The Park is a free, monthly magazine produced by Estrella Publishing for the residents of Litchfield Park.
The Park ™ A magazine for Litchfield Park residents From Your Neighbors, For Your Neighbors
June 2026
June 2026 1
Estrella Publishing - The Park magazine
PITTS 21 Brackets Tooth Contouring ♦ Gingival Laser 3-D Imaging ♦ Invisalign ♦ Braces
Published by Estrella Publishing LLC, PO Box 6962, Goodyear AZ 85338.
Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor Talia Ebert, Assistant Editor Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com
All contents © 2010-present Estrella Publishing LLC. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission from Estrella Publishing LLC is prohibited. Estrella Publishing accepts freelance contributions, there is no guarantee that materials will be used or returned. Estrella Publishing is not responsible for the content of contributing writers and advertisers and assumes no responsibility for errors appearing within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Publisher or Advertisers. Estrella Publishing reserves the right to restrict all advertisement to their proper classification and to edit or reject any copy at its sole discretion. Neither this publication nor Estrella Publishing is an agent of or in any way affiliated with the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association, or any of their respective affiliates. This publication has not been approved by, sponsored by, or endorsed by the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association in any way.
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Estrella Publishing - The Park magazine
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From Me To You... Phoenix in June is not a place you go outside
I dismantled the entire thing, slide and climbing frame included, and moved it into the formal living room. The children were thrilled. My husband was horrified. The living room, for the record, survived. That same summer, my kids discovered that our floor plan made a remarkably efficient loop. Kitchen to den to dining room and back to the kitchen again. Perfect, it turned out, for indoor bike racing. We had a formal living room with a playground in it, and a cycling circuit running through the rest of the house. Everyone was entertained and nobody had heatstroke. I am choosing to call that a win. When the rest of the country looks at temps over 110º and shudders at the impossibility of life in a broiler, we shrug. What they don’t realize is that we are inside with the blinds drawn, the ceiling fan on, and if necessary, a slide in the living room. Catherine Uretsky Editor, The Park Magazine info@estrellapublishing.com 623.398.5541
voluntarily. The sun is not shining so much as it is beating us into a pulp, and when temps climb over a hundred by breakfast you need to adapt. Quickly. Cars are a necessity and a war zone rolled into one. The wheel is so hot some people use oven gloves to steer, the seat belt buckle will brand you, and I always keep towels handy to use as a barrier between the scorching hot seats and bare legs. The stretch of parking lot between your car and the grocery store entrance is, and I say this with full sincerity, a legitimate health hazard. Leaving the house twice in one day is a rookie error and nobody makes it past their first summer doing that. So we stay inside. And I would like to argue that we have become extraordinarily good at it. I know this because I have lived it. Our first summer here I had four children under the age of ten, a husband who traveled for work, and a Little Tikes playground in the backyard that was approximately the temperature of the surface of the sun by eight in the morning. Something had to give. So I did what any reasonable mother at the end of her rope would do.
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Estrella Publishing - The Park magazine
Healthy Lifestyle
Psychology isn’t just for the therapy couch. The tools it offers are practical, everyday, and more useful than most people realize. Most people assume psychology is something you turn to when things go wrong — when a relationship falls apart, when anxiety gets unmanageable, or when a professional recommends it. But treating psychology as a last resort misses the point entirely. The principles behind how our minds work are available to all of us, all the time, and applying even a handful of them can quietly improve almost every area of daily life. Take cognitive reframing, for example. It’s one of the foundational tools in cognitive behavioral therapy, and the concept is simple: the story you tell yourself about an event shapes how you feel about it more than the event itself does. Someone cuts you off in traffic on your way to work. You can interpret that as a personal attack on your morning, or you can recognize that you have almost no information about what’s happening in that person’s life. One version spikes your cortisol. The other lets you move on in about four seconds. The situation is identical. The mental interpretation is everything.
Another practical tool is behavioral activation — the psychological principle that action often precedes motivation, not the other way around. We tend to wait until we feel like doing something before we do it. But research consistently shows that starting a task, even reluctantly, generates the momentum and mood shift that we were waiting for in the first place. On the days you least feel like going for a walk or calling a friend or tackling that project, those are often the days it helps most. There’s also the well-documented power of naming your emotions specifically. Research by neuroscientist Matthew Lieberman found that labeling an emotion — not just “I feel bad” but “I feel embarrassed” or “I feel overlooked” — measurably reduces its intensity. The act of putting language to an internal experience gives your brain’s rational systems more control over its emotional ones. None of this requires a clinical background. It just requires a little curiosity about what’s already happening inside your own head.
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June 2026
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JUNE 12 THROUGH JULY 25, 2026 CATS is a mesmerizing, one-of-a-kind theatrical experience that transports audiences into the mysterious world of the Jellicle Cats. Through breathtaking dance, stunning visuals, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s unforgettable score – including the iconic ballad “Memory” – each cat shares their unique story. CATS is a spellbinding journey of rebirth, acceptance, and the magic of the feline world. Special thanks to Dr. Keith and Kim Haar
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Estrella Publishing - The Park magazine
AI, Friend or Foe?
