Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 16

VALLEY STATE B2 WKDNKSDAY, OCTOHKR 11, 2000 The Arizona Republic Good news abounds for N.W Valley drivers BUMPER TO BUMPER I fa PASSING OBSERVATIONS Party hearty on the 101 Are you ready for some freeway? A 101 party? Here's your chance to enjoy a walk, ride or roll down the new Loop 101 before it opens to traffic. From 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, a free open house will be held on the new stretch of the Agua Fria Freeway between Camelback Road and Glen-dale Avenue, with refreshments provided by the contractors. Parking will be available via the northbound Loop 101 entrance ramp at Camelback. Bring your in-line skates, wagons, strollers or just your two feet to walk along a piece of the new pavement.

The last six miles of the Agua Fria, from Northern Avenue to Interstate 10, open in time for rush hour Monday. The freeway cost $88.5 FRESH DIRECTIONS a Loop 10L Your thoughts? After more than two years of waiting, the last six miles of Loop 101 officially open Monday. How will those six miles of high-speed pavement change your life? Driving-wise, that is. Will it make it easier to get to and from home? Will it' cause you to change the course of your commute, to take advantage of real, hon-est-to-goodness freeway miles? Will you go on using the same old streets you've been using? Do you think drivers will turn Loop 101 into a speeding free-for-all? How much traffic will the new freeway attract? Will it alter West Valley driving patterns? Is it a good thing? Drop me a line or give me a call. Please include your name and city.

The e-mail address is bumperarizona republic.com. The phone number is (602) 444-7941. haps the largest mural of skid marks in the Valley freeway system. For being out of practice, we did pretty well driving in Tuesday's downpours. Other than a lot of heavy, hard-to-shake congestion, it was a pretty uneventful morning rush hour, despite sloppy streets and slow freeways Valley-wide.

Police reported a fair share of weather-related crashes, few of them major. For the most part, the four-wheel knuckleheads were staying out of flooded washes. On a lengthy drive through the East Valley, I saw just two fender-benders and a lot of people taking it easy. Maybe we're really learning how to drive in the rain. I do need a new set of wiper blades, though.

for local traffic only. It's taken some new paint and new signs to tackle an old freeway problem. A sixth lane added over the weekend to westbound 1-10 should help drivers negotiate the 1-17 split near Sky Harbor International Airport. The six lanes, and the signs, give drivers a clear choice well in advance of the split. Stay in the left three lanes for westbound 1-10, the right three for northbound 1-17.

The triangular area dividing the two freeways was enlarged. "We're trying to separate the I-10I-17 traffic sooner, trying to get them to commit to one freeway or the other early on," Burdick said. Under the old five-lane setup, the middle lane could be used by drivers for either 1-10 or 17. That led to lots of last-instant swerving and per For northwest Valley commuters, the news just keeps getting better. On Monday, they get six new miles of Loop 101, from Northern Avenue to Interstate 10, completing the Agua Fria Freeway.

Then, in early November, the last of the eight ramps at the Loop 101-Interstate 17 interchange opens. At the same time, the ramp carrying eastbound 101 traffic onto southbound 1-17 gets a second lane, easing the morning rush merge. Plus, the next section of Loop 101 opens, between 15th and 31st avenues. That eliminates the hassle of eastbound drivers having to exit Loop 101 at 27th Avenue to continue east on the Beardsley frontage road. "They won't have to get off the freeway to continue to go straight," said Matt Burdick, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Transporta- BOB PETRIE The Arizona Republic tion.

Westbound Loop 101 traffic will be able to enter the freeway from Beardsley Road at about 17th Avenue. To reduce congestion on eastbound Loop 101 at 15th Avenue, which will have a single-lane exit ramp, a new traffic signal will be placed at 15th Avenue and Beardsley. It'll be timed to give Beardsley traffic most of the green time. Once on Beardsley Road, Loop 101 traffic will be herded east to Seventh Avenue. Fifteenth Avenue south of Beardsley is designated Reach Petrie at bumperarizona republic.com or (602) 444-7941.

