Veterans Day 2026

Remembering fellow Americans who served

Opinion

Loud exhaust sounds increasing in West Valley

OPINION — What is with the loud exhaust? What used to be just a few annoying exhaust sounds from motorcycles, cars and trucks has now increased in frequency to where a walk outside or an evening rest on the back porch sounds like an afternoon at the Indianapolis 500.

Question of the Week: Did midterm election attack ads sway your vote?

Nov. 3 brought a merciful end to nonstop political attack ads by candidates and political action committees in the run-up to Election Day. They unfold predictably: tear down the opponent with the …

Opinion

Honoring those who served: Why I still do this work after 30 years

OPINION — Every Veterans Day, there is a moment that reminds me why I do this work. It isn’t the marching bands, the magnificent floats or the thousands of spectators lining Phoenix streets.

Opinion

Sun City COA closure will be felt across community

OPINION — The recent article on the closing of the Condo Owners Association left the impression that the organization made little effort to recruit volunteers and that its role was not particularly important in Sun City. I respectfully disagree.

Opinion

Some Sun Citians are in need; others can help

OPINION — How can more than 4,200 Sun City residents be living below the poverty level? That’s $15,960 per year for a single person and $21,640/yr for a couple.

Opinion

A reminder to pedestrians: Stay on the sidewalk

OPINION — Arizona’s glorious weather has finally returned, after a long, blazing summer. And with this nice weather, many of our seasonal guests have returned, too. As a result, we’ve seen many, many people walking around getting their health steps in, walking their animals, getting fresh air but it’s where some are walking that is disturbing.

Opinion

If you are a Sun City resident, pay your fee

OPINION — I would like to add my voice to that of others suggesting and supporting Recreation Centers of Sun City annual fees being assessed per resident rather than per household.

Opinion

West Valley Symphony board thanks supporters; mourns Phoenix Symphony's season suspension

OPINION — The West Valley Symphony would like to thank residents for their continued support, for attending our concerts and for their commitment to live orchestral music, which helps sustain an important part of our community’s cultural life.

Question of the Week: How often do you fly for pleasure or work?

A new terminal is coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport west of Terminal 3 by 2033, the airport’s first new terminal since 1990. That suggests anticipated continued increase in …

Opinion

Agrees RCSC fees should be per person, not household

OPINION — This is to express my agreement with LM Anderson’s letter in the Oct. 21 Independent. A few months ago, I wrote a letter arguing that the recreation center fees should be per individual, not per household, but without all of the monetary details included by LM. Kudos to LM for digging deep into this.

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Your Community Your Voice

Do ESA vouchers really provide a better education for Arizona students?

OPINION — As a retired public-school educator, I have always been interested in the latest trends and challenges that are happening in public schools throughout our country. Most recently, I have been watching what has especially happened here in Arizona.

My thoughts on Sun City COA closure

OPINION — I’m writing about the article regarding the pending closure of the Condo Owners Association. As a former director and treasurer who recently stepped down to care for my ailing husband, I was disappointed to read several statements attributed to COA President Sue Clark.

RCSC should provide detailed accounting on proposed fee hike

OPINION — The Oct. 21 edition of the Sun City Independent reported that the Recreation Centers of Sun City Budget, Finance and Audit Committee recommending a $90 increase in annual assessments and a $110 increase in privilege card fees, and I just read on the RCSC website the proposed increase has been lowered to $60.

Maintaining mobility an investment in Valley residents’ independence

We may all lose just a little bit of the spring in our step as we age, but slowing down a little does not mean we need to give up our independence. Taking time to work on your mobility and balance is a key part of the strategy for aging well and moving confidently into the future.

What first responders carry home after the call ends

OPINION — For first responders, what most of us would consider an extraordinary crisis can simply be part of a Tuesday. Law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, correctional officers and paramedics routinely face circumstances many people may experience only once, if ever, in their lifetime.

Shouldn’t campaign finance outrage apply to Hamadeh, too?

