2025 November issue of InMaricopa Magazine

2025 November 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.

November 2025

www.InMaricopa.com

He runs this state Everything A+ Charter School’s Noah Charves touches turns to gold

Health Guide +

HISTORY • COMMUNITY • BUSINESS • EDUCATION • HOME • MORE

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GOODYEAR REBATE $ 330 Earn up to PURCHASE A SET OF 4 GOODYEAR TIRES BETWEEN 11-7-2025 AND 11-30-2025 EARN $130 INSTANT REBATE. Get up to $130 instant rebate and get an additional $200 dollars on select Goodyear tires and for using your existing or new Goodyear credit card. See store for details. TOTAL REBATE UP TO $330

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CONTENTS

LEADING OFF Editor’s letter 6 Contributors 6 HISTORY Why Maricopa briefly changed its name a century ago 8 This month in history 10 COMMUNITY Immigrant artists bring global stories, local color 16 If there’s something strange in your neighborhood... Why don’t you call? 20 We rode on public transportation with the residents who rely on it 24 Golf tourney raised nearly $18K for police 28 HEALTH GUIDE Here’s why Exceptional Community Hospital lives up to its name 30 The faster way to firmer, younger-looking skin 34 The harmful effects of road rage and how to avoid them 36 How public schools keep athletes safe from concussions 40 Remember this simple rule for early melanoma detection 41 Citywide health directory 42 GOVERNMENT Permts 45 EDUCATION For the first time, Maricopa students are being taught by AI 48 CAC has a new way students can access more scholarships with one click 52 Kids Day returns for 18th year 53 BUSINESS Mapping business news 54 Restaurant inspections 56 SPORTS It’s hard to stay humble after 4 state titles, but A+ Charter’s Noah Charves does 58 Maricopa High’s flag football team has plenty to celebrate, just not a win 62 Lady Rams’ v-ball season started hot, came down to the wire 63

HOME How to plant an autumn vegetable garden 64 Most expensive home sales 66 Least expensive home sales 68 Buying an older home? Charm often comes with baggage 70 Own a rental property? You can unlock hidden savings instantly with one move 71

EVENTS Calendar 72 TRENDING A look at what’s hot on InMaricopa.com 79

PARTING SHOT The sunken path 80

ON THE COVER Like Maricopa’s own Michael Phelps, A+ Charter Schools track star Noah Charves, four-time Arizona State Champion, dons a breastplate of gold medals in this October photo by Monica D. Spencer.

InMaricopa.com | November 2025

FROM THE EDITOR

MUSD Community Preschool The Early Childhood Leader in Maricopa Community Preschool provides fun, skills-based activities that explore science, literacy, math, art, music, dramatic play, and more! Our rich curriculum aligns to Arizona Early Learning Standards to build skills and promote healthy social-emotional development. Our students work and play together to explore their curiosities, build confidence, and develop problem solving skills for a life-long love of learning.

E Our cup runneth local EVERY NOVEMBER, I WRITE ABOUT WHAT I’M thankful for in Maricopa. This year, there’s plenty of gratitude to go around. Let’s start with three artists from developing countries who now live and work here. They’re thankful to have turned their art into a livelihood and built a better life along the way. After Maricopa police called

Publisher SCOTT BARTLE

Editorial Director ELIAS WEISS

are investing big in AI tools that teach students. Teachers are thankful for the help. Students are thankful for the technology. David Iversen tells that story. David also reports on how

Advertising Director VINCENT MANFREDI

Advertising AMBER ROGALLA BRITTANY RUSSELL MICHELLE SORENSEN Writers MAGGIE ALMQUIST ROB CASQUEJO KRISTINA DONNAY

schools are protecting athletes from concussions as the nationwide debate over CTE continues. You’ll find that piece in this month’s special section: the InMaricopa Health Guide , back for 2025 and looking better than ever. Don’t miss the cover story on our local hospital, which broke ground five years ago this month in November 2020.

on neighborhoods across the city to form Neighborhood Watch programs, Monica D. Spencer met with some of the city’s self-appointed watchmen. They’re thankful to have a neighbor keeping an eye out.

