Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 87

El Mirage GlendaTe Litchfield Park Peoria Phoenix Sun City Sun City West Surprise Youngtown Wickenburg Northwest THE THOENIX GAZETTE THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Friday, April 16, 1993 21 MMUN jr" 'If 4 Jr IT 11111 ill 1 ill U' Group tries to save mall anchors Valley West could lose Penney, Ward stores when'new mall opens 1 ager Sally Nevill; and Charles Sands, who leases the land to mall owner IRT Property Co. of Atlanta. Ken Harris, a real estate consultant hired by the city, also was there. Then Stout went even higher, calling Montgomery Ward bead-quarters in Chicago to plead her case. "I think we have a chance," Stout said last week.

"They (Chicago) said it was on the table now and to get something to them within two weeks." So Stout mustered the support of about a dozen friends 'and sent a mountain of information to Montgomery Ward. Given the short notice, Stout said her information gathering was unscientific, but she thinks tho results are right on. According to Stout: People over 40 don't want to go to large malls such as Arrowhead. "People don't like them," she said. "They'd prefer to get out of the car, run into Valley West and get out." Arrowhead will open in October with 150 stores and 1.3 million square feet.

Valley West has 74 stores in 480,000 square feet. If Valley West closed, Glen-dale would have only one mall. And few people would be willing to travel as far as 83rd Avenue and Bell Road to Arrowhead. Glendale Dial-a-Ride will not cross city boundaries, which leaves Westridge and Maryvale malls out of reach for many. See MALL, Pago 4 busy people, you dash in and you dash out." Although the exit of the two anchors wouldn't necessarily spell death for Valley West Mall at 59th and Northern avenues, it would be a severe blow.

The mall's other two anchors are the Boston Store and Beall's Outlet. Stout and her husband, Bill, are no newcomers to causes. The two have dogged City Hall for years. They successfully forced an initiative that resulted in the city's transition to a district council system. So, it was natural for Stout to call on City Hall for some help.

She landed a meeting with Jim Devine, director of economic development; Valley West Mall Man 'Ai i iiftr-f'-f rtDrTtmmmiim i Lm Delrdre Hamlll stall photographer Mildred Savastano of Glendale waits at Valley West Mall for a Dial-a-Ride van. She depends on Dial-a-Ride for transportation and would have problems getting to other malls If Valley West closed. By Dan Shearer Staff writer GLENDALE Carol Stout couldn't bear to sit and watch. Valley West Mall had been sent reeling by the announcement earlier this year that JC Penney Co. Inc.

would be leaving for the new Arrowhead Towne Center in October. Then, there was talk that Montgomery Ward might close after its new stores opened at Arrowhead and Westridge malls. Stout, who has shopped at the 20-year-old mall since 1978, took action, She'll find out in about a week whether it helped. "There's no excuse to let this mall go dark," Stout said. "It's a good, practical mall.

For jjf ycfflj i I I 4 Nancy Engebretson Community Students from Granada East School listen Intently as Miss America, Leanza Cornett, speaks to them Tuesday about the importance of education and staying away from drugs. She was promoting Chevrolet Geo Driving for Education fl 4 Iff Baseball one step closer Board backs city on snaring team By Lori Baker Stiitl wiitor SUN CITY El Mirage's efforts to snare a major league team for Sun City Stadium has gained another key supporter. The Sun City Home Owners Association board Tuesday approved a resolution favoring El Mirage's baseball attempts. The stadium would be an economic boost for Northwest Valley communities, the resolution says. However, HOA board members' support is not without conditions.

"I want to make sure that parking is not a problem," board member George Hartman said. "I want to see the plans as they are developed." But Craig Kimmell, one of the Sun City Stadium owners, said 50 acres of property next to the stadium is available for parking. El Mirage is working with Sun Cities Associates to land a spring-training team for the stadium, 111th and Grand avenues. Sun Cities Associates, a limited partnership, bought Sun City Stadium fur $500,000 from the Resolution Trust Corp. on March 12.

The board of the Property Owners and Residents Association of Sun City West, the Youngtown Town Council and the Surprise City Council also have passed resolutions supporting El Mirage's efforts and boosting Kimmeii's attempts to land major league baseball in Sun City. The stadium needs millions of dollars of improvements to accommodate a team. El Mirage will ask the county Stadium District, tor money. To be eligible for the district money, the stadium must have a sponsoring city and a team, said Charlie Smith, chairman of the stadium district's citizens advisory committee. Kimmell said El Mirage is a willing partner.

