Mortgage Broker in Maricopa, AZ

Grocery stores across Maricopa County were cited for safety issues in November, including unsafe food temperatures, cross-contamination risks and improper storage practices.

Four stores received priority violations, which are the most serious category under county rules, according to inspection reports.

A priority violation is a major health-code violation that directly increases the risk of foodborne illness or injury. Others received a core violation, a lower-level health-code issue that deals with general sanitation, maintenance or facility upkeep.

County inspection reports show issues that included spoiled or improperly held food and contamination risks in food preparation areas. Here is a look at the stores with the most serious violations this month.

AJ’s Fine Foods in Scottsdale stored cut produce above safe temperatures

According to an inspection completed on Oct. 29, AJ’s Fine Foods at 18271 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale received one priority violation and additional core violations.

Employees were instructed on proper ice bath setup and cold holding procedures, and the county indicated the root cause was related to staff training.

Sprouts in Phoenix found holding rotisserie chickens below safe temperatures

According to an inspection completed on Nov. 4, Sprouts Farmers Market, located at 12415 N. Tatum Blvd. in Phoenix, received one priority violation.

No core violations were found at the location. Inspectors attributed the violation to a training breakdown.

Safeway in Fountain Hills thawed food in a sink with a detergent line submerged

According to an inspection completed on Nov. 6, the Safeway at 13733 N. Fountain Hills Blvd. received one priority violation.

No core violations were found at the location, and staff corrected the thawing process by moving food to the proper prep sink.

Fry’s Marketplace in Queen Creek missed date-marked deadline

According to an inspection completed on Nov. 25, Fry’s Marketplace at 25105 S. Ellsworth Road in Queen Creek received one priority violation.

No core violations were found at the location, and the deli discarded the package of turkey at the time of inspection.

What if I see unsafe food in a supermarket deli, bakery or meat market? How do I report it?

Go to the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department website and fill out the online form.

Rey Covarrubias Jr. covers grocery shopping, business and breaking news for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@gannett.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.

MerryCopa returns this weekend, and you’re invited to take part in the biggest holiday event of the season! Join on Saturday, December 6, from 5 – 8 p.m. for a fun-filled evening of activities, shopping, and snacking geared for all ages.

The 12th Annual MerryCopa Holiday Festival will bring back several activities from past years, along with a few stunning new ones, and we have the guide to make sure you have the best time possible at this event.

Date: Saturday, December 6 Time: 5 PM – 8 PM Location: Copper Sky Regional Park (44345 W Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Maricopa, AZ 85138)

Cost: FREE! There’s no admission fee to the event.

On-Site: Limited parking is available at Copper Sky. Pre-purchase parking passes for $7 or pay $10 the day of the event (Copper Sky Annual Members may pick up a complimentary parking pass before the event begins).

Shuttles: Complimentary shuttles are available approximately every 30 minutes at City Hall from 4:30 – 8:30 PM

Unlimited Activity Wristbands give you access to the inflatables and horse-drawn hay rides and are available at no cost.

There are plenty of free activities and attractions available at the event, including:

Over 100 vendors have signed up to attend the event this year to give you a great start on your holiday shopping. We will also have several food trucks available serving up delicious meals and tasty treats:

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the generosity of our wonderful sponsors. We cannot thank them enough for their dedication and support of this amazing event.

Please visit www.MerryCopa.com for all of the most up-to-date information. Come celebrate the holidays with us, as there is gnome place like Maricopa for the holidays!

Key Points:

In the morning, Laura Deaver wakes to the soft hum of the desert land surrounding her home. The calm is occasionally interrupted by the sound of horses snorting or a morning four-wheeler ride with her husband, Kyle, and 7-year-old daughter, Kyrie. Neighbors sip coffee and wave from their porches as the small community of Wittmann begins another day.

Now, she says, a project by Burlington-Northern Santa Fe — better known as BNSF Railway and one of the country’s largest railroad companies — threatens the way of life for the town’s roughly 600 residents.

“This is the safest, most intimate community you could find,” she said, “Now imagine 15,000 semis coming off of that road you just drove in on.”

Deaver is referring to a $3.2 billion construction project for BNSF’s proposed 4,320-acre rail facility that would horseshoe around Wittmann and neighboring areas. Since its announcement in 2024, it has faced waves of backlash.

At a Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting on Nov. 5, the proposed facility faced another major setback. Wittmann residents packed the room to oppose an amendment designating a portion of land for BNSF project development.

BNSF first acquired land along Grand Avenue near Wittmann in 2004 to develop a new intermodal rail facility serving the Phoenix region. As freight demand grew, the company expanded the site to roughly 4,300 acres in 2022.

A mapping error during Maricopa County’s 2023 White Tank Grand Avenue Area Plan update reclassified about 840 acres from industrial to single-family rural. BNSF filed an amendment and rezoning request in May 2024 to fix it. After its approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the company asked for several continuances to allow for the requests to be presented with finalized agreements.