WENDE GEHRT DAVID IVERSEN ANNAMARIE KNORR DAYV MORGAN MONICA D. SPENCER SHERMAN AND EUPHEMIA WEEKES

As for me? I’m thankful to be celebrating a third Thanksgiving with InMaricopa , delivering the news to this great city I call home. I’ll see you all after Turkey Day when the December magazine hits the stands.

Monica also takes a ride on Maricopa Express Transit, chatting with regular riders and asking the same question you might: Who pays for this? Someone must — but its passengers are thankful for the $1 fare, which they call a “lifeline.” Noah Charves, wearing his signature cowboy hat and mirrored sunglasses on this month’s cover, is thankful to be an Arizona state track and cross country champion and perhaps Maricopa’s most decorated high school athlete. Monica captures his portrait. Does she ever sleep? Here’s another question: Were you around for our October 2023 magazine? I remember it well. We interviewed school administrators who were working to combat students using AI to cheat in the classroom. Now, those same districts

Photographers DAVID IVERSEN VICTOR MORENO MONICA D. SPENCER

Designer CARL BEZUIDENHOUT

ELIAS WEISS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Elias@inMaricopa.com

MISSION Inform readers/viewers. Enrich advertisers.

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

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

VALUES

HALF-DAY PRESCHOOL NOW AVAILABLE

• Integrity • Accountability

CONTRIBUTORS

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

Locations Butterfield Elementary School - (520)-568-6100 Maricopa Elementary School - (520) 568-5160 Pima Butte Elementary School - (520) 568-7150 Saddleback Elementary School - (520) 568-6110 Santa Cruz Elementary School - (520)-568-5170 Santa Rosa Elementary School - (520)-568-6150

Volume 20, Issue 11 InMaricopa 44400 W. Honeycutt Road, Suite 101 Maricopa, AZ 85138

THE MUSD PROMISE • Certified Teachers • Licensed Facilities • Arizona Standards-Based Curriculum • Full-Day Academic Program • Dual Language Preschool (Santa Rosa) • Early Reading • Arts, Music, and Physical Education • Technology

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

Full-Day Community Preschool Monday - Friday 8:35 AM-3:35 PM/8:10 AM-3:10 PM, $680/Month

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.

ANNAMARIE KNORR Health Guide contributor AnnaMarie shares what makes our local hospital so special.

ROB CASQUEJO Physician assistant Rob reminds

MAGGIE ALMQUIST Community college communicator Maggie has a new scholarship shortcut.

Half-Day Preschool at Butterfield Elementary Only Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 8:35-11:35 AM/12:35-3:35 PM, $310/Month

you to follow this rule for early melanoma detection.

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InMaricopa.com | November 2025

HISTORY

YOUR TRUSTED

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SOLUTION FOR AUTO HOME BUSINESS

Call me by your name BY ELIAS WEISS In the summer of 1922, the Arizona Republic quietly announced the death of a name: “ Maricopa is to be Phoenix Junction .” The change, seen in this news clipping (right) preserved by the Arizona Memory Project, was approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission to prevent confusion with another Maricopa in California. On paper, it was a simple rename. But it also nearly wiped away the young community’s identity as its own place and not just a building, let alone one owned by the national Southern Pacific Railroad corporation. See this image (bottom right) of a railroad family posing by the station, circa 1915. Fifty years earlier, Maricopa had become the hub of movement in central Arizona. Before the name change, before Phoenix was even reachable by rail, this patch of desert was where the world arrived. Freight wagons, stagecoaches and mule trains stopped here to rest before pushing north. Supplies were hauled up to the infant capital from the same place pictured in this 1883 photograph of a cattle drive cutting across the Maricopa desert (above). When the Maricopa and Phoenix Railroad opened in 1887, built largely by Mexican immigrant crews through the Gila River Indian Reservation, it transformed the territory. Phoenix finally got its connection to the Southern Pacific’s main line, and Maricopa became the critical junction where

travelers disembarked to board smaller trains into the Valley. The town bustled with hotels, warehouses, corrals and cafés serving anyone bound for the capital. It was the pulse point of Arizona’s commerce. But progress is fickle. Over the coming decades, new routes and highway systems bypassed Maricopa, and by the early 1940s, the Maricopa and Phoenix line — known then as the Maricopa Branch of the Arizona Eastern Railroad — was abandoned. The route likely followed what is now State Route 347, though the exact path has been lost to time. So too was the name “Phoenix Junction,” which faded from railroad timetables as quietly as it appeared. Maricopa endured. It had been a freight stop, a cattle town, a rail hub, a dot on the map that stubbornly refused to disappear. Some things never change.

