Full-scale Barbie Beach House to be one of the attractions at Mattel Adventure Park
Mattel is gearing up to open Arizona's first theme park called Mattel Adventure Park located in Glendale. As the name suggests rides and attractions will be fashioned after the toy company's intellectual properties including two family roller coasters based on the Hot Wheels brand.
Read full storyScottsdale shopwner disrupts ESPN taping with a "hateful tirade"
The publication Opoyi reports that an Old Town Scottsdale shop owner named Gilbert Ortega Jr. disrupted a Native American ESPN Super Bowl special with a "racist tirade." His shop is called Gilbert Ortega Native American Gallery.
Read full storyGay dads told to "Stay Away" from daughter's Queen Creek school
Two dads co-parenting a 10-year-old daughter say they were asked to leave Heart Cry Academy, the private Christian school she attends in Queen Creek. Don Williams and Jose Ortega say that the pastor of the school was forthright with his conviction that other parents didn’t want them near their children.
Read full storyThe Arizona Renaissance Festival is coming to Gold Canyon
Capt. DrakePhoto byThe Arizona Renaissance Festival. From ladies dressed in their royal finery and the tavern wenches who serve them, to the chivalrous knights plated in armor atop their trusty steeds, the Arizona Renaissance Festival, starting on February 4, is like stepping back through England’s history and into the prosperity and exuberance of the Elizabethan age.
Read full storyMeet the store manager at the new Home Depot in San Tan Valley
Scheduled to open on January 12, the new Home Depot located at 1400 West Hunt Highway, has become one of the most anticipated retail builds for the residents of San Tan Valley. Some locals are excited to spend their money nearby instead of having to drive to other communities.
Read full storyIlluminating things are happening at Schnepf Farms this holiday season
Illumination Train Ride at Schnepf FarmsPhoto bySchnepf Farms. Anyone familiar with Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek knows that during the holidays they go all out to provide a winter wonderland snuggled amid the southwestern desert.
Read full storyCasa Grande Ruins continue to mystify visitors and experts
Casa Grande Ruins National ParkPhoto byNational Park Service: U.S. Department of the Interior. Casa Grande Ruins is a mysterious prehistoric village located in Coolidge. This large primitive area has been around since 1350 C.E. It’s one of the largest ever built in North America.
Read full storyFrom Cowgirl to Cover Girl, Bobbi Jeen Olson is Branding Her Own Reality
Don’t tell Bobbi Jeen Olson to tone down her cowgirl roots. The reality star, stunt actor, equestrian, and Case Grande resident has made a career out of marching to her own … hooves – rejecting Hollywood pressures and returning to her small-town roots to do things her way.
Read full storyMaritza’s Pupusas serves up traditional Salvadoran cuisine in Queen Creek
Maritza’s Pupusas in Queen CreekMaritza’s Pupusas Facebook. If you’re not familiar with Salvadoran cuisine, it might be a good time to head to Queen Creek and try some. Maritza’s Pupusas is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it roadside restaurant located at 1532 West Ocotillo Road.
Read full storyThe cotton gins of Pinal County are as much a part of the Arizona
The Big Tin Cotton Gin in Queen CreekThe Big Tin Cotton Gin. Dotted along the Pinal County landscape are big tin buildings with large facades and crimped walls. They are usually isolated in areas surrounded by nothing but the Arizona dirt. These grey behemoths are cotton gins and may look like weather-worn eyesores, but they are very much an important part of Arizona’s past and present.
Read full storyThe fast-developing San Tan Valley is having a retail boom
San Tan Valley continues to expand and along with that growth comes more and more places to shop. From fast-casual restaurants to car washes to gas stations, San Tan Valley is becoming a boom of retail shops, and that’s good news for some locals who are sick of driving to Queen Creek or surrounding cities for almost everything.
Read full storyTwo Hands Corn Dogs coming to San Tan Valley — it’s Seoul food
Merch at Two Hands Seoul Fresh Corn DogsTwo Hands Seoul Fresh Corn Dogs. A fast-food twist on a popular carnival treat is coming to San Tan Valley. It’s called Two Hands Seoul Fresh Corn Dogs. The concept combines different fixed menu proteins dipped in batter and, you guessed it, served on a stick. The concept has become very popular on the west coast.
Read full storyPeople are flocking to Maricopa to see the extraordinary sunflower fields
Vast amounts of sunflowers are growing in Maricopa City and people are making a pilgrimage to see them. Thanks to a Facebook video taken by Volo Photo, admirers of the 70-acre crop are taking day trips to the location to see this groundbreaking moment. What makes this so unique is that it might be the first significant sunflower crop to have ever grown in Arizona.
Read full storyA lost mine and a supposed curse are all a part of the Superstition Mountain experience
The Superstition MountainsThe Lost Dutchman State Park. Arizona’s Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. The name sounds so mysterious and legendary. In fact, it’s both. And almost two centuries later the title still holds intrigue over explorers and followers of Pinal County history.
Read full storySquash blossoms, reality TV, and vintage western jewelry in Casa Grande
Western Trading Post TVCourtesy of: Western Trading Post TV. In a non-distinct building in historic downtown Casa Grande, there’s a family who knows just about everything there is to know about specific elements of Southwestern culture.
Read full storyFour unique state parks to visit in Pinal County
Picacho Peak State ParkPicacho Peak State Park website. Nothing tells the history of an area more than its environment. Whether it be the natural surroundings of native plants and animals or the careworn facades of historic buildings. These are the earmarks of progression in America’s history. Arizona’s Pinal County is a bevy of natural and manmade landmarks, and luckily some have been preserved in the state park system. Here are four such examples located in Pinal County that are well worth a visit.
Read full storySt. Anthony’s Monastery is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the Sonoran Desert
St. Anthony’s MonasterySt. Anthony’s Monastery website. Travelers visit destinations for a variety of reasons. Some love to discover unique and interesting landmarks that are specific to the regions they explore. These sites create indelible memories.
Read full storySculpture meets nature at the Triangle L Ranch
One great thing about living in this part of Arizona is watching it steadily discover its place in the global art community. Sometimes difficult to find, there are hidden gems throughout the region with collections that may foretell the future of how Arizona will continue to define itself as a major contributor to the contemporary art world.
Read full storyGoodwill store on Hunt Highway is now open
Goodwill in San Tan Valley on West Hunt HighwayTimothy Rawles. Second-hand merchandise giant and reseller Goodwill has opened a new location in San Tan Valley. Located next to Walmart Supercenter on Hunt Highway this store opened on June 3.
Read full storyBarbed wire, cowboys, and prison inmates on display at the Pinal County Historical Museum
Pinal County Historical MuseumCourtesy of The Pinal County Historical Museum. The Pinal County Historical Museum offers visitors a unique mix of regional history, local true crime stories, and prison artifacts. This diversity of exhibits sometimes walks a fine line between the morbid and the educational. But those who are curious about Pinal County's history will most likely find it all interesting.
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