4 MARCH 2026 1. Hello my name is Dunkin and I am a new Haver-Hood resident! I was rescued four years ago from kitty foster care and live a very happy life. I enjoy chasing bugs, morning breakfast treats, and sleeping 20 hours a day! –Karen C. 2. I’m Enzo , a one-year-old Golden Retriever living in Arcadia Lite. I love my little human sister, Kai, who is seven months old. People know me as the gentle giant – I’m the sweetest boy, love to play, and really enjoy my walks in the neighborhood. – Lauren M. 3. Jack is 4-year-old, 22-pound orange tabby 3. Jack is 4-year-old, 22-pound orange tabby 3. Jack and a love bug! We’ve had him for 11 months, and so far, his favorite thing to do is cuddle. When he’s feeling feisty, Jack likes to play with his brother Jonah and our 20-year-old beagle Clementine. He enjoys sitting at the screen door looking out and making friends with the outdoor kitties in the neighborhood. He never forgoes a second lunch or a nice, long nap. – Leticia C. 4. This is Remington , an Australian labradoodle who’s 15 weeks old! He moved in with us on November 1. Remy is pure chaos in a fluffy body. Zoomies at full speed, zero brakes, unlimited personality. He’s playful, hyper, and always up to something. Best addition to our family and the best dog ever. Life is way more fun with him! – Sophie H. EDITOR’S NOTE The furthest I’ve traveled nationally is Wisconsin – which, if you know anything about the Midwest, is a totally different mindset. The furthest I’ve traveled internationally is Cabo San Lucas – a popular retreat for Arizonans and thus, not that interesting. There are 11 Arcadia Little Leaguers that have me beat as far as traveling goes (and honestly, as far as baseball goes), since the team returned from a whirlwind adventure in Taiwan in January. Tony Kao, a Taiwanese government official and baseball fan, arranged a trip for the All Stars after watching them win a state tournament in 2025. He organized scrimmages and cultural visits for the team, its chaperones… even Mayor Kate Gallego joined in! Over eight days, the players bonded with Taiwanese teams, returning home with an appreciation for the way baseball can connect people around the world. We’ve got a few holidays and Spring Training going on, plus PANDA’s annual Lemonade Stand Day is happening on March 29 and the Festival of Hope – an inaugural event hosted by Tristan’s Trees – is taking place on March 1. Plenty of food, fun, and education and more are happening this month! Arcadia News is pleased to present the 2026 Spring Arcadia Home & Design edition, where readers will find stories about new charging technology, trends in wallpaper and the Arizona Worm Farm, a gardening organization that opened in 2018 and focuses on helping Arizona growers thrive. We hope you enjoy reading this special Spring edition as much as we enjoyed creating it, and thank you, as always, for reading the Arcadia News! – Mallory Gleich – Mallory Gleich UPCOMING THEMES: No one has better coverage in the areas of Arcadia, Biltmore and the Camelback Corridor. Promote your business to 45,000 loyal Arcadia News readers. For more: call/text 602-840-6379 or email ads@arcadianews.com .       Would you like to share your pet? Send a photo and a description (50 words max) of your pet to editor@arcadianews.com or text it to 602.840.6379 . Include your pet’s name and age, along with any fun facts about them you’d like to share. All animals are welcome!     It’s our 79th Anniversary of serving the fastest fish in the Valley. We want to thank all of our local customers for making this possible. Thank you! — Your Friends at Pete’s Burgers, Dogs, Burritos! Scrumptious Fish & Chips! Best Chicken Nuggets & Tenders! Fresh Breaded Onion Rings! Best Shrimp & Chips in the Valley! Drive Thru/Take-Out is Our Specialty! 20% o! any order over $15.00! Offer expires 3/31/26. Valid with coupon only. Present coupon at time of purchase. May not be combined with any other offer. 1 coupon per person. Valid at all 8 locations. No cash value. Coupon cannot be reproduced. Phone orders taken till 10:00pm Monday thru Saturday. Closed Sundays. 602-840-0630 4121 N. 44th St., Phoenix Cash only. ATM on Patio. VOTED BEST SEAFOOD IN THE EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 VOTED BEST LOCAL BURGER IN THE EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE 2020, 2022 VOTED BEST SEAFOOD IN THE WEST VALLEY VIEW 2021, 2025 VOTED BEST TAKEOUT IN THE WEST VALLEY VIEW 2023, 2025 VOTED BEST LOCAL BURGER IN THE WEST VALLEY VIEW 2025 VOTED BEST OF THE BEST SEAFOOD AND TAKEOUT IN THE WEST VALLEY VIEW 2025 VOTED BEST SEAFOOD IN THE GLENDALE STAR 2020, 2023, 2025 VOTED BEST SEAFOOD IN LOVIN’ LIFE 2023, 2024, 2025 VOTED BEST LOCAL BURGER IN LOVIN’ LIFE 2024 VOTED BEST SEAFOOD IN THE MESA TRIBUNE 2025 Family Owned & Operated Since 1947 Eight Valley locations to serve you

5 MARCH 2026 By Cliff Summerhill Even without a trophy, Echo Canyon Middle School walked away from the Feeding the Future culinary contest with something more lasting: a renewed appreciation for community, creativity, and the belief that students can do extraordinary things when given real responsibility. Feeding the Future pairs students with professional chefs from across Arizona and challenges them to design healthy, affordable meals that could realistically be served in school cafeterias. This year, 11 schools from across the Valley competed. Echo Canyon didn’t take the top spot, but their Sonoran Sunrise waffle sandwich made an impression. Echo Canyon has been connected to the Blue Watermelon Project for a decade, serving as its main campus. According to Principal Kat Hughes, this year was their second – and, due to the school’s impending closure – their last year participating. The team included four students: Chloe Wilkins, Jonah Gross, Dewone Smith, and Hanna Dickson. They worked under chef mentor Rachel Tribby from Arizona State University to create an open-faced waffle sandwich called the Sonoran Sunrise, inspired by Southwest flavors, family breakfasts, and school nutrition guidelines. Students had to navigate unique challenges faced by both school food regulations and industry chefs. “This recipe was actually really hard to make work,” Hanna said during the group’s presentation to the judges. “We had ideas we loved, but we had to follow real school food rules like calories, sodium, and cost. We learned that chefs don’t just cook what they want, they solve problems.” The students leaned into regional identity by incorporating prickly pear cactus, a bright and distinctly Southwestern ingredient. To balance its sweetness, they experimented with herbs grown in Echo Canyon’s school garden, ultimately choosing rosemary for its savory aroma and kid-friendly appeal. Cost constraints meant using the prickly pear as a garnish and using honey to enhance the visual presentation. For Jonah, returning for a second year changed his outlook. “Coming back felt like I had more opportunities,” he said. “I could experiment more, and since we had the same team, we shared ideas that we thought would be cool. Looking back at what I did last year, I feel like I really improved.” His favorite moment wasn’t cooking; it was competition day itself. “It’s stressful, but it’s so fun to walk around and try a bunch of dishes,” he shared. “At the end, everyone’s eating popsicles and waiting for the winner. We didn’t win, but it was still really fun.” A highlight for the team was visiting FnB, the acclaimed restaurant run by Chef Charleen Badman – founder of the Blue Watermelon Project. The experience gave students a new perspective on textures, flavors, and how local ingredients can shine in modern dishes. With Echo Canyon set to close at the end of the school year, the Sonoran Sunrise waffle sandwich has taken on deeper meaning. As Chloe shared with judges, the recipe represents the school’s community, memories, and what students can create when they are supported. bluewatermelonproject.org Echo Canyon’s young chefs have a ‘waffle-lot’ of heart Echo Canyon students Jonah Gross, Chloe Wilkins, Hanna Dickson, and Dewone Smith with chef mentor Rachel Tribby from Arizona State University and Principal Kat Hughes. PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAT HUGHES ArcadianPHX.com ArcadianPHX.com Enjoy The Perks. Skip the High HOA Fees. exclusively at FREE MEMBERSHIP FOR A YEAR Scan for Details