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InMaricopa.com | November 2025

HISTORY

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

5 years ago

10 years ago

15 years ago

20 years ago

Exceptional Healthcare broke ground twice on its new Maricopa hospital at John Wayne Parkway and Honeycutt Avenue. To maintain social distancing during the pandemic, the Texas-based company held two Nov. 12 ceremonies, one for business leaders and another for city officials. The $20 million, one- story hospital was designed to include a 24-hour ER, 10 patient rooms, 10 ER bays and a helipad. Then–Fire Chief Brady Leffler called it a “gamechanger” for a department that once transported patients nearly 20 miles away.

A tandem skydive south of Maricopa ended in tragedy when a parachute malfunction led to the death of 26-year-old Geriann Henderson. She had been jumping with a Skydive Phoenix instructor over the Hidden Valley area when their chute failed to fully deploy, sending them crashing into a field near Bowlin and Hidden Valley Roads during mid-morning. The instructor, 40-year-old Todd Dimauro, suffered two broken legs but survived. Pinal County and FAA officials later determined that federal safety regulations were followed, and the death was ruled an accident.

A tragic mistake at Pinal County Animal Care and Control made national headlines after staff accidentally euthanized Target, a war hero brought home from Afghanistan by Sgt. Terry Young. Target saved soldiers from a suicide bomber overseas and was featured on Oprah before joining Young’s family. When she slipped out of the yard and was picked up as a stray, an employee mistakenly euthanized her despite safeguards meant to prevent such errors. The county called the incident “unacceptable,” fired the employee and pledged to review policies to ensure it never happened again.

Maricopa’s first public park was officially named, marking a milestone in the city’s growth. The site at Porter and Honeycutt Roads was once part of a 1,000-acre pecan grove, connecting the park to the area’s agricultural past. Residents submitted 135 entries, ranging from thoughtful to humorous, in the city’s Name the Park contest. The chosen name, Pacana Park, honors that pecan-grove history, as “pacana” nods to the Spanish word for pecan. The winner received a year of free Parks and Recreation classes and joined both the groundbreaking and grand opening in 2006.

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InMaricopa.com | November 2025

November 2025 | InMaricopa.com

Maricopa

BLACK FRIDAY Nov 1 – Dec 1

SCAN FOR MORE SALES

21542 N John Wayne Pkwy, Maricopa (520) 494-7805 • www.AceHardware.com 21542 N John Wayne Pkwy, Maricopa (520) 494-7805 • www.AceHardware.com

Zach, Cheryl and Dave Karsten

COMMUNITY

Drawn to America Immigrant artists bring global stories, local color to Maricopa I N EVERY CORNER OF MARICOPA, ART TELLS A STORY NOT ONLY OF COLOR AND craft , but of courage and risk. For some, that story began far beyond the Sonoran Desert. These artists, born abroad, have each carved creative livelihoods here in Maricopa, building businesses and community through their work. Their paths to the U.S. are as varied as their media, but all reflect the same pursuit: opportunity and the freedom to live by their art. The following interviews, edited for clarity, explore what the “American Dream” means to them — and how they’ve found it in here.

What prompted the move? I quit art school when I was 16. There was no reason for me to be in the art school when I was already a painter, a good painter. I walked out of the school, and I started selling my paintings and making my living. It was illegal to sell my painting straight to the art tourists; I had to sell through a gallery, and they took 40% from each painting. That’s why, when I came here, I never painted anything about Cuba again. Cuba is something that I removed from the root, out of my blood, because they disrelish me and I erased them from my mind. Now you are painting murals all across Arizona. You last said you have done over 3,000? Over 3,200. Nobody in the nation has done as many murals as me. I used to paint only on the weekends, but after 2015, I decided to take this job full-time. What gave you the confidence that you’d make it? My first mural that I did, it paid my rent for a year. Then, I started living off my art. By 2011, I bought my first house in Tolleson, but I don’t like to live there because the traffic and the bad people, it’s crazy. I decided to move to Casa Grande, and I bought my house with cash in 2016 on an acre of land. I also bought another mansion in Tubac, Ariz., for $1.2 million thanks to my art. I’ve been supporting my family, my mom and my kids, thanks to my art. It seems like you are truly living the American Dream. It is the American Dream. You have to pursue your dreams; you can’t just sit down and wait, you have to move on and create, because if you don’t create, you destroy. The door is open, you just have to find it.

