May 2nd, 2025

If you have any concerns that you'd like to talk with me about, please email me at LBaldenegro@GLENDALEAZ.com, or you can contact me by phone at: (623) 930-2244

Councilmember Baldenegro will be available to meet Ocotillo District residents at 11am prior to City Council meetings at Pizza Old Roma in downtown Glendale.

For those who aren't available to meet during the day, Councilmember Baldenegro will also be available at Don Juan's in downtown Glendale, for Taco Tuesday after City Council Meetings at approximately 6:30pm-7pm (depending on conclusion of City Council Voting Meeting).

If you have any questions, comments, concerns or would just like to speak in person, please stop by.

To watch this week's Councilmember Message, click here!

Next City Council Meeting: May 13th, 2025

Last week, I had the pleasure of joining the Arbor Day Celebration at O'Neil Park—and what a fantastic event it was! I was honored to read the official proclamation to the crowd and present a special wooden plaque to Kathryn Oczytko, Principal of William C. Jack Elementary School, in recognition of her school's involvement.

The true stars of the day were 100 energetic second graders from William C. Jack Elementary, who rolled up their sleeves and helped plant six beautiful new trees at the park. The City of Glendale Parks and Recreation Department, along with The Glendale Woman’s Club and West Coast Arborists, Inc., set up a variety of fun, hands-on learning stations that taught students all about the importance of trees in creative and engaging ways. These young “arborists in training” worked hard and took pride in adding more greenery to their community. One student summed it up perfectly: “Trees are important because they give us oxygen and shade.” It was a joyful celebration of community, education, and environmental stewardship!

To watch the City of Glendale, Communication team's video documenting the event, click here!

Get ready to unleash your inner superhero at the 20th Annual Free Comic Book Day Festival on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Velma Teague Library in Downtown Glendale! Hosted by Drawn To Comics, this all-ages celebration promises a day packed with free comics, local artists, cosplay, crafts, games, and more. Whether you're a lifelong fan or new to the world of comics, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

The festivities will span both the Velma Teague Library and the Drawn To Comics store across the street, offering a variety of activities throughout the day. Don't miss the chance to meet comic book artists, participate in fun crafts, and snap photos with your favorite cosplayers. With free comics available while supplies last, be sure to arrive early to grab your favorites. Join the Glendale community in celebrating the joy of comics and storytelling at this exciting annual event! For more information, click here!

Glendale Community Center

Located in the heart of downtown Glendale at 5401 W. Ocotillo Drive, the Glendale Community Center is a small, vibrant neighborhood hub offering various free community programs. The center caters to all age groups, including youth, teens, adults, and seniors. Programs encompass educational, recreational, and fitness activities, aiming to enhance community engagement and well-being.

Program Highlights: 

Youth Programs: Activities designed to foster learning and social skills.

Teen Programs: Engaging activities that promote personal development and community involvement.

Adult Programs: Educational and recreational activities tailored to adult interests and fitness.

Senior Programs: Programs focused on social interaction, learning, and physical wellness for seniors.

After School Programs: Free, drop-in Afterschool Program for youth ages 6-14 that provides supervised recreational activities, crafts, games, sports, clubs, homework help, and special events. This is a non-licensed program and will run from August 2024 through May 2025, Monday through Friday. Daily meals from St. Mary's Food Bank will be provided to participants and any other youth in the community. Registration required, for more information click here!

Membership:

Enjoy a FREE Membership at the Glendale Community Center! This membership grants you access to a variety of classes and programs for all age groups, including youth, teens, adults, and seniors. By signing up, you'll receive updates on everything happening at the center, including a monthly calendar of classes and events.

For more information or any questions about the programs, click here please call the Glendale Community Center directly at 623-930-4700.

O'Neil Recreation Center

The O'Neil Recreation Center is conveniently located on 67th Avenue and Missouri and offers a variety of free community programs for all ages. Some programs include Stay & Play hours for young families, Virtual Fitness classes and board & card games for adults/seniors, Afterschool and Teen programs, and more! For more information, click here!

Program Highlights: 

Youth Programs: Activities designed to foster learning and social skills.

Teen Programs: Engaging activities that promote personal development and community involvement.

Adult Programs: Educational and recreational activities tailored to adult interests and fitness.

Senior Programs: Programs focused on social interaction, learning, and physical wellness for seniors.

After School Programs: Free, drop-in Afterschool Program for youth ages 6-14 that provides supervised recreational activities, crafts, games, sports, clubs, homework help, and special events. This is a Non-Licensed program and will run from August 2024 through May 2025, Monday through Friday. Daily meals from St. Mary's Food Bank will be provided to participants and any other youth in the community.

Membership:

Enjoy a FREE Membership at the Glendale Community Center! This membership grants you access to a variety of classes and programs for all age groups, including youth, teens, adults, and seniors. By signing up, you'll receive updates on everything happening at the center, including a monthly calendar of classes and events.

