SanTanValley.com

My name is Tisha Castillo and I want to be your Pinal County District 2 Supervisor.

I relocated my family and my business to Pinal County in 2006.  Over the last six years, I chose to not only educate myself on the issues of our area, but I have committed my time, energy and resources to address those issues, provide solutions and implement change in order to move our area forward. 

I have "worked" for this community for 6 years. Not because it was my job. Not because I was being paid to do it (because I wasn't). But because I believe in this area. I believe in our community and what we can become, and I have worked every day without partisanship or bias -- and I have made a difference.

I made a decision a couple of weeks ago to throw my name into the hat for the appointment to District 2 Supervisor. Although no one has directed any comments or questions to me directly, questions are being asked.  I hope that this blog will explain why.

Relay for Life is supposed to mimic the journey of a cancer patient.  Starting at 6pm and running through the night until 6am the following morning, we are reminded that cancer never sleeps.  As someone who had never participated in a Relay for Life before, I wasn't sure what to expect.  You go to the committee meetings, training, etc and you hear about how "amazing" this event really is.   You hear that total strangers bond together and form a special trust.  You hear that it will move you as you participate in each of the steps along the way.  You hear about those people that share their stories and you remember the people in your life that you are "relaying for".  I had never really thought about why I decided to make this year the year I would finally relay, but after hearing the stories from others, I gave it serious thought and eventually wrote about it.  Nothing however could have prepared me for what I was going to feel, having participated in not only my first Relay for Life, but San Tan Valley's too.

I remember as a young child being told that my grandfather (on my mother's side) was "very sick inside".  I didn't know why he was sick, or why he wasn't taking any medicine to help make him better.  All I knew was that I loved to spend time with him and wondered why there were times that I didn't get to see him.

As many publications, including SanTanValley.com, are leaders in driving local culture, we need your support, and the support of your readers, in our Spread the Word to End the Word™ campaign to help make a stand against a word that has gained popularity in culture, but is offensive to many. The “R-word” or “retard(ed)” has found a place in common language and seems to be accepted by most, despite the fact that its use, casual or otherwise, is hurtful to millions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those that love them.

It started around 6:30pm on New's Year Day.  The sun was already setting and it was tough to see what was going on.  Deputy Lopez was first on the scene, followed by Chief Henry.  I was placed in the back seat of the car and told "that I couldn't get out", unless Chief Henry opened the door and let me out.  My nerves were kicking in by this time and I could not believe this was happening.

I'm sure you will see a number of articles posted or printed in the next few days "looking back at 2010".  Many of them will discuss the challenges and the troubles that the area has experienced. They'll write about death, theft and suffering.  Maybe they'll write about the economy, poor schools or are hard it is to find work.  Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be quite depressing really.  So I started thinking, if today were my last day, would these be the things that I "looked back" on?  Honestly, no, but maybe because I'd rather look at the good that comes out of every situation.  So I got to thinking and decided to write my own version of "looking back at 2010" that I will simply call San Tan Valley 2010.

On October 12th, a very brave Ft Worth City Councilman named Joel Burns, used his time to address a very important issue.  An issue that is killing our children.  This video is being aired on CNN and was originally released on THE LAST WORD on MSNBC.

With almost 40 people in attendance tonight, District 2 Supervisor Bryan