ARENA I New sites considered AIR CRASH I Pair's legacy will continue not be able to tap into about $100 million in public money, which is part of the plan for the Scottsdale site, a plan twice approved by Scottsdale voters. Ellman's Tuesday letter posed 10 questions to the city. Ellman asked the city whether it has the political guts to condemn land for the project and whether it will pour in "up-front money." The letter also challenged City Councilman George Zra-ket, the loudest critic of the arena plan, to come up with an alternative plan if the deal flops. In the seven-page letter, Ellman's attorney, Rich- From Page HI Ellman on Friday to push for the financial facts, said she doesn't know what alternate sites Ellman might be considering. One attractive option could be land on the Salt River Indian Reservation just east of Scottsdale.

It would satisfy the National Hockey League's desire to keep the Coyotes in the Phoenix market, and it's near the intersection of the Loop 101 and Red Mountain Freeway and the bustling Casino Arizona. If Ellman moved his project from Scottsdale, he would veterinarian Douglas Sysel said. Sysel said Bubba has been causing quite a stir in his office. "I've known Mr. Don Carlos for 20 years, and I can tell you Bill would say, 'It's just like Bubba to survive this plane crash and become a Sysel said.

Sysel said Bubba is generally an aggressive dog and not just anybody can handle the 135- to 140-pound pooch. But his demeanor has changed since the crash. "I think he understands. At some level, I think he's grieving," Sysel said. "He's acting like a pussycat." At least a dozen people have called the Arizona Humane Society offering to adopt Bubba, spokeswoman Kim Hicks said.

He likely will be returned to family members. The Don Carloses had four adult sons. "Words can't explain the loss of these two people," Sysel "They're just spectacular people. He was just like a brother to me." ard Ross, said the firm feels it has already given the city all the information it needs. But he suggested a group of city representatives meet privately with Ellman's bankers, and he proposed the two sides draft a letter of intent outlining the basic deal.

"We need some answers," Kaufman said. "This business about seeing our books should be put to, rest. It should have been put to bed a long time ago." Over the past three months, Ellman's $575 million arena complex has been bogged down by design delays, a drawn-out $87 million purchase of the Coyotes and the struggle with the council. The project goes before the Scottsdale Planning Commission tonight on a request to rezone to the 72-acre site to allow building loft-style apartments and an aquarium. Reaeh the reporter at chip.scutariarizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-7482.

From Page HI vestigates about 2,000 aviation accidents and incidents each year, according to its Web site. Autopsies conducted Tuesday indicated that Bill, a Sun City West lawyer, died of chest injuries, and that Pauline, a psychologist, died of head injuries, according to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. One of the couple's dogs, Christina, also was killed. A second dog, a bloodhound named Bubba, miraculously survived and was in the care of his own veterinarian on Tuesday. The dog, who had undergone radiation therapy for a cancerous tumor in his hind leg, was having some breathing problems, but he likely will make a full recovery, Gravano's Tempe home on market lty Christina Ieonard The Arizona Republic Former Mafia hit man Sal-vatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano's Tempe home is for sale.

Realtors are asking $650,000 for the house near Elliot Road and McClintock Drive, where Gravano's wife and daughter lived. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home is part of an estimated 1.5-acre estate that includes a stable, three-car garage and pool. Realtors said the home was custom-built in 1997. Gravano was arrested in February and indicted with more -than 40 others in connection with an Ecstasy syndicate that police described as the largest in Arizona. Investigators portrayed Gravano as a financier and mentor in the organization, which was suspected of marketing the designer drug to juveniles and young adults.