OPINION — Campaign finance outrage? Apply it to Abe Hamadeh, too. Jacquelyn Loiselle’s October 7 letter asks whether Bernadette Greene-Placentia’s financial reporting problems reflect “incompetence or something worse.” That insinuation outruns the evidence she presents.

Sounds of Autism founder endorses Donna Davis for MCCCD Governing Board

OPINION — I am proud to support Donna Davis’s reelection to the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board.

Love at first byte: Is your next date human — or is it AI?

OPINION — Online dating used to mean wondering whether someone’s profile photo was 10 years old. Now there’s a more fundamental question: Does this person even exist?

What happens if Democrats win nationwide?

OPINION — The United States is in dire need of rescue. That will happen if Democrats win nationwide. What exactly would that look like? Since 2025, the Executive branch has run virtually everything.

Don't let technical rule thwart delivery of cutting-edge drugs to Valley patients

OPINION — For years, some of the most effective cancer and immune therapies came with a hidden cost: an afternoon in an infusion chair. That is changing ... a proposal pending at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could put that progress at risk.

Donna Davis is our choice for MCCCD Governing Board

OPINION — We are writing this letter in support of Donna Davis who is running for re-election to the Maricopa County Community College Governing Board. She has served as an MCCCD board member for four years.

Question of the Week: Do you still play games in the Arizona Lottery?

The Arizona Lottery was created when voters approved Proposition 200 in November 1980. The two biggest games are Powerball and Mega Millions, both multi-state games. Odds of winning are just as …

Hamadeh’s $10,000 reward for information on rival’s attackers rings hollow

OPINION — Abe Hamadeh and Bernadette Greene-Placentia are running for the Congressional District 8’s U.S. House seat. Personally, I default to believing women who come forward with news of an assault. Sadly, I am seeing horrific comments online by Hamadeh supporters.

Big snag with GLP-1 program

OPINION — When President Trump and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz announced the creation of the GLP-1 Bridge Program last year, many Americans might have thought the administration had cut a deal that would drop the price of GLP-1 medications to $50 per month for anyone looking to lose weight.

Midterms are really about who controls the money

OPINION — Less than two weeks from Election Day, every headline is heads down: polls, turnout, which party takes which chamber. That is my disappointment with mainstream media.

Arizona’s fentanyl overdose statistics are alarming; free Narcan training can help

OPINION — While deaths from drug overdoses across the United States declined during each of the last three years, they have surged in Arizona. From September 2024 to September 2025, our state recorded a 17% increase in overdose deaths — twice the national average — according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

RCSC should proportion fees fairly

OPINION — I completely agree with LM Anderson on the Recreation Centers of Sun City’s ever-rising annual fees. In my opinion, this is not a burden on two-member households, where they have two incomes.

What a coyote might say to its neighbors

OPINION — If a coyote could have a cordial conversation with its neighbors in The Grand, I imagine that this is what it might say: My name is Wyly, and I would like you to know that I have as much right to be here as any of you, perhaps more.

Sun City Meals on Wheels grateful for clients, supporters

OPINION — As we move into fall, and the season of sharing, I want to thank our clients and our supporters for helping us through donations as we strive to serve our community with nutritious, affordable meals.

This is one of four decorative stones donated for Willowcreek Golf Course beautification that are missing.

Sun City golfer hopes someone returns Willowcreek decorative stones

OPINION — I think it’s a sad day in Sun City when things are stolen in plain sight. Our Willowcreek women’s league has a beautification person who helps improve the looks of the course as much as possible.

Question of the Week: Does your family participate in Halloween traditions and fun?

There was a time when nothing signaled the onset of autumn like Halloween, the annual cultural celebration observed on Oct. 31, which features trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and carving …

Can’t we all come together as Americans?

OPINION — Paul Cahill’s recent letter in the Independent left me feeling sad. I think we want the same things, but I feel like we live in two different worlds.

Arizonans with dementia shouldn’t be driving

OPINION — I’ve lived in Sun City West for 17 years. I recently had a strange encounter at the Post Office. The drive-thru drop box for mail has one entrance and one exit. I was in it when suddenly there was a woman in a large sedan facing me.