Why did you move to the U.S.? I came to the U.S. looking for more opportunities for me and my fiancée back then. I graduated from college in Mexico; the opportunities over there were not that good, and I decided to come here to pursue the American Dream in 2002. I was working in construction at first. Then, I was working as a supervisor for a painting company and painting houses. Where did you move first, before Maricopa? We moved first to Modesto, Calif., and we ended up being there for about a year. It was so cold, I didn’t like it. It was misty all the time in the mornings, and cloudy the whole time. Kind of depressing.

VICTOR MORENO PHOTOGRAPHER

RANCHO EL DORADO

HERMOSILLO, SONORA, MEXICO

MAURIEL “MORY” MOREJON MURALIST

CASA GRANDE

CIENFUEGOS, CUBA

How did you become a photographer?

During high school and college years, my passion was always photography. Once I got here, you know, family, bills and responsibilities; I needed to pursue a career right away, and this was my bet skill. I love sports photography, especially football, soccer and baseball. Over time, I’ve started doing more family and business- owner portraits. What’s it like owning your own business? I love being a business owner. I can create my own schedule. I can enjoy my family and my free time. I don’t have to be there working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. During the last 10 years, when I’m doing photography, I didn’t miss my kids’ karate competitions, volleyball or soccer games.

InMaricopa.com | November 2025

November 2025 | InMaricopa.com

COMMUNITY

A Private School Quality Education Tuition Free

When did you move here?

I came here from Ukraine when I was little. I came to New York when I was 6, and I still have a ton of family there. I lived in New York until I was in my teens, then Arizona ended up being my home post-high school. You were way too young to make the decision to move here on your own. What led your family to the U.S.? In that space, especially around the time that we moved, there was a lot of scarcity. My mom describes the sheer shock when we first got here of how much food we have in grocery stores because back then food was not as frequent as it is now. Back then it was pretty bad. My mom wanted to make sure her children had a better future and had more opportunities in general, and it’s definitely shown through me and my brother. I work on art through murals and pieces, but I also work a corporate America job, too.

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VERONIKA LESHCHINSKAYA PAINTER AND PRODUCT MANAGER SENITA KONOPE, UKRAINE

Is your art a side hustle or a hobby?

I would say it’s more like a retire- ment plan. I think it’s slowly becoming bigger. Within the last year, I would say it’s becoming more and more of an actual structured business — that’s something I did not expect. It became a second job, essentially, and I love it. What’s your long-term goal? I really hope that, in my future, I can focus solely on art. Many of my recent murals have been for schools, and that’s inspired me to start incorpo- rating after-school programs or clubs for kids. I want to give young people a space to create — to make art feel supportive, not competitive, the way it often did when I was in high school.

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InMaricopa.com | November 2025

November 2025 | InMaricopa.com

COMMUNITY

“With some of the latest activities, some of the shootings in particular, it was suggested to me to do a neighborhood watch update,” he said. “If we’re reactive to crime, people hide in fear. But being proactive means having the notion that, ‘We live here, this is my house, this is my block.’ We want people to be proactive.” That’s something Tortosa resident Suzanne Juitt agreed with. She’s part of a four-person team operating a small watch group in the southeastern corner of their subdivision. “We’re not being Karens and we’re not being nosy neighbors. We’re being the neighbors that care,” she said. “Because you don’t know what’s going on in this house or that house.” If we’re reactive to crime, people hide in fear. But being proactive means having the notion that, ‘We live here, this is my house, this is my block.’ We want people to be proactive.” JIM DEVENEZIA, MPD COMMUNITY SUPPORT SPECIALIST ‘Grassroots approach’ The official Neighborhood Watch program began in the 1960s as a simple way for neighbors to keep an eye on each other and support local police. In Maricopa, though, that idea has evolved. The city’s sprawling neighborhoods and fast- growing developments have encouraged a more flexible approach. Most groups operate as small, informal pockets scattered across the city. Instead of structured, police-run programs, residents rely on a mix of phone chains and social media to stay informed. DeVenezia said the secret is to start small. “It just starts with one person and their neighbors,” he said. “You get your first follower, and then it grows naturally. That grassroots approach is what really works.” He likened it to a YouTube video he’s seen — one showing a man dancing alone at a festival until others join him. “The first follower is the spark that makes the fire,” the video commentator says. DeVenezia smiled. “You get your first follower, and then it grows naturally. That grassroots approach is what really works.”

