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ELECTION 2026
Deer Valley Unified candidate Q&A: Staff Pay & Retention
The 2026 general election is soon and the deadline to register is Oct. 5.
election 2026
Peoria has a full ballot this year, are you registered?
first responders
Peoria Police: License plate reader technology, multi-agency coordination help in sex trafficking arrest
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A Coffee with a Cop event will be held Oct. 7 at House of Honey in Peoria.

Peoria Police Department to host Coffee with a Cop

Officers and employees from the Peoria Police Department along with community members will come together in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships, and drink coffee.
Crews work on Loop 101 sound walls, which need to be built from the ground up after it was found the original walls could not maintain their structural integrity if added to.

Old sound walls, crack repairs slightly delay West Valley Loop 101 completion

The $140 million expansion of Loop 101 between Interstate 17 and 75 th Avenue will not be done by spring 2027 as originally planned, but the delays will push completion back a couple of months.
The Peoria Unified School District will host a community information session on school finance and measures on the general election ballot.

Have questions about how Peoria Unified spends its tax dollars?

The Peoria Unified School District will host a factual community information session on school finance and measures on the general election ballot.
Zach Bohrer is an admissions counselor and student ambassador manager at Augustana College in Illinois. He was one of many college representatives at the Sixth Annual ASU West College Fair Sept. 29.

ASU West College Fair offers glimpse into students’ futures

Around 1,800 people descended upon the sixth annual ASU West College Fair Sept. 29, most of them high school students hoping to get a better picture of what their college life may look like.
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Deer Valley Unified candidate Q&A: Board Member Roles

Four candidates are vying for two open seats on the Deer Valley Unified School District Governing Board in the Nov. 3 general election. David Alvarado, Paul Carver, Kristi Cooper and Julie Stockwell are seeking four-year terms on the five-member board.
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Drumming for Wellness is a free 12-week community drumming series beginning Monday, Oct. 5.
things to do

Find your rhythm at Drumming for Wellness in Peoria

Tap into the power of rhythm with Drumming for Wellness, a free 12-week community drumming series beginning Monday, Oct. 5, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Peoria Main Library, 8463 W. Monroe St.
August in Greater Phoenix and the West Valley continues to be slow in the housing market, but overall the area outpaced the rest of the country, according to data from Phoenix Realtors.
housing market

West Valley residential real estate round up

Closed residential sales were down throughout Greater Phoenix in August, but experts say the dip fits the season as one of the slowest months in Arizona real estate.
Peoria Police are investigating two deaths that could be a possible double suicide.
first responders

Peoria Police investigating possible double suicide

Peoria Police are investigating two deaths that could be a possible double suicide.
ELECTION 2026

Deer Valley Unified candidate Q&A: Special Education

Four candidates are vying for two open seats on the Deer Valley Unified School District Governing Board in the Nov. 3 general election. David Alvarado, Paul Carver, Kristi Cooper and Julie Stockwell are seeking four-year terms on the five-member board.
A Cavender’s Boot City is coming soon to the Arrowhead area.
retail

Cavender’s Boot City is coming soon to Arrowhead area

Cavender’s Boot City has announced its newest store coming soon to Peoria, to be located at 7759 W. Bell Road.
Oktoberfest celebrations are scheduled for Oct. 8 at Westgate Village in Glendale and Oct. 15 at Vista del Rio in Peoria.
NEIGHBORS

Two West Valley senior communities celebrate Oktoberfest

Two West Valley senior living communities will host Oktoberfest celebrations this year, featuring traditional German-inspired food, music, themed activities, and opportunities to support local …
Ballet Arizona’s
dance

Ballet Arizona’s 'Class Act' returns to Peoria Unified

Peoria Unified School District is welcoming back Ballet Arizona's "Class Act" program for the 2026-27 school year, bringing free, grant-funded after-school dance instruction to third and fourth graders at Apache Elementary School and Foothills Fines Arts Academy.
Emily Saeteurn is a write-in candidate for Peoria's Acacia District.
ELECTION 2026

Get to know Peoria’s write-in candidate for the Acacia council district

Concerns over the residency of Acacia District Councilor Jennifer Crawford, who is running unopposed as an incumbent in the November election, has led to one resident of the district tossing her hat …
Ironwood girls volleyball coach Dani Wiley, black shirt facing the camera, starts to smile while talking to her Ironwood team after its Sept. 28 win at Centennial. It was her first game as head coach against the school where she was one of four seniors leading Centennial to the 2016 state 5A title.
WEST VALLEY PREPS

New Ironwood volleyball coach enjoys homecoming in Peoria

She had been back to the old gym before, aven a couple of times as assistant coach at rival school Ironwood. But Monday night was a little different for Danielle Wiley. It was her first game at …
ELECTION 2026

Deer Valley Unified candidate Q&A: Budget Priorities

Four candidates are vying for two open seats on the Deer Valley Unified School District Governing Board in the Nov. 3 general election. David Alvarado, Paul Carver, Kristi Cooper and Julie Stockwell are seeking four-year terms on the five-member board.
This season,
stage

Celebrating Dolly: Arizona Broadway Theatre adds '9 to 5: The Musical' to its season

Arizona Broadway Theatre celebrates one of entertainment’s most beloved icons with the addition of "9 to 5: The Musical" to its 2026–27 season.
(MetroCreative Connection)
DATA DRIVEN

More Arizonans living alone as households get smaller

Arizona is adding people, but the state’s households are not necessarily getting bigger.
The inaugural Grand Slam Campout is Oct. 17 at Peoria Sports Complex.
THINGS TO DO

Take me out to the campout at Peoria Sports Complex

For one night only, Peoria Sports Complex is trading baseballs for sleeping bags, Saturday, Oct. 17, 16101 N. 83rd Ave.

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Calendar of events
The Latest Edition of the Peoria Independent

The Latest Issue of Peoria Independent pdf eedition

The Latest Issue of Peoria Independent

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The Latest Edition of the Upper Westsider

The latest issue of Upper Westsider pdf eedition

The latest issue of Upper Westsider

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Opinions with Civility
OPINION — David Livingston entered the Arizona Legislature as a conservative voice. Fourteen years later, his record has moved beyond traditional conservatism toward extremism. His positions on disability services and reproductive rights — and his use of a term-limit loophole — show why Legislative District 28 needs a change.
OPINION — For 17 years, I’ve worked in education because I wanted to do work that mattered. I found my purpose in helping children discover curiosity, potential and a love of lifelong learning.
OPINION — In response to the recent letter thanking Abe Hamadeh for his support of the One Big Beautiful Bill, I’m not thanking him for these 10 things:

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Things to Do in Peoria
Ballet Under the Stars returns to Peoria on Saturday, Oct. 3, for a free outdoor performance.

Ballet Under the Stars returns to Peoria

Ballet Under the Stars returns to Peoria on Saturday, Oct. 3, bringing the professional dancers of Ballet Arizona to Centennial Plaza, behind city hall, 9875 N. 85th Ave., for a free outdoor performance.
The next HOA Academy in Peoria will be Saturday, Oct, 10.

Build a stronger HOA, a stronger neighborhood at Peoria’s HOA Academy

A well-run HOA can help create a stronger, more connected neighborhood.
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Weekend Picks: Valley events for Sept. 25-27

The Valley is turning up the heat on this first weekend of fall, and for the first time in months we’re not talking about the weather.
Actor Matthew Zimmerer speaks from the stage at the auditorium of the Glendale Main Library, foregrounds, Sept. 17. Arizona Theatre Matters artistic director Jeanmarie Simpson, left, vy Jarvis, a programming librarian at the main library, and Glendale Media Relations and Communications Coordinator Colleen Sparks watch from the audience.

Arizona Theatre Matters makes presence felt in Glendale

For a few years, Arizona Theatre Matters has steadily, quietly built up its in-person presence as Glendale’s only theater company while breaking new ground and winning fans the world over through its online performances.
October's Fall Into Reading is a month-long celebration to read, explore, create and connect.

Check out Peoria's month-long Fall Into Reading event

This October, the Peoria Main Library, 8463 W. Monroe Street, is turning the page on its Fall Into Reading event, a month-long celebration to read, explore, create and connect.

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