For more information or any questions about the programs, click here or call the O'Neil Community Center directly at (623) 640-0893.

GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES SIGNIFICANT POLICE VEHICLE INVESTMENT TO CRACK DOWN ON SPEEDING



GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Glendale City Council has demonstrated its commitment to public safety by approving a $600,000 investment to outfit every Glendale Police Department patrol vehicle with state-of-the-art moving radar systems. This move makes Glendale one of the first cities in the Valley to equip every police department vehicle with this type of speed detection technology.

The enhanced radar system marks a significant shift in the city's efforts to curb speeding. Speed-related collisions involving pedestrians have already surpassed the totals from the past two years, with more than half of 2025 still remaining. Serious injuries from speed-related crashes have steadily increased, with more than 100 incidents reported in both 2023 and 2024. In 2023, Glendale was among the Maricopa County cities with the highest number of traffic fatalities, reporting more than 40 deaths.

“The most dangerous thing we do every day is get in our car and drive somewhere,” said Vice Mayor Lauren Tolmachoff. “I’m thrilled this council sees this action as an important investment to help keep our residents and communities safe. People should know that Glendale is not the place to speed.”

The moving radar systems, which will be mounted to the front and rear of the vehicles, will allow officers to measure the speed of cars regardless of the vehicle’s position relative to the officer. All 150 vehicles in the department’s fleet will include the new radar, which allows for greater enforcement compared to the traditional radar tools. This new technology is part of a broader initiative to address unsafe driving behaviors.

“This investment is about saving lives,” said City Manager Kevin Phelps. “I am proud of our city council for taking a proactive approach to improve overall roadway safety. Our residents deserve to feel like they are safe on the roads in their hometown, and this serious effort to enhance speed enforcement is imperative for everyone’s safety.”

“The speed-related fatalities and crashes in Glendale are simply unacceptable, and equipping our department with this tool is a major step forward in enforcement,” said Interim Police Chief Colby Brandt. “Combined with education and community engagement, the city is sending a clear message that speeding is a choice that will not be tolerated in Glendale.”

The rollout of the radar system is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2025.

The City of Glendale’s Communications team has put together a helpful video in recognition of National Work Zone Awareness Week. It’s a great reminder that the people working in construction zones are just like us—they have families and loved ones waiting for them at home.

To help keep everyone safe, please remember to slow down when driving through work zones. Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, stay alert, and keep your eyes on the road. If you can, plan ahead and take alternate routes to avoid work zones altogether.

Your attention and patience can make a big difference. Let’s all do our part to keep our road crews—and ourselves—safe. Respect the zone, and let’s make sure everyone gets home safely.

Improvements are coming to this Glendale treasure! Check out what's changing at Thunderbird Conservation Park and get a few tips for hiking in the summer heat. Watch the video here!

Last week, the Hook a Kid on Fishing Challenge, Councilmember Guzman and ​had ended in a tie...with neither of us catching a fish! We had a great time at Bonsall Park, but we thought the launch of the new "Experience Glendale" at the NEW Andretti Indoor Kart Grand Opening would be a perfect opportunity to determine the final winner! A video on the outcome of the race will be posting on my social media channels...so stay tuned!

The winner will serve some community hours at the Councilmember's choice of facilities in their district, as well as donate a bench to one of the parks in their district.

Experience Glendale Day, held on May 1, 2025, marked the grand opening of Andretti Indoor Karting & Games in Glendale, Arizona. The event transformed the venue at 6263 N. 99th Avenue into a vibrant celebration of community and entertainment. Attendees enjoyed a variety of attractions, including high-speed electric superkarts on a multi-level track, a state-of-the-art arcade, virtual reality experiences, and a two-story laser tag arena.​

The day's festivities featured Glendale-themed activities such as a Fastest Lap Challenge between local fire, police, and Luke Air Force Base personnel, performances by Glendale High School's marching band, and appearances by mascots like the Arizona Ridge Riders' Roughy and the Arizona Rattlers' Stryker. Additional attractions included hot air balloon rides, pickleball courts, mini-golf, and wildlife exhibits. The event concluded with a spectacular drone light show at 8 p.m., offering a memorable finale to the day's celebrations.

• Bethany Home Road, between Grand Avenue and 59^th Avenue – Slurry Seal application is currently taking place.
• Streets between Maryland Avenue and Ocotillo Road, west of 69^th Avenue to 71^st Avenue – Slurry Seal application to begin May 6.
• 51^st Avenue, between Camelback Road and Montebello Avenue – Slurry Seal application to begin May 8.
• Missouri Avenue, between 51^st Avenue and 55^th Avenue – Slurry Seal application to begin May 12.
• Rancho Drive, west of 57^th Avenue – Slurry Seal application to take place in Spring 2025. 

If you have any questions or want further information, please get in touch with the 24/7 Project Hotline at 602-532-6250. A map for 2024-2025 Pavement Management Program is now available on the Pavement Management website.

IMPORTANT LINKS (CLICK BELOW!)