Gravano's wife, daughter, son, nephew, niece and friends face potential prison sentences. Cameron Morgan, the attorney for Gravano's wife, Debra, said he couldn't comment on why the family is selling the home. Ex-Mesa woman is issued warrant The Naples Daily News quoted a prosecutor as saying he is negotiating with Mary Grodin to testify against her husband in the death of Gretchen Grodin. ADVERTISEMENT a Arizona Republic A Florida arrest warrant has been issued for Mary Grodin, 22, a former Mesa resident whose li-month-old daughter was found dead near Fort Myers on May 2. Grodin and her husband, Justin, 26, are being held in Marcicopa County jails for violating probation on a 1999 child-abuse conviction, in which their 11-month-old son suffered a fractured skull and broken Bones.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a warrant had been issued for Mary Grodin's arrest. A. Any Car, Van, Truck, Motorcycle, Moped, Boat, Classic, Snowmobile, or W. 10 I Fast EZ Process! Tax DeductSblell 'RUNNING -DAMAGED -BROKEN 'HIGH MILEAGE FREE Fast Pick Up I til Christian Family Charities ADVERTISEMENT -Bay Civic r.i-iw.ii-L jh. Hoeda 'PU'll WW m.

Mm Twti your trimnda. family, neighbors and co-workmra. vCuuTt ease Event Arizona DEPARTmNT of Transportation Invites You to a Honda dealer to lease Civic LXs for $0 down super-low monthly payments IT Bring the Family, Complete To northern Avenue vour bikes, skates North or wagons and 3' a i 0) DT your camera and run, walk or roll on the Agua Fria Freeway before driving on it. ADOT and West Valley Communities are your hosts on the Loop 101, west of 91st Avenue and just north of Camelback Road in Glendale. Follow the signs.

Camelback Road Complete To 1-10 To Festival From I-IO inventory of 500 new Honda models. Showcase promises to beat any deal in Arizona on any Honda or they'll give you $1,000 it's their "Best Price Guarantee." They're proud to stand behind their cars as well as their prices. It's guaranteed. Trades are welcome; just bring in your car, truck, van or sport utility along with your title and payment book. All credit applications will be accepted during this event.

Be prepared for on-the-spot delivery of your new Civic. The Civic LX lease event begins Wednesday, Oct. 11, and ends Sunday, Oct. 15 at Showcase Honda, 1400 E. Camelback Road in Phoenix.

You may call the new-car toll-free hotline at 1-800-NEW HONDA with any questions, or log on to www.showcasehonda.com to get quotes online. Toil-Free Hotline: 1-800-NEW HONDA 1400 E. CAMELBACK RD. PHOENIX, ARIZONA Jl PHOENIX Showcase Honda, the no. 1 Honda dealer in sales and cus-' tomer service in Phoenix, is offering a terrific deal on new 2001 Civic LXs for the next five days, so now's the time to drive one home.

Hurry in and take your pick from over 50 newly redesigned Civics, model ES1551PW, each loaded with air conditioning, power windows, power lock's and an engine even more powerful than previous Civics. Any of these Civic LXs can be yours for zero down, $189 a month on a 60-month lease. Just add tax and tag to your lease with approved credit and you can be on your way in a new Civic today. Any of these 2001 Civic LXs can be yours for absolutely zero down, $189 a month. As an added incentive, Showcase Honda will throw in a CD player at no extra charge if this is your first Honda! It's still only $189 per month with a real zero down.

This is a golden opportunity for anyone considering leasing the ever-popular Civic. But because quantities are limited and the lease price outstanding, customer traffic is expected to be heavy so they're sure to go fast. It's first come, first served, so hurry to Showcase Honda at 14th Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix. In addition to the 50 Civic LXs available for lease, you're also invited to take a look at Showcase Honda's vast Agua Fria Freeway Saturday. October 14, from 8 a.m.

to Noon (Dedication Ceremony starts at 9 a.m.) Free Refreshments 5k Fun Run along the freeway starting at 8 a.m. Vehicle Displays, Construction and Fire Equipment and a Parade featuring Transportation Through the Years. T-Shirts available for $10 donations to the State Employees Charitable Campaign, Refreshments courtesy of our contractors, Ames, Pulke and Sundt. A i- A 51 CAMELBACK ROAD.