The socialist revival, why it appeals and why we should say no

OPINION — Socialism is attracting renewed attention in American politics, particularly among younger voters struggling with housing costs, medical expenses, student debt and economic uncertainty. Their concerns are real, and promises of expanded government benefits have found a receptive audience.

Peoria reader: My values align with Rep. Hamadeh’s

OPINION — My most cherished freedom is the freedom to openly serve my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. Next is my freedom to vote, a right that gives each of us a voice in the direction of our nation. This election requires each of us to exercise that freedom and choose leaders who will stand for the principles we believe in.

Are things worse now than under Biden? I think not

OPINION — Jeff Hostetler’s recent letter regarding the state of the country argues that most things are now worse than during the previous administration. These statements require some objective review.

Fighting hunger also means prioritizing nutrition

OPINION — When most people think about hunger, they picture an empty pantry or fridge. Yet, for families struggling to make ends meet, the challenge is often more complicated than simply having enough food to eat.

Four years of tax hikes and one new cop; our community colleges need new priorities

OPINION — Most voters never reach the bottom of their ballot. This year, the Maricopa County Community College District board race deserves the trip.

New RCSC fee structure could eliminate need for $90 hike

OPINION — In response to the Recreation Centers of Sun City’s proposed 13% increase in annual fees for 2027, I respectfully submit the following long-term solution based on a basic search and calculations:

Congress should pass the Major Richard Star Act to keep its promise to combat-injured veterans

OPINION — When Americans are injured in combat, we have a responsibility to make sure they receive the benefits they earned through their service and sacrifice. For tens of thousands of veterans, we are falling short of that promise.

Fears new federal rule will harm seniors who get prescriptions by mail

OPINION — U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a dangerous new rule with an Oct. 22 compliance date that will threaten the healthcare of millions of Americans. The rule, “Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments,” will effectively end Americans’ ability to personally import their prescription medicines.

Senior thanks Rep. Hamadeh for tax relief

OPINION — After working and paying taxes for many years, seniors deserve a break on taxation of their retirement financial resources. Many live on fixed incomes that are affected by rising costs. Tax relief can provide the extra cushion to make the “golden years” a little more stress-free.

RCSC’s proposed Articles of Incorporation changes raise concern

OPINION — Most Sun City residents may not be paying much attention to what the Recreation Centers of Sun City board is doing right now. As long as the recreation centers are open, the pools are …

Military widow: Rep. Hamadeh’s office solved my problem

OPINION — I’m not really into opinions. Facts and actions are what count. My experience as a 40-year military widow was mightily reaffirmed recently. I must share.

EPCOR consolidation, rate hike aren’t a done deal; let’s fight

OPINION — I don’t blame Sun City and Sun City West residents who are ticked off because EPCOR is pushing to raise our water costs by roughly 30%, or maybe I do!

Question of the Week: Should the Pentagon livestream the execution of former U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Hasan?

Former Army Medical Corps psychiatrist Nidal Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad Dec. 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, for the 2009 mass shooting that claimed the lives of 13 soldiers and wounded …

Contract negotiations between unions, school boards bolster education

OPINION — I am writing in response to Joe Pasta’s recent letter citing his opposition to labor unions in Arizona, specifically in the area of education. He alleges that the nation’s second-largest education union “has done little to promote better education practices or better classroom conditions,” but he offers no proof for that claim.

Surprise reader: Hamadeh understands importance of water security

OPINION — I am a lifelong Arizonan. Arizona’s water future is among the most urgent issues facing our state, and Congressman Abe Hamadeh has shown he understands that.  

Jobs are coming to the West Valley; our community colleges need to be ready

OPINION — The West Valley is in a period of tremendous growth. TSMC is producing advanced semiconductors in north Phoenix. Amkor is building a major semiconductor packaging and testing campus in Peoria. VAI Resort is taking shape in Glendale. Hospitals and medical facilities are expanding along with our population.

Hamadeh fights for West Valley

OPINION — As a West Valley resident, I support U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh’s reelection because he has focused on results here at home.

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