is taking concepts that feel vague or theoretical and giving students something they can actually grab onto. “As a math teacher, your struggle is to concretize the abstract,” he said. Students often question the relevance of what they are learning, especially when the material feels disconnected from everyday life. Paz doesn’t argue with that reaction. “Kids look at something like polynomials or trig and think, ‘I’ll never use this at Walmart,’” he said. “And honestly, they’re right; not in that form.” What matters more to him is the process behind the work. Paz believes math is valuable because it teaches students how to approach a problem and work toward a solution, a skill he says carries beyond the classroom. To get there, Paz keeps lessons narrow and deliberate. One goal at a time. No stacking concepts before students are ready. That approach is supported by the school’s intervention and retake system. Students who do not pass an assessment can review their work with Paz and then retake the same questions, allowing them to see where their thinking went off track and correct it. Paz’s conference presentation this year focuses on a hands-on way to teach trigonometry. Students link common angles to their fingers — 90 degrees on the thumb, 60 on the pointer finger, down to zero on the pinky — and use that hand position as a reference when solving problems. By folding down the finger that matches the angle, they can work out the value using the same simple steps each time. “I don’t memorize the unit circle,” Paz said, laughing. “It’s ridiculous. I can’t... that’s why this is so powerful” Last year, Paz presented on Singapore’s Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract model, an approach

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MATTRESS & FURNITURE

Math teacher Kevin Paz helps Desert Sunrise students answer trigonometry problems on a worksheet.

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T UNIFIED School District teachers, each working at different schools, will represent the district this month at the University of Arizona’s statewide mathematics educators conference. HREE MARICOPA One of them, Kevin Paz, bounced from desk to desk, attempting the near impossible. The math teacher was quizzing a group of Desert Sunrise High School students on a new trigonometry concept. It was a Friday in the hour before lunch. The room was full of heads buried in hands. There are those instances, though, that Paz calls that aha moment — when a concept that looks like it was written in another language finally clicks. “It’s the happiest moment,” said the Philippines national after the bell rang, and the kids were off to lunch. “It tells you the scaffolding you built actually worked.”

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Paz previews his five finger solution for complex trigonometry angles. He’ll go in depth at a U of A conference this month.

InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Janaury 2026 | InMaricopa.com

EDUCATION

Excellence Award by the University of Arizona Center for Recruitment and Retention of Mathematics Teachers. The award recipient will be announced at a math educator appreciation ceremony during the conference. RAM Academy serves MUSD high school students who are behind on their credits, helping them return to their home campuses or graduate on time. Bayanin said the academy has added at least 50 graduates a year since he joined the program in 2022, its sixth year. Those students now make up about 10% of the district’s graduating class. Bayanin, who previously taught at Vista Grande High School in Casa Grande, said working with struggling students is especially meaningful and rewarding. “There’s fulfillment with helping students that are struggling,” he said, adding that the program plays a critical role in helping students stay on track for graduation. Michelle Williams, who teaches fourth grade at Maricopa Elementary School, was also nominated for the Teacher Excellence Award. Williams was not available for comment.

he still strongly believes in. The method taught in that country’s public schools emphasizes visual learning and building strong, tangible arithmetic foundations before moving into abstraction. When comparing textbooks, Paz said the difference is striking. “The sixth-grade Singapore math textbook is like the second-grade textbook here in the U.S.,” he said. “It’s so simple, because they focus on the basic concepts: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. If your foundation is strong, you can endure anything.” Paz says he’s grateful MUSD encourages teachers to pursue professional development and refine their skills. He is also frank with students about the limits of the educational content itself. They are unlikely to use trigonometric formulas in everyday situations, he tells them. But math also teaches discipline and problem-solving. “If you understand the basic concept, that’s what matters most,” Paz said. “Life is full of problems. Math teaches you that there’s always a solution.”

ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 10TH GRADER?

Desert Sunrise High School students using Kevin Paz’s trigonometry trick can solve this equation in seconds. Can you?

sin 2 15°+sin 2 75°+cos 2 20°+sin 2 20° tan 45°+cos 2 0°

WIN! SCAN THE QR CODE TO CHECK YOUR ANSWER AND EARN A CHANCE TO WIN A GIFT CARD TO BASKIN-ROBBINS.

District depth That philosophy is shared by other MUSD educators being recognized at the conference. Kim Bayanin, a math teacher at RAM Academy, was nominated for a statewide Teacher

RAM Academy’s Kim Bayanin was nominated for a statewide Teacher Excellence Award by the University of Arizona Center for Recruitment and Retention of Mathematics Teachers.

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InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Janaury 2026 | InMaricopa.com

EDUCATON

Emotion in motion Maricopa High School’s Dance Company brought its annual showcase to the stage Dec. 5-6 with Emotion in Motion, a weekend built around expression, storytelling and technical precision. Dancers moved through a range of contemporary and lyrical pieces that explored joy, tension, vulnerability and resilience, using movement to communicate what words cannot.

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4-DAY SCHOOL WEEK

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InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Janaury 2026 | InMaricopa.com

SPORTS

Next game: Jan. 7, 6 p.m. Location:

Maricopa High School, 45012 W. Honeycutt Ave. Opponent: Poston Butte

Starting ‘26 on a W streak Maricopa shut out Eastmark 3-0 on Dec. 12, pulling away in the second half after a scoreless opening period to secure a decisive home win. Jamaal Kushkaki, Brayden Demascio and Anthony Arechiga each found the net as the Rams used a balanced offensive effort to create separation after halftime. The victory evened Maricopa’s record at 1-1-2 at the time and set the tone heading into the final stretch before winter break. The Rams followed the Eastmark win with a 5-4 overtime victory against Central five days later, allowing Maricopa to enter the break above .500 and riding momentum from back-to-back strong performances.

Ram redemption Maricopa High School boys basketball edged Flowing Wells 61-56 in a closely contested matchup Dec. 11, continuing a recent run of success against the Caballeros after also winning the previous meeting in December 2024. Ruben White led the effort by scoring 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting and adding six rebounds, his most efficient performance this year. Matthew Barnett provided a spark on both ends of the floor, finishing with 12 points and three steals. MHS shared the ball throughout the game, totaling 17 assists, its highest mark of the season. At publication, the 4-5 Rams were set to close out 2025 against Tempe (3-8) in the 8th Annual Central Arizona Holiday Classic on Dec. 22.

RUBEN WHITE’S CAREER DAY

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE 12/11/25 vs Flowing Wells 12/04/25 vs Cienega 12/03/25 vs Desert View 11/21/25 @ Rincon/University 02/11/25 vs Vista Grande

64% 22% 57% 47% 50%

InMaricopa.com | Janaury 2026

Janaury 2026 | InMaricopa.com

BUSINESS

A LEGACY OF LOCAL OWNERSHIP, ADAPTABILITY

area which allowed ED3 to add over 3,000 customers. The ACC approved the sale from APS to ED3 in 2010. 2011: ED3 received an “A” credit rating from S&P and refinanced $120 million in bonds that helped fund electrical infrastructure in support of the creation and expansion of the City of Maricopa. 2014: ED3 was a founding member of the Southwest Public Power Agency, a joint action agency formed to work with other like- minded entities to procure long-term power resources. The Southeast Valley 500 kilavolt transmission line was completed, expanding transmission access to ED3. 2020 to 2030: Greatly expanding power supply resources by expanding the Mesquite Generation Station capacity contract to 210 megawatts and adding 100 MW of solar energy to the power supply portfolio from Box Canyon Solar and Apache Solar II. Became a member of Arizona Electrical Power Cooperative and announced participating in an additional Pinal County solar and battery project tentatively scheduled for completion by December 2027. This decade, ED3 is expected to invest more than $175 million in distribution and transmission projects.

A century powering Maricopa Built for the rural desert, ED3 scaled to serve a modern city

From the beginning, ED3 has met the needs of the local community. Unlike private utilities, public power districts have no shareholders — every dollar earned is reinvested locally to maintain and improve service, keep rates affordable and fund community initiatives. This local ownership model has given ED3 both stability and flexibility through changing times. A few critical events over the past 100 years include:

O NE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, A SMALL group of farmers and local leaders in the Arizona desert came together with a shared vision: to bring electricity to their farms and rural communities in Pinal County. This year, Electrical District No. 3 proudly celebrates its 100th anniversary, marking a century of reliable service, system growth and community partnership. In the 1920s, rural electrification in the U.S. was largely stalled. While urban areas and industries were widely electrified, most farms and rural areas were still without power. Private investor-owned utility companies considered it unprofitable to extend costly power lines to sparsely populated areas. In 1922, an Electrical District Act was passed by the legislature to authorize the creation of electrical districts. The goal was to bring power and water to rural, agricultural focused communities, a mission that began decades before the federal government’s nationwide rural electrification program. In 1926, that vision became reality locally in Maricopa with the creation of ED3. For a century, ED3 has embodied the enduring principles of public power — local control, accountability, affordability and service to community — while continually adapting the business to meet the evolving needs of its customers and the challenges of a changing energy landscape. Farming in the desert with federal hydropower Farmers in the fertile lands near Maricopa and Casa Grande recognized that reliable access to electricity was essential to modern agriculture and community life. In its earliest days, ED3’s system was simple but effective: a few miles of poles and wires delivering power to irrigation pumps, farms and small businesses. Electricity transformed the area’s potential, turning arid desert fields into thriving farmland and enabling families to build homes and small rural businesses. At its peak agricultural roots, ED3 served more than 86,000 acres of farmland including the area today known as the City of Maricopa.

Initially, power was purchased from an investor- owned utility, and later affordable federal hydropower resources were added upon the completion of federal dam projects, like Hoover Dam when it first delivered power to Arizona in the late 1930s. Today, ED3’s power supply portfolio still includes federal hydropower resources from the Arizona Power Authority (Hoover Dam), the Parker-Davis Project and the Colorado River Storage Project. What began as a rural distribution system for a handful of farms has become a modern grid serving one of the fastest growing regions in the U.S. that includes residential subdivisions, schools and commercial centers. ED3’s service area encompasses more than 350 square miles, serves approximately 36,000 meters and had a peak system demand of 280 megawatts as of Aug. 7. The district has focused on capital planning and system modernization, incorporating advanced metering and grid monitoring technologies that allow faster response times and improved efficiency. In 2025, ED3 announced the two-year transition to a new enterprise software platform, NISC, to access advanced technologies including an improved customer app. The technology project is the first major enterprise system overhaul since the 2010 enterprise software implementation. The district’s five-year, $100-plus million capital improvement plan prioritizes investments in transmission and distribution substations including planned expansions to the WAPA Test Track substation, Sonny Dunn substation, Kelly Substation, Anderson Substation, Sexton Substation, Wingfield Substation and Peters and Nall Substation. ED3 is currently working with Western Area Power Administration on a second interconnection to the bulk electric system, which will improve reliability and capacity into ED3’s system. The second 500 kV transmission line to Pinal West and a new transformer at SRP Duke Substation will also enhance transmission to ED3 with a slated completion date in 2028. As Arizona continues to grow, so does the Building and investing for growth, reliability

1926: ED3 was formed on Jan. 5.

1960: Entered into an operating agreement with Arizona Public Service and purchased some additional facilities.

1989: ED1 and ED3 consolidated into ED3 enlarging the service territory.

2001: ED3 ended the APS Operating Agreement and

subsequently purchased Sexton Substation and facilities expanding ED3’s service territory. 2006 to 2010: ED3 and APS reach a tentative agreement to purchase an area of the district including the Hidden Valley (previously part of APS)

approximately 36,000 meters, ED3 stands as a proud example of what public power can achieve. For 100 years, ED3 has powered homes, farms and businesses — lighting Central Arizona’s past and leading it confidently into the future.

efforts help diversify ED3’s energy portfolio, reduce carbon emissions and position the power supply portfolio with long-term energy resources. ED3 continues to evaluate other infrastructure and power supply projects in the region to help meet future needs as urbanization

representatives, ED3’s employees have always exemplified dedication and pride in their work. “Reaching our 100th anniversary is an incredible achievement made possible by the dedication of our employees across the organization in various disciplines,” said General Manager Brian Yerges. “For a century, ED3 has remained true to its public power roots — providing reliable, affordable energy while investing in the communities we serve. As we look ahead, we’re committed to delivering on that for future generations.” From its origins as a small desert utility to its position today as a modern utility serving

demand for energy solutions. ED3 has been proactive in advancing renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives that support both environmental responsibility and economic growth. In recent years, ED3 earned national recognition from the American Public Power Association as a Smart Energy Provider and as a Tree Line USA utility from the Arbor Day Foundation. The district has committed to 138 MW of solar generation projects and 85 MW of four- hour battery energy storage systems, expanding the use of clean energy while maintaining reliability during peak demand periods. These

in Pinal County continues. Honoring the people behind the power

520-424-9021 Ed3Online.org

At the heart of ED3’s success are the people who make it all possible. From the linemen who brave the desert heat to set poles, to skilled engineers, technicians and customer service