HOW TO START A WATCH GROUP

Watchmen PD says city needs neighborhood watches. What you need to know BY MONICA D. SPENCER

Whether it’s for your entire HOA or just your street, starting a watch group can be done in just a few simple steps, according to National Neighborhood Watch. 1 Recruit and organize as many neighbors as possible. The first step is talking to your fellow neighbors about starting a group. 2 Contact your local law enforcement agency and schedule a meeting. Send an email to Block.Watch@Maricopa-AZ.gov for more information about starting a watch group. Officers will take the time to meet with your neighbors to answer questions and provide resources. 3 Discuss community concerns and develop an action plan. At your meeting, determine the top concerns from neighbors and create a plan to work towards lessening the impact. 4 Create a communication plan . Choose regular meetings, create a social media group or both. 5 Take action by holding meetings and events. You may not be able to accommodate every person but try to appeal to the majority when it comes to date, time, location and purpose.

day,’” he said. “That starts the conversation of, ‘Hey, let’s watch out for one another.’ And if people did that section by section, then it would form a safety net.” In May, MPD hosted an informational meeting for residents interested in starting their own neighborhood watch programs. The session came in the wake of a particularly violent spate of a dozen shootings, including a murder and at least three attempted murders. DeVenezia said the meeting also served as a timely refresher for residents, since the last neighborhood watch update had been in 2023.

T ALL STARTS WITH NOTICING something unusual. Lights left on too long. A garage door left open for hours. A vehicle creeping down the street. Someone yelling sev- eral houses away. For Maricopa Police Department’s commu- nity support specialist, Jim DeVenezia, that’s how most neighborhood watch groups begin: with a neighbor who decides to pay attention. “It starts with going across the street to talk to your neighbor about, ‘Hey, I’m going out of town,’ or ‘I saw your garage door open yester-

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Maricopa Community Support Specialist Jim DeVenezia speaks to a crowd about starting a neighborhood watch program during a meeting at Maricopa Library and Cultural Center.

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InMaricopa.com | November 2025

November 2025 | InMaricopa.com

IS THERE A WATCH GROUP IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

A success story That’s exactly how a small but active neighborhood watch group in Tortosa came to life. When Larry Juitt and his neighbor Ted Lynch started the group, their goal was simple. “We just wanted a place to report crime and post safety notes for our community,” Juitt said. Juitt had helped run a neighborhood watch back in Tacoma, Wash., so he knew the benefits of year-round safety awareness. For Lynch, the motivation was more social. “We were just tired of waving at people and not knowing their names,” Lynch said. The group began with just a few streets in the subdivision’s southeastern corner. A photo from that first meeting shows the two couples and one other neighbor in attendance. Two years and one Facebook page later, the group maintains a modest but steady presence. Despite not seeing much crime — watchers say their most notable case was a 2023 porch pirate with the stolen package being returned shortly after — the group remains active. When asked what it takes to run the group, Lynch shrugged. “It doesn’t take much.” Today, a neighborhood watch sign greets drivers at the entrance. A group of women walk the streets most mornings, waving to neighbors and keeping an eye out for anything unusual. The group’s Facebook page now has more than 100 members. Lynch said they plan to keep growing engagement by hosting another neighborhood meeting and throwing a block party in the coming months. “The goal now is to remind people we’re still around,” Lynch said. “If they have a problem, we can help them out. And if you’re a problem, then you’ll have to deal with the proper authorities.” Technology as a tool Technology has been a godsend for neighborhood watch groups. Gone are the days of peeking out the window like Gladys Kravitz from Bewitched. “Social media has really helped expand awareness,” DeVenezia said. “It might be less formal than face-to-face meetings, but it’s effective.” Platforms like Facebook, Nextdoor, Citizen and Ring have replaced phone chains with instant alerts and real-time communication. “If something happens, like graffiti, we hear about it in 15 or 20 minutes,” added Lynch, from the Tortosa group. “We’re not trying to

police the neighborhood — just stay aware and support each other.” Law enforcement’s take MPD does not monitor the results of neighborhood watch groups, nor does it keep a tally of how many exist in the city or where. But Goodman called them “an important part of community safety in cities like Maricopa.” “These groups are helpful because they serve as an extra set of eyes and ears in the community,” he said in a recent interview. “While police officers can’t be everywhere at once, an active and aware neighborhood can help spot issues early, report them quickly and sometimes prevent crime before it happens.” Beyond safety, Goodman said programs like these build trust between residents and police. “Every neighborhood that is organized and connected through a watch program adds another layer of safety, resilience and durability to our city,” he said.

Maricopa does not maintain a master list of operational neighborhood watch groups. Jim DeVenezia, the police department’s community support specialist, said the city and department may be “still too small” for that level of organization. “I know there are pockets in each of the developments, but it’s more informal,” he said. Most watch groups appear to focus on just a small section of their neighborhoods. For example, the Tortosa Southeast group covers only a handful of streets, while Rancho Mirage’s group sticks to the western side of the HOA. Neighborhoods with established watch groups are Province, Rancho El Dorado, Rancho Mirage, Senita, Sorrento and Tortosa.

While police officers can’t be everywhere at once, an active and aware neighborhood can help spot issues early, report them quickly and sometimes prevent crime before it happens.” MARK GOODMAN, MARICOPA POLICE CHIEF

Larry Juitt, Ted Lynch and their wives stage a neighborhood watch meeting in Tortosa.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH Interest in community vigilance has ebbed and flowed over the decades, but one of the earliest catalysts was the 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens, New York. Early news reports in The New York Times claimed dozens of neighbors ignored her cries for help as she was attacked and killed outside her apartment. While the story was later shown to be exaggerated, it forced Americans to think critically about when — and how — to step in if someone is in danger. As crime rates rose through the 1960s and into the 1970s, communities began looking for structured ways to keep their streets safe. In 1972, the National Sheriffs’ Association

old Trayvon Martin. The incident ignited a national conversation about racial profiling, vigilantism and the limits of citizen patrols. Research is mixed on whether neighborhood watch programs actually reduce crime. A scholarly 2008 review of 19 U.S. programs found that about half were linked to a 16% to 26% drop in crime, while the other half showed no measurable effect. Experts agree, however, that neighborhood watch works best when residents maintain regular contact with police and follow one simple rule: Observe and report. Today, the National Neighborhood Watch emphasizes the safest communities are those where people stay alert, communicate with one another and let law enforcement handle enforcement.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

NOT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS CREATED EQUAL When retired Seattle police officer Katie Graves moved to her hillside home in Thunderbird Farms five years ago, the last thing she expected was a string of thefts and break-ins across the neighborhood’s multi-acre ranching properties. “A year or two after moving here, we started having regular burglaries,” she said. “And me being a former cop — and others knowing that — I kind of got involved.” Trailer thefts became a pattern. “I’m like, ‘Well, we’ve

National Crime Prevention Council: NPCC.org

“Everybody wants something as long as they don’t have to put effort into it,” Graves said. “And I was like, ‘Dude, I can’t do this by myself.’” Eventually, her animal rescue work demanded more of her time, and she handed the group off to new administrators. But as the posts drifted from crime reports to unrelated chatter, she felt its focus slipped. “That muddied up the group’s contents, in my opinion,” she said. And unlike tight suburban clusters, her rural setting made outreach harder. “Neighborhoods are easier,” she said. “You can just walk around and leave flyers on doors. Out here, I have to drive if I want to talk to someone.”