All Kimmell needs is a team. He said he is negotiating with one, but he wouldn't disclose which one. Sun Cities Associates plans to donate its interest in the stadium to El Mirage. The city also would annex the property, which is in unincorporated Sun City, In turn, El Mirage would contract with the company to manage and run the complex. "I think we have a good chance of getting approval from the county now that we have the support of all the communities in the Northwest Valley," Kimmell said.

Sun Cities Associates is made up of two general partners. One is Field of Dreams which includes Kimmell and another Valley resident. Bill Dugan. The other is Charles Dorego, a New York real estate attorney, who is with Sun Cities Stadium Associates. Field of Dreams has leased the stadium since May 1991.

I- stiilTpliotographrr Miss America urges wise choices in visits to 2 west Phoenix schools By Diana Balazs Stall writer Phoenix ighth-grader Cecilio Dimas welcomed Leanza Cornett to his school, presenting her with a small bouquet of red roses. Cornett's tour was sponsored by Chevrolet Geo Corp. She is spokeswoman for the company's Driving for Education program, sponsored locally by Lou Grubb ChevroletGeo. Parents test-drive cars and in exchange receive certificates that schools can exchange for computers, video cameras and other equipment, But it was neither cars nor computers that Cornett wanted to talk about with her audiences Tuesday. Her message was about AIDS, choices and studying.

"I'll be very very honest with you," she said. "I wasn't the best student when I was your ago. I didn't make the Soe VISIT, Page 5 district and Grace Christian School. Christian held an indoor assembly for Cornett, with the presentation of a poem written by Jan Carden. also received the red carpet treatment at East, where she toured the school.

students didn't know what to make of Cornett and entourage. One girl had to be convinced that was THE Miss America. mean the one that's all over television?" the girl she was finally convinced, she giggled, noting watches the pageant every year. 1' f4 if lars for various charities during the past four years, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Brown said. The problem, Brown said, is that some amateur dancers and actors in Sun City and Sun City West resent professionals like him and Demetrius upstaging them.

The jealousy has led to anonymous threatening phone calls and letters. lynn Henley and Jack Barry. They are the districts' only assistant superintendents. The announcement caught the two by surprise, and particularly in the case of Henley, a 14-year veteran of the district it drew an angry response from teachers, who charged betrayal. But the board insisted that its notification to Henley and Barry Elementary Grace complete school nurse Cornett Granada The her royal Cornett "You asked, When that she Cornett accepted the flowers from the Granada East student body president and expressed her appreciation.

It's not every day one gets a big hug from Miss America. Cornett, 21, the reigning Miss America, was in the Valley on Tuesday. Her stops included visits to two west Phoenix schools Granada East in the Alhambra Retired theater pros say amateurs harassed them By Lori Baker Staff writer SUN CITY WEST Christopher Brown and his business partner, Demetrius, wonder why they are being targeted. They say they have been harassed and threatened by amateur entertainers over their fund-raising efforts in the Sun Cities. The two have donated their talents to raise thousands of dol- Typewritten and unsigned letters containing threats against Brown were sent in late 1992 to Martha Moyer, manager of community relations for Del Webb and Put Edwards, events coordinator for the Sundorne Center for Performing Arts.

The letter sent to Moyer said in part: "We have erased Chris Brown's See THREAT, Page 5 in jeopardy "If you set up a superintendent to be a hatchet person, you're going to have a morale problem in the district," Brewster said. "Blame us as the bad guys right now." Barry, who has been with the district four years, said he understands and supports what the board did. See CONTRACT, Page 4 four years ago, Brown organized the Christopher Girls, a Sun City 'West dancing troupe. He also wrote the variety show 'Tale of Twin Cities," based on the life story of Sun Cities' founder Del Webb. The show raised money for charity.

Brown and Demetrius donate about $4,000 a year of their own money for costumes for various fund-raising shows. night to give the administrators notice. If the board had not done so by Thursday, it would be required to renew their contracts for one year, beginning July 1. By giving notice, board member Ron Brewster said, the board takes the heat for Henley's and Barry's departure if the new superintendent decides that he or she doesn't want to work with them. "There are some people who don't like the competition but we didn't come here to compete," Brown said.

"We use the talents God gave us to give something back to the community." Brown, 68, is a retired choreographer, dancer and director. Demetrius, 70, is a retired costume designer. They have been business partners for 31 years. Since moving to Sun City West that their contracts would not be renewed had nothing to do with their job performances. "It's extremely important to set the superintendent up for as much success as possible and allow him to build his own team," said board President Sandra Malone, who praised the work of both administrators.

The board voted. 5-0 Tuesday Glendale Elementary's top 2 administrators' jobs By Ray Schultze Staff writer GLENDALE The Glendale Elementary School District's two top administrators will be sent packing by July 1 unless the new superintendent who has yet to be hired wants them on the team. That's the message the school board delivered this week to Mari-.