While the board unanimously sided with residents, tensions still ran high.

Deaver, whose home will be nestled up against the industrial giant with only a small fence separating her from the construction site, spoke for many opposing the project.

“They’re filling people full of false hope,” Deaver said.

According to BNSF, the project, formally titled Logistics Park Phoenix, will include a rail-served terminal, a logistics center and a logistics park. The proposal says the project will bring upward of 76,000 jobs during and after construction.

Residents from Wittmann and the surrounding communities made clear at the meeting they are opposed to the proposal.

“I’d like to ask if someone can tell me how our lifestyle and our lives are so disposable,” said Wittmann resident Patricia Van Eck to the board.

Many residents cited what they described as BNSF’s inconsistent track record with environmental precautions. In 2024, a federal judge ordered the company to pay close to $400 million to the Swinomish tribe in Washington for trespassing and carrying hundreds of cars’ worth of crude oil across tribal land.

Also in 2024, environmental groups sued BNSF for releasing large volumes of plastic nurdles from freight cars into coastal lagoons and the Pacific Ocean. They said the nurdles, the plastic pellets used to make disposable plastic products, caused ongoing toxic pollution that harms marine ecosystems.

BNSF also faced a lawsuit from residents of Libby, Mont., for negligence and contributing to fatal cases of asbestos-related illnesses.

Some Wittmann residents said they fear the same fate at the meeting.

One speaker, Rick Sanetra, who said he uses supplementary oxygen due in part to past exposure to asbestos, worries others may follow in his footsteps.

“It bothers me that our kids, our animals, our parents will all be exposed to particulates out there,” Sanetra said.

Another resident, Kirby Anderson, said they are not opposed to the project, but rather its location. He questioned the project’s transparency and said the lack of planning outweighs the benefits — a sentiment the board seemed to share.

“Another location may suit all stakeholders better, which BNSF should investigate harder,” Anderson said.

During her presentation, BNSF legal representative Susan Demmitt answered some of these questions and highlighted the economic benefits of the major project.

“Over time, the population of the region has continued to grow, and with it, the need for expanded transportation and supply-chain infrastructure,” Demmitt said.

Three labor union representatives supported the amendment and the project. They said it would bring jobs and support small-town economies, such as Wittmann.

Joshua Lemley, a member of Carpenters Local Union 1912, said the project was about building the middle class.

“It’s not just about rail. It’s about putting skilled tradespeople to work and keeping Arizona’s economy on track,” Lemley said.

He and other supporters highlighted the country’s evolving supply chain and the need for the state to keep pace. The project would help modernize regional freight movement, strengthen the state’s role in the national logistics network and keep distribution efficient, they said.

“We all love getting our Amazon packages, our medicine, and our groceries delivered on time,” said union member and former state representative Mark Cardenas. “Projects like this make that happen. Logistics Park Phoenix is how the modern supply chain actually works — fast, efficient, and reliable.”

Nearly 30 speakers came out in opposition to BNSF’s amendment. They said they want Wittmann to remain the way it is.

Community member Robin Jones gave emotional testimony from the podium. Next to her, Deaver stood holding a poster board she had made with her daughter. It was a map. Each day, the mother-daughter duo eagerly filled it with tiny red squares. Each little square represented a Wittmann resident who said no to BNSF’s project.

“The map began as just a way to stay organized, but it became something much more,” Jones said. “It became proof of what we already knew. Our community does not want to be surrounded, overshadowed and impacted by this project. Not today, not tomorrow, or ever.”

Deaver also read a note from Kyrie.

“Dear Board of Supervisors, I don’t like the railroad because I won’t get enough sleep at night,” It read. “And in the morning, I will be grumpy. Love, Kyrie.”

Among the opposition are Sen. Janae Shamp, who represents the legislative district encompassing Wittmann; the Nadaburg Unified School District; and Sun City West Property Owners and Residents Association, which represents approximately 40,000 residents.

“I appreciate the applicant’s willingness to engage and adjust. We’ve been in many meetings together,” said District 4 Supervisor Debbie Lesko, who led the board’s opposition. “But we have reached a point where additional delay will not change the fundamental reality that the infrastructure and service framework necessary to support this level of development is not in place.”

While they did not respond for comment, in a statement after the board meeting, BNSF said it remains undeterred.

“We are confident that LPP is the best way to serve our customers, as well as the Arizona residents and businesses that depend on the goods we transport, while maximizing the benefits of rail,” the company said about Logistics Park Phoenix.

While the Nov. 5 vote was a win for the residents of Wittmann opposing the project, the fight is far from over.

“This is a small win,” Deaver said, “We’d be fools to think this is over.”

For Deaver, the decision is one step closer to keeping her morning horse rides and Kyrie’s neighborhood playdates. Her parting message to BNSF contained a touch of hospitality.