National Neighborhood Watch: NNW.org

National Neighborhood Watch Institute: NNWI.org

launched the National Neighborhood Watch Program, now called National Neighborhood Watch. Its mission was simple: Residents act as the “eyes and ears” for police, observing suspicious activity and

Virtual Neighborhood Watch Guide

National Home Security Alliance

Katie Graves

reporting it without taking matters into their own hands.

Because the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office isn’t patrolling the area most of the time, she launched the Hidden Valley and Thunderbird Farms Crime Watch group on Facebook.

But looking out for your

neighbors hasn’t always been straightforward. In 2012, George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Fla., shot and killed 17-year-

Neighborhood Watch Starter Kit

obviously got a ring,’” Graves said. “That’s when I started the crime watch group.”

At first, interest was

high. But it faded.

InMaricopa.com | November 2025

November 2025 | InMaricopa.com

COMMUNITY

HISTORY OF THE MET

A $1 lifeline Meet the MET riders who rely on city public transportation BY MONICA D. SPENCER

MARCUS POTENCIANO, 33 TORTOSA

2008: Maricopa Express Transit launches as a regional service connecting Maricopa to the Phoenix metropolitan area.

How long have you been riding MET? Maybe about four years now.

Why do you use it? I don’t have a vehicle. I don’t always have a ride to get to places, so it definitely comes in handy. I used to live in California, and it was a lot different. I didn’t need a car over there because public transportation was everywhere. But since coming over here, it’s like, dang, there’s nothing [for public transportation.] That would make it a lot easier, but this comes in handy. For a dollar, you can’t beat that. It’s cheaper than the public transportation in California or even Phoenix. I like it. Where are you headed? I’m gonna go to a data center to pick up my computer and get water in the process. That’s it, then I’m heading home.

2010: The city introduces the COMET (City of Maricopa Express

AUNCHED IN 2008, MARICOPA Express Transit offers low- cost rides within city limits. It’s a welcome option for residents who don’t have access to reliable transportation. “We want to make sure that we’re serving people the best that we can,” said Transit and Operations Supervisor Toni Flood. “The fixed route is free and the dial-a-ride is $1, so the affordability is important.” Flood said MET riders come from a wide background, but they often serve people who cannot drive or do not have a working vehicle. “I think it’s very important for people to be able to get to work and doctor appointments. There are some people who are by themselves and don’t have anyone to take them to the doctor,” she added. That included one Lakes resident who did not want to be identified. She said her insurance canceled medical transportation services several months after she suffered a stroke last year. That’s when she started relying on MET’s dial-a-ride for trips to appointments, the gym and other locations around the city. “It’s been wonderful. I like the scheduling aspect and that you can get picked up from your house,” she said. From workers commuting to and from their jobs to seniors heading to medical appointments, MET has become both a convenience and a lifeline for residents without reliable transportation. Here’s what some riders shared about their MET experiences one Thursday afternoon late this summer. Some answers have been lightly edited for readability. L

MYRA WRIGHT, 29 HERITAGE DISTRICT

Transit) service, which includes two circulator routes within Maricopa. 2015: COMET expands to include 11 high-demand bus stops. 2020: The service is rebranded as MET to reflect its broader mission and services.

How long have you been using MET?

Back in the spring, I started taking MET after my car broke down. I was working as a teacher’s aide, so a friend was giving me rides back and forth for a while. I live right behind Marshalls, and it’s just too far to walk. It’s two hours each way. Even the bus route only goes as far as the library, so I’d have to walk an hour from my house just to catch it. A Lyft is $15 to $20 one way, so for me, a $1 MET ride is the only real option. I wish I could tip more, but I tell everyone I know about it. I’ve gotten friends to try it, too. How often do you ride? Four days a week right now. I try to book both ways, but if I

can’t get a return ride, I’ll call family or friends. I wish there were more availability. I would ride a bicycle, but the roads don’t all have sidewalks, so you’d be riding long stretches of dirt next to traffic. Drivers aren’t always paying attention. It’s not safe.

FRANK AGUILAR, 34 SORRENTO

Is this your first time riding the MET? Yes. My grandmother told me about MET, and I wanted to see how it works.

Why are you riding today? Just to see how it is. I’m heading to Copper Sky. How’s the process been? Pretty cool so far. I like that you can book online.

InMaricopa.com | November 2025

November 2025 | InMaricopa.com

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