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4 days ago | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
I’ve gone through the usual rites of passage. I got slapped on the bottom on Day 1. My first spanking. kAmx 8@E >J 5C:G6C’D =:46?D6 2E `e] |J 72E96C H2D >J 5C:G:?8 :?DECF4E@C] (6 925 @FC >@>6?ED] x 82G6 9:> 2 D42C6 H96? x 2=>@DE 9:E 2 A2C<65 42C]k^AmkAmx 925 E96 FDF2= 24256>:4 2?5 H@C<\C6=2E65 C:E6D @7 A2DD286] w:89 D49@@= 2?5 4@==686 8C25F2E:@?D] |J 7:CDE ;@3 @FE @7 4@==686] x H@C<65 2D 2 8C@F?5D<66A6C 7@C 2?
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2 weeks ago | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
Eric Tarango joined his fellow veterans in May of 2024. They lie in silence at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, in far-north Phoenix. kAm%2C2?8@’D 3C@?K6 >2C<6C =:?6D FA A6C764E=J H:E9 E96 @E96CD :? 9:D C@H] p?5 H:E9 E96 C@HD 36=@H 2?5 23@G6] p== 2C6 6G6?=J DA2465 2?5 D6E :? 2 >2?:4FC65 DFC7246 @7 7:?6 8C:E[ D@>6E9:?8 36EH66? D2?5 2?5 8C2G6=] x7 J@F D6E 2 42CA6?E6C’D =6G6= @? :E[ 2?JH96C6[ E96 3F33=6 H@F=5 36 :?
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1 month ago | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
My green windbreaker might outlast me. It’s a crawl to the finish line for both of us. kAmx’> D9@H:?8 D:8?D @7 H62C\2?5\E62C] }@E9:?8 D6C:@FD[ 2D J6E] %96 56C>2E@=@8:DE <:==D @77 2 76H 6CC2?E 46==D @? >J 7@C69625 6G6CJ J62C] !C642?46C@FD] xE D@F?5D =:<6 E96J’C6 EC2?D:E:@?:?8] x’G6 925 =6?D :>A=2?ED 7@C 42E2C24ED] x 7@C86E 2 =@E @7 E9:?8D]k^AmkAm%96 ;24<6E 92D 366?
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1 month ago | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
The wildflowers were pretty much a no-show this year at Casa Grande Mountain Park. A few migratory snowbirds dropped in, however. kAm{F<6 2?5 pD9=6J 7=6H :? 7C@> #@496DE6C[ |:??6D@E2[ H:E9 E96:C <:5D — 286D h[ `` 2?5 `b] %96 <:5D H6C6 @?
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2 months ago | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
We’ve never had a dog live beyond 13, until Maggie. She’s 15, if you go by the birthdate assigned by Maricopa County Animal Control. It’s as good a reference as any. kAmx’> ?@E DFC6 9@H @=5 E92E :D :? 9F>2? J62CD] xE’D 2 C:A6 @=5 286 7@C 2 5@8[ E9@F89] p?5 :E D9@HD :? D@>6 H2JD] $96’D 8:G6?
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2 months ago | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
I’m a guy, so I’ll probably go first. It’s in the actuarial tables, if not the stars. kAm$@ x 86E E96 62DJ A2CE] r:?5J H:== 92G6 E@ E2<6 @? E96 ;@3 @7 36:?8 D25[ 5:DA@D:?8 @7 >6 2?5[ :7 D96’D :?4=:?65[ HC:E:?8 >J @3:EF2CJ]k^AmkAmw@H6G6C D96 92?5=6D E96 @3:E :D ~z H:E9 >6] x >256 ;FDE @?6 C6BF6DE] s@ ?@E CF? 2 A:4EFC6 D9@H:?8 2? @IJ86?
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Mar 4, 2025 | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
I spoke to Derrick Span about diversity. He offered his thoughts on a matter now a lightning rod for criticism. He spoke on his own behalf, not for Central Arizona College. kAm$A2? E62496D 2E rpr’D $2? %2? r2>AFD[ H96C6 96’D 2 AC@76DD@C @7 D@4:@=@8J]k^AmkAmx >6E 9:> @? 42>AFD |@?52J 367@C6 =2DE] x E9@F89E 96’5 36 E96 C:89E A6CD@? E@ 2D< 23@FE stx[ E96 @7E6? >2=:8?65 2=A9236E:42= EC:A=6E] stx[ 2D >@DE @7 FD <?@H[ :D D9@CE92?5 7@C 5:G6CD:EJ[ 6BF:EJ 2?5 :?4=FD:@?]k^AmkAmx :?E6CG:6H65 $A2? :? yF?6 a_a_[ :?
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Feb 22, 2025 | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
If you’re like me, you might be wondering how do you get through the next four years? Given what President Donald Trump has accomplished in just four weeks. kAmx >62? 244@>A=:D965 :? 2 325 H2J] *@F <?@H[ :8?@C:?8 E96 =2H 2?5 4@?DE:EFE:@?2= ?@C>D]k^AmkAm$FC6[ 96 925 96=A 7C@> E96 H@C=5’D C:496DE >2?] t=@? |FD< 2AA2C6?E=J 36=:6G6D 8@G6C?>6?E H@C<D 36DE H96? ?@3@5J :D E96C6 E@ 2?DH6C E96 A9@?6] yFDE D@>6 px G@:46 E6==:?8 J@F E@ =:DE6?
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Feb 18, 2025 | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
Cindy and I were out with our dog Maggie. It was a nice walk through a city park in South Phoenix. kAm|288:6 5:5 H92E 5@8D 5@] $2J E96 H@C5 “5@ EH:46[” 2D @?6 H@C5[ 2?5 J@F 86E E96 :562] x E@C6 @77 2 328 7C@> E96 A@@A\328 C@==] x DE6AA65 E@ 86E H:E9:? C6249] $@>6E9:?8 H2D 2>:DD] x =@@<65 5@H? 2?5 D2H x 925 A=2465 >J 7@@E :? D@>6 @E96C 5@8’D H2DE6]k^AmkAmuF??J] *@FC 7:CDE C624E:@? :D E@ >FEE6C E96 G6CJ H@C5 E92E A6C764E=J 56D4C:36D H92E J@F DE6AA65 :?] x 925[ :E EFC?D @FE[ G6?EFC65 :?E@ 2?
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Feb 4, 2025 | 
pinalcentral.com | Bill Coates
The driver passing you on Interstate 10’s fast lane could be state Rep. Teresa Martinez, on her way to pass laws about the passing lane. kAm|2CE:?6K[ 2 #6AF3=:42?[ =:G6D :? r2D2 vC2?56] %96 DE2E6 5@6D?’E AC@G:56 96C H:E9 2 96=:4@AE6C[ D@ D96 92D E@ D49=F3 96C H2J FA x\`_ E@ E96 r2A:E@= =:<6 4@>>@? 7@=<] xE’D ?@E 2 DEC6E49 @7 C@25 7@C E96 72:?E @7 962CE]k^AmkAmuC@> tI:E `gd E@ "F66? rC66< #@25[ :E’D EH@ =2?6D :?
