Maricopa’s Choice for Online Education Serving Grades 6-12 Maricopa Virtual Academy
FROM THE EDITOR
E Off to a hot start EVERY AUGUST, MARICOPA’S HEAT SEEMS to press pause on everything. But even in this relentless sun, life finds a way to start fresh. Our cover this month captures one such moment: kids climbing aboard buses outside Butterfield Elementary, after heading back to school. There’s something special about those early-morning scenes — the new backpacks, the nervous smiles. And that’s the theme threading through this issue. We begin with love at any age. Brian Petersheim Jr. brings us the heartwarming story of two local seniors (a combined 175 years young!) who tied the knot this summer. The twist? They said “I do” on an MUSD campus, adding a sweet undertone of full-circle-ness. In another school-related story of new beginnings, Petersheim revisits one of Maricopa’s most harrowing true crime stories — when a woman survived an attack by someone who tried to steal her unborn baby. That child, now a teenager, is thriving here in Maricopa. Talk about a powerful second act. Then there’s the 15-year-old local business
Publisher SCOTT BARTLE
Editorial Director ELIAS WEISS
In 2021, MUSD launched Maricopa Virtual Academy (MVA), an online school with virtual classes taught by local teachers. Students can attend from home, a library, or anywhere with an internet connection. Whether you attend one of our neighborhood schools or prefer the flexibility of online education, Maricopa Unified School District offers families a choice. Now Enrolling
that just cleared its permitting hurdles after a tense standoff with a neighbor who also happens to work for the city. Monica D. Spencer meets us at the corner of business and bureaucracy. Of course, some things don’t
Advertising Director VINCENT MANFREDI
Advertising TAWNI PROCTOR AMBER ROGALLA BRITTANY RUSSELL MICHELLE SORENSEN
change, like the annual invasion of the flies. But even that’s got a twist: David Iversen tracked down entomologists (and the folks at Ace Hardware) to help us understand these persistent pests — and how to send them packing. We’re back next month with our
Writers AMANDA ATLER KRISTINA DONNAY
JUSTIN GRIFFIN DAVID IVERSEN DAYV MORGAN
long-awaited Food & Beverage special section. Until then, here’s to finding your own new beginning — even in the dog days of summer.
BRIAN PETERSHEIM JR. BRIAN PETERSHEIM SR. CHERYL PURVIS MONICA D. SPENCER SHERMAN AND EUPHEMIA WEEKES
Photographers DAVID IVERSEN VICTOR MORENO
ELIAS WEISS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Elias@inMaricopa.com
BRIAN PETERSHEIM JR. MONICA D. SPENCER
Send your reactions with a photo of yourself at the QR code to be published in a future edition of InMaricopa magazine.
Designer CARL BEZUIDENHOUT
MISSION Inform readers/viewers. Enrich advertisers.
2024-2025
BELIEFS We believe in: • An informed citizenry. • Holding ourselves and others accountable. • The success of deserving businesses.
CONTRIBUTORS
SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
VALUES
• Integrity • Accountability
• Open, honest, real-time communication • Prosperity for clients, community, company
MARICOPA VIRTUAL ACADEMY PROGRAM FEATURES: • Tuition-free online school — Serving grades 6-12 • District-issued laptop with technical support • Certified teachers • Rigorous, engaging, structured, and research-based curriculum • Local, in-person learning labs available
Ideal for students who are: • Self-motivated • Gifted • Home-schooled • On-the-go
Volume 20, Issue 8 InMaricopa 44400 W. Honeycutt Road, Suite 101 Maricopa, AZ 85138
520-568-0040 Tel News@InMaricopa.com Advertising@InMaricopa.com
• Flexible schedule • Open Enrollment
AMANDA ATLER Sommelier Mandy shares exciting updates about her wine bar and shop.
BRIAN PETERSHEIM SR. Realtor Brian sees us edging further into a buyers’ market.
CHERYL PURVIS A little birdie told master gardener Cheryl where to find native feathered fauna.
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.
For more information visit mva.musd20.org or call 520-568-5196 ext. 1072
InMaricopa.com | August 2025
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