Artificial intelligence can simplify your life in real, meaningful ways. The trick is making sure it’s working for you, not the other way around. Somewhere between the breathless headlines about AI taking over every job and the people who refuse to use it on principle, there’s a reasonable middle ground that most of us are quietly trying to figure out. Artificial intelligence isn’t going away, and in the hands of someone who’s intentional about it, it’s one of the more genuinely useful things to come along in a while. The practical benefits are real and worth naming. AI tools can draft a professional email in seconds, help you brainstorm a birthday party on a budget, summarize a confusing insurance document, suggest a week’s worth of dinners based on what’s in your fridge, or explain something your kid is studying in terms that actually make sense to you. For small business owners in the West Valley, these tools can handle customer communication templates and scheduling tasks that used to eat hours of your week.
But there’s a version of AI use that starts to quietly undermine the very skills it’s supposed to support. When we outsource our writing entirely, we get a little worse at writing. When we let an algorithm choose our news, our entertainment, and our social connections without any pushback from us, we get a narrower, more curated version of the world. The convenience is real, but so is the slow erosion of habits that matter. The healthiest relationship with AI looks a lot like the healthiest relationship with any powerful tool: you decide what it’s for, you set the limits, and you stay aware of what you’re actually doing. Use it to speed up the tasks you find tedious. Don’t use it to replace the thinking you need to stay sharp. Let it help you communicate, don’t let it replace your actual voice. AI is, at its best, a genuinely good assistant. But assistants work for you. The moment that dynamic flips, it’s worth paying attention to.
Paid for by Committee to Elect Tom Schoaf Mayor. Authorized by Thomas L. Schoaf. Complete La Loma Hilltop Improve Camelback Road Improve Recreational Services & Events Improve Utilization of Municipal Buildings Support our Local Businesses & Economic Development Support Fiscal Responsibility & Keep Taxes Low Finish Litchfield Square Transformation
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Imponderables
Things that make you go Hmm • Why is abbreviation such a long word? • Why is there an expiration date on sour cream? • If a person owns a piece of land, do they own it all the way down to the core of the earth? • Why can’t women put on mascara with their mouths closed? • Why are they called stairs inside but steps outside? • Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer? • If croutons are stale bread, why do they come in airtight packages? • Why does mineral water that has trickled through mountains for centuries have a ‘use by’ date? • If the professor on Gilligan’s Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can’t he fix a hole in a boat? • What do you put on a driver’s license for hair color if someone is bald? • Does the staff at Lipton Tea Company take a coffee break? • If you ask a bookstore salesperson, “Where’s the self-help section?” would that defeat your purpose? • What if there were no hypothetical questions?
• Isn’t it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do practice? • Where do forest rangers go to “get away from it all?” • What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant? • If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages? • Would a fly without wings be called a walk? • If a turtle doesn’t have a shell, is it homeless or naked? • Why don’t sheep shrink when it rains? • Can vegetarians eat animal crackers? • If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent? • Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines? • How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign? • Is it true that cannibals don’t eat clowns because they taste funny? • What was the best thing before sliced bread? • If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest drown too? Submitted by Jim Surmanek, Litchfield Park resident
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Estrella Publishing - The Park magazine
info@sadd.org
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SADDNation
Bright Days Ahead. Bright Days Ahead. Keep Them Crash-Free. Keep Them Crash-Free.
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June 2026
The Bug Guy The Best Father’s Day Gift? Killing Whatever That Was. decided is wonderful. Dad
has already found two in the garage this week. He used a jar and a piece of cardboard. He did not mention it at dinner because there was no need to cause a panic.
There is a certain kind of West Valley dad who asks for nothing on Father’s Day. No brunch reservation, no hammock, no novelty grilling apron. Just one humble request: that something be done about the scorpions. June in the West Valley is peak pest season, arriving like an uninvited houseguest right alongside Father’s Day weekend. The timing is poetic, really. Dads have spent years being the designated “handler” of anything that skitters, crawls, or glows under a blacklight. Father’s Day is simply when the family acknowledges the psychological toll. The bark scorpion is June’s headliner. Temperatures are climbing past 110 degrees, which pushes every creature with an exoskeleton indoors — specifically, into your air-conditioned home, which they have
The ants, naturally, are still at it. They found the ice cream that dripped on the patio during Memorial Day and have been filing paperwork about it ever since. Here is the gift idea the greeting card companies are sleeping on: schedule a professional pest control service for Dad this June. Perimeter spray, scorpion seal-out, the works. A good West Valley pest control plan means fewer midnight extractions, fewer shoe- shaking incidents, and one fewer text that reads “don’t come in the garage right now.” Dad doesn’t want a tie. Dad doesn’t want a gift card. Dad wants to walk to the recycling bin at night without wearing a headlamp and full situational awareness.
Gentle Hearts Animal Hospi i al
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623.298.4200 GentleHearts@phxcoxmail.com 14445 W. McDowell Rd. Suite A-106 Goodyear, AZ 85395 Dogs, Cats, Exotics, Reptiles, & Birds!
Give him that. He’s earned it.
Submitted by Larry Cash, of Estrella Mountain Pest Control.
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Estrella Publishing - The Park magazine
Kindness Corner
Summer Kindess June often signals the start of a more relaxed pace. School schedules shift, routines change, and time outdoors increases. This makes June a fitting time to reflect on kindness as a way to slow down and reconnect. Kindness thrives when we are present. Slowing our pace allows us to notice others more fully and respond with intention. Whether through shared conversations, acts of service, or simple attentiveness, kindness deepens relationships when time feels less rushed. Summer schedules can also introduce new stresses. Childcare changes, travel plans, and altered routines may increase tension. Choosing kindness during these moments helps maintain patience and flexibility. Small gestures; like offering help or expressing understanding. This understanding can ease collective stress.
Kindness has measurable benefits. It enhances emotional wellbeing, reduces stress hormones, and strengthens social bonds. Practically, kindness improves communication and cooperation, making transitions smoother for families and communities. June invites us to practice kindness as a rhythm rather than a reaction. When kindness becomes part of how we approach each day, it shapes interactions in lasting ways. By choosing compassion during moments of leisure and disruption alike, we reinforce the idea that kindness is not seasonal; it is essential. As summer begins, kindness offers a way to remain grounded, connected, and attentive to the people who share our days.
Submitted by Timothy Hunter Mathews, West Valley Resident
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Cook With Zona
Nothing says Father’s Day like a good old fashioned slider and this one is deeelish!
Easy Double Cheddar Cheeseburger Sliders
Yield: 4 to 6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients • 1 loaf of 12-count slider buns (brioche buns or Hawaiian rolls work great) • 1 pound of lean ground beef • 3 tablespoons ketchup • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard • ¼ cup house sauce (recipe below) • 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese • 1 cup freshly grated white sharp cheddar cheese • sprinkle of sesame seeds
House Sauce • ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard • 1 tablespoon honey • 1 tablespoon your favorite BBQ sauce Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice the slab of slider rolls in half horizontally, keeping them attached as much as you can. Place the bottom of the rolls on a baking sheet. 3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart into small crumbles. Stir in the ketchup and mustard until combined. 4. Place the sliced sharp cheddar on the bottom layer of the slider buns. Top that with the ground beef mixture. Drizzle on the house sauce. Sprinkle with the shredded cheddar. 5. Top with the slider buns. Brush with a touch of olive oil or butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 6. Bake the sliders for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melty. Serve immediately with your favorite burger condiments and house sauce. 7. House sauce - Whisk all ingredients together until smooth and combined. You can make this a day or so ahead of time!
4830 N Litchfield Rd #101
Want to see previous recipes by Zona? Scan the QR code to see all past recipes on our website!
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Estrella Publishing - The Park magazine
Solutions are on our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com, or scan the QR code. Puzzles & Games
Suguru Puzzles
Each region must contain every digit from 1 up to the total number of cells in that region — one digit per cell, no repeats. No two cells sharing the same digit may touch each other, including diagonally.
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Ouch! June Is Here, and So Is Your Electric Bill Summer in Phoenix is breathtaking in its own scorched way. Your wallet, unfortunately, feels every degree of it. There is a rite of passage every Arizona summer that nobody warned you about before you moved here: the moment you open your first June electric bill and genuinely question your life choices. Temperatures that regularly push past 110 degrees mean your air conditioner is not just running, it is basically the most expensive appliance you own, operating at full capacity for weeks on end. Air conditioning accounts for up to 50% of a typical Arizona home’s summer electricity bill. The average monthly bill in the state has climbed well past $150, and for households with pools, older HVAC systems, or poor insulation, it can go significantly higher. For families already managing tight budgets, that seasonal spike can genuinely throw off monthly finances. The good news is there are legitimate ways to soften the blow, and most of them do not require any upfront
investment. Start with your thermostat. Setting it to 78 to 80 degrees when you are home and 85 degrees when you are away saves an estimated 2 to 3% per degree above 80. Close your blinds during the day, especially on west and south-facing windows. Curtains alone can reduce heat gain by up to 33%. Run your dishwasher, dryer, and oven in the evening when heat buildup is less punishing on your AC. On-peak hours for APS customers run from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. Shifting high-energy tasks outside that window means lower rates for 21 hours every weekday and all weekend long. It is worth a look at aps.com/save to find the rate plan that fits your household. If cost is a real concern, APS’s Energy Support program offers discounts of 25% to 60% on monthly bills for qualifying lower-income customers. Details are at aps.com/assistance or by calling (602) 371-7171. Longer term, smart thermostats, shade screens, and improved attic insulation all pay for themselves quickly in Arizona’s climate. Summer here is not optional, but letting it crater your budget is.
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