Queen Creek/Pinal County Blog

Middle school students are invited to Queen Creek’s Youth Jams Winter Wonderland for music, dancing and the chance to win prizes Friday.

The club runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Queen Creek Community Center, 22407 S. Ellsworth Road. Cost is $3. Queen Creek’s Parks and Recreation Department puts on the periodic club night.

For more information, call Queen Creek’s Parks and Recreation Department at (480) 358-3700.

Queen Creek’s town council voted Wednesday to continue three general plan amendment proposals until March 18.

Applicants for the three proposals said they hoped to be able to present more specific plans for their sites to the council at that time.

The three amendments at question would pave the way for a housing development with some retail areas at Barney Farms, a targeted adult oommunity near town center and a mixed-use project in town center.

The Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport will be the subject of this month’s Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce meeting.

The airport’s community relations director will be on hand to make a presentation on Phoenix Mesa Gateway’s master plan.

All chamber members and business owners are welcome. Lunch will be available for $5.

The meeting goes from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 9 in the Zane Grey Room at the Queen Creek Library, 21802 S. Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek. Call the chamber at (480) 888-1709 to reserve a lunch.

Celebrate the holidays with “A Christmas Spectacular” at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center this weekend.

With Santa and his helpers and the Man Up Above, come along on this musical journey for a reminder of what really is important at Christmas time.

This show is part of the performing arts center’s Union Bank Main Theatre Series. Tickets for individual shows are between $25 and $30, or packages for the whole series start at $89.

“A Christmas Spectacular” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center, 22149 E. Ocotillo Road. Tickets are available online at www.qcpac.com or by calling (480) 987-SHOW (7469).

Three applicants have requested their requests for general plan amendments be held indefinitely.

Queen Creek’s town council was scheduled to vote on the three amendments, which would pave the way for a housing and commercial development on a corner of Barney Farm, a targeted adult community near town center and a mixed use development in town center, Wednesday evening. But all three applicants have requested delays.

There will still be a short presentation and time for public comments for each of the three amendments. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Queen Creek’s town hall, 22350 S. Ellsworth Road.

Court hearings for domestic relations and name changes will soon be held in Apache Junction the second Friday of every month for the convenience of Pinal County residents, county officials announced.

The hearings will begin at 2 p.m. on Jan. 9.

“We looked at our high population areas and sought to bring these hearings closer to the homes and workplaces of our residents,” Judge Brenda Oldham, who will be running the court, said in a statement.
“Prior to adding these services in Apache Junction, residents had to travel to the Superior Court offices in Florence or Casa Grande.”

Domestic relations default hearings are routine, uncontested divorce hearings. Because of the fairly simple divorce, a party is usually not represented by an attorney.

Hearings on name changes are also relatively simple legal matters.

The address for the Apache Junction Court is 575 N. Idaho Road, Suite 109.

The phone number for the clerk of courts is (480) 982-4166.

Queen Creek’s Performing Arts Center is offering its second round of ballroom dance classes this January.

Classes will provide participants at beginner and intermediate levels instruction in the Waltz, Swing, Quick Step and Cha-Cha. Classes are taught by Audrey Maycock, a Brigham Young University Youth Ballroom Team alumna.

Space is limited to 10 couples per class. Classes run from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Fridays for ages 10 to 18 and from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for ages 19 and older between Jan. 16 and Feb. 20.

Cost is $50 for the youth class and $75 for the adult class.

Visit www.qcpac.com or call (480) 987-7469 for more information.

Queen Creek’s Performing Arts Center is kicking off its Concerts at the Library series with country group Slade this Friday.

Bring your friends, family, blankets and lawn chairs for a free night of casual entertainment under the stars. Concerts will be held once a month, with this month’s coinciding with the town’s Hometown Christmas celebration.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 on the west side of the new Queen Creek Library, 21802 S. Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek.

The PetSmart store in Casa Grande is offering pet photos with Santa Claus as a partnership with Pinal County to help its animal control department.
Photos are $9.95 and for every one taken, $5 will be donated to Pinal County Animal Care and Control.
The Casa Grande PetSmart is located at the Promenade Mall off of I-10 and Highway 287. The address is 986 North Mission Parkway.
Pet photos with Santa will be taken from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec.6, Dec. 13, and Dec. 20.
PetSmart has helped the county adopt animals to people for about a year, said Ruth Stalter, animal care and control director.
“They have been an integral part of our efforts to find homes for cats and dogs that wind up in our shelters,” she said.

Dance, sports, art and fitness are just a few of the classes being offered through the Queen Creek Parks and Recreation Department this January.

Registrations are being accepted now for classes geared toward all age groups, from preschool through seniors.

Registrations and fees must be received before the first class of the session. Classes and fees vary by course, but most start in early January.

For a full list of classes and information on how to register, visit the Parks and Recreation Web site. To contact the Parks and Recreation Deparment, call (480) 358-3700.