“Come visit,” she said, extending an invitation to BNSF leadership. “We’ll jump in the side-by-side. I’ll take you out, and I can show you exactly how we live.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

AO, a leading full-service architecture firm with design expertise spanning the full spectrum of commercial real estate, has announced its latest surf-anchored destination, PHX Surf, a 40- acre, mixed-use resort, expected to break ground in Maricopa city in March 2026. Developed by PHX Surf, the project will deliver an immersive, surf-centered experience powered by Endless Surf’s pneumatic wave technology, producing world-class waves for surfers of all skill levels.

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Serving as Architect of Record, Design Architect, and Landscape Architect, AO is leading the design of the surf facility, lagoon infrastructure, and surrounding resort components. The destination will feature:

“PHX Surf is so much more than a wave pool. It is a fully realized ecosystem where the surf experience becomes the central axis of hospitality, recreation and community. Our team is working on surf-resort destinations around the world, but PHX Surf stands apart because of the development team’s unique focus on health and wellness. That vision has elevated the project into something truly distinct and inspiring, a place where people can connect, recharge and experience the desert in an entirely new way,” said Bruce Greenfield, Partner at AO

The resort’s design fosters a “barefoot luxury” experience tied to it’s place in the desert, balancing high-end amenities with natural materials and a sense of effortless connection between wellness, sport, and a lifestyle inspired by the desert oasis surroundings. .

“From the moment we first envisioned PHX Surf rising from the desert, the spark has been about more than waves – it’s been about partnership. I’m grateful to stand alongside our incredible collaborators at AO, Pro Swell, Endless Surf, and the City of Maricopa, each of whom bring bold vision, unwavering dedication and true heart. Together we’re not just building an attraction, we’re crafting a desert oasis where surf, wellness and community converge. The foundations are in place, the energy is real, and the future is bright for PHX Surf,” said Erin LaGrassa, CEO of PHX Surf.

PHX Surf represents AO’s 11th surf-anchored project, joining a growing portfolio that includes DSRT Surf in Palm Desert, CA, Wavegarden Atlantic Park in Virginia Beach, VA, HTX Surf in Houston, TX, and Alchemy Surf in Sacramento, CA. Together, these developments showcase AO’s expanding expertise in surf-anchored and sports-driven destinations, where architecture, recreation, and hospitality converge to shape the next generation of lifestyle resorts across the U.S.

Public Health

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has confirmed that a visitor from outside the county has been confirmed with measles and may have exposed people at two public locations.

“We are working closely with partners at the city and state levels, as well as at venues where the exposures occurred, to ensure that people are aware and protected,” said Dr. Nick Staab, chief medical officer at MCDPH. “This is a good reminder that any of us can face an exposure, and being vaccinated is our best defense.”

Measles is a highly infectious virus that can linger in the air for up to two hours, and approximately 90% of unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to measles will become infected. It is preventable with two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, typically given during childhood. Adults need at least one dose of MMR vaccine given after the age of one. Individuals born before 1957 or who had measles as a child are considered immune.

Exposures occurred at the following venues:

Anyone who may have been exposed should watch for symptoms, which appear typically seven to 12 days after exposure but may take up to 21 days. Symptoms include:

Individuals who develop symptoms are encouraged to seek medical care and testing. They should call the provider ahead to let them know about symptoms and potential exposure before going in. The provider or facility will provide instructions on how to be seen without exposing others in the waiting area.

MCDPH is encouraging healthcare providers to be alert for unvaccinated patients with fever and rash, especially if they have a known exposure. Healthcare providers are required to report suspect cases of measles to their local health department.

“Measles is highly contagious and can have severe complications, but the good news is that it is preventable,” said Dr. Staab. “We strongly encourage anyone who has not been vaccinated to get vaccinated to prevent further spread from this or other potential exposures.”

For more information on measles, visit https://www.maricopa.gov/Measles.

Media availability: A spokesperson will be available virtually at two times.

Please contact Sonia Singh to schedule.

Media contact: Sonia Singh, 602-679-3098, Sonia.Singh@maricopa.gov

Public Health

Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) is hosting a free event this Saturday, with kids’ activities, giveaways, and more. All families are welcome to attend.

Each fall, MCDPH’s WIC program (Women, Infants, and Children nutrition education and support) hosts its Spooktacular Fall Festival to bring together families and community resources. Now in its 6th year, this year’s event will be held at ASU West in a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.

“We know that families are often looking for safe, fun, and free activities they can do together,” said Jennifer Dykhuizen, WIC Outreach Manager. “This event provides that for our community, with the added benefit of giving parents and caregivers an opportunity to connect with resources they may not have known about previously.”

Activities include crafts, trick-or-treating, games, creative activities, giveaways, and more. Kids are welcome to dress up. In addition, 73 community organizations who will be on-site include:

“It’s always exciting to see the community come together in this way,” added Dykhuizen. “Whether families walk away with support for something going on in their lives, or they simply get quality time together, this event is a good time for families.”

Event details: