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Surprise Independent
O.H.S.O. good restaurant opens its doors in Surprise
With our Valley’s population growing and the city of Surprise’s population increasing rapidly, we are beyond excited to open this facility for all residents in the West Valley.”. The newest O.H.S.O Brewery is now open in Surprise at 13434 N. Prasada Parkway, marking the first one in the...
Pianist performs at Sun City West church
Anna Han, Young Artist winner in piano from the National Federation of Music Clubs, will present a concert 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 13724 W. Meeker Blvd. Born in Mesa, Han began her musical journey at age four. At eleven, she took first place...
SciTech Festival sponsors needed in Surprise
Surprise is currently seeking event exhibitors and sponsors for the 2024 SciTech Festival, a signature event of the Arizona SciTech Festival, that will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16 in the Mark Coronado Park parking lot, 15960 N. Bullard Ave. More than 1,200 science...
Surprise residential waste cleanup day coming up soon
Surprise residents looking to spruce up their landscape or clean out their garage can take advantage of the upcoming residential waste cleanup event on Saturday, Sept. 14. Residents can drop off up to 2,000 pounds of non-hazardous, residential waste for free from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Northwest Regional Landfill, 19401 W. Deer Valley Road, There is a limit of one load per household.
Surprise offering youth fall break camp in October
The Surprise Parks and Recreation Department is offering a one-week fall break camp for youth currently enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade. Campers will enjoy daily activities, arts and crafts, games and sports. Fall Break Camp will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14 through Friday,...
Letters: Surprise mayor’s overreaction violated resident’s right to speak
Do council members think they are a ‘protected species’ safe from public criticism? That they only allow speakers to praise them not criticise or bring other concerns to light?. The recent overreaction by the mayor, ejecting a resident for voicing her opinion regarding a city issue just because...
Next Surprise teen rec party is game show event
Surprise has scheduled its next teen rec party from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6 at the Sierra Montana Recreation Center, 14861 N. Spring Lane. This one will be a game show theme. Dance mixes, lights, contests, games and themed events are just some of the activities teens can...
Upcoming city meetings in Surprise
Here are upcoming public meetings held in Surprise. To watch city metings live remotely, visit surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv or the Surprise City Gov Facebook page at facebook.com/cityofsurprise. Cox channel 11 and Century Link channel 8513 will also carry the meetings live. Agendas available at least 48 hours in advance at agendas.surpriseaz.gov. CITY...
2024 West Valley Preps football Week 1 scoreboard
Chandler Hamilton (1-0) 17, Centennial (0-1) 10 (Aug. 29) Phoenix Mountain Pointe (1-0) 45, Valley Vista (0-1) 6 (Aug. 29) Willow Canyon (1-0) 48, Tucson Desert View (0-1) 35. Ironwood (1-0) 19,, Phoenix Trevor Browne (0-1) 14 (Aug. 29) Queen Creek (1-0) 42, Sunrise Mountain (0-1) 7. Scottsdale Horizon (1-0)...
Letters: Arrest in front of Massie’s child is a bad look for city
After spending 10 days in San Tan Valley visiting grandkids, a friend sent a video of a Surprise City Council meeting that showed the mayor authorizing the arrest of a woman who was using her right to address the City Council. What bothered me the most about this scene was...
Letters: Massie should have been able to speak, but also obey police
Your article about police escorting Rebekah Massie out of the City Council meeting has generated much conversation, so good job. I’m curious about the backstory. I watched the meeting online, learning that Mrs. Massie was indeed guilty of disobeying of a police order. However, there is another side to...
Letters: Mayor, attorney, chief all overstepped their authority in Surprise arrest
I feel I have to speak up in defense of Rebekah Massie in how she was mistreated by the outgoing mayor, Skip Hall, and the police chief who assisted in the mistreatment. She was simply voicing her opinion that the current city attorney, Robert Wingo, hadn’t demonstrated anything exceptional to earn a 4.4% raise on his already bloated salary of $226,000 a year.
Surprise native preps for fifth Paralympics, this time with family by his side
PARIS – Full-time teacher by morning, Paralympic athlete by afternoon and a father always, Team USA archer Eric Bennett is embarking on his fifth Paralympic Games with his sights set on a prize bigger than the gold medal: his family in attendance to watch him shoot. Bennett, a Surprise...
Surprise school board awarded for high standards
Dysart Unified School District has again received awards for meeting standards on the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. Dysart has received the Association of School Business Officials International award for the 29th consecutive year, and it is the 20th consecutive year that Dysart has achieved the Government Finance Officers Association award.
Foster: What workers, employers need to know about political speech at work
Arizona, renowned for its swing state status and diverse political perspectives, can anticipate a rise in political speech in the workplace as the 2024 General Election nears. Employees and employers should be aware of the legal implications on political discourse at work and seek attorney guidance to help navigate potential disruptions in today’s landscape.
Surprise graduate’s essay is best in state
Recent Valley Vista High School graduate Ava Stevenson placed first in Arizona in the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Foundation’s Spring 2024 National InvestWrite competition. During her senior year, Stevenson took part in the Stock Market Game, a SIFMA Foundation financial education program where students invest a hypothetical...
Letters: Civil rights groups will be all over Massie case against city
I’ll be extremely surprised if a civil rights attorney doesn’t sue in the Rebekah Massie arrest. The outgoing mayor and the city should not be surprised if she gets a large, large settlement out of it. This was way over the top and ridiculous at least.
Letters: Massie was bad example in front of 10-year-old daughter
It’s apparent Rebekah Massie went to the Aug. 20 City Council meeting fully intending to cause a scene and bait the mayor and council. “The Supreme Court has upheld, I could get up here, and I could swear at you for three straight minutes, and it is protected speech by the Supreme Court,” she said.
Letters: Authorities should at least drop charges against Massie
The recent city council meeting in Surprise has turned into a constitutional battleground. At the center is Rebekah Massie, a resident who dared to exercise her right to free speech during a public comment session — only to be forcibly removed and charged with multiple misdemeanors. After researching the events surrounding this incident, it has become abundantly clear that the charges against Ms. Massie should be dropped immediately.
Letters: Actions bring up big question -- Is Surprise a gestapo?
This has to do with Rebekah Massie’s arrest. Upon reading the article in the Independent of Aug. 28, Rebekah’s First Amendment Constitutional rights were clearly violated. She posed no physical threat to the City Council nor to others in the audience when she simply expressed her opinion. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides freedom of speech, press and opinion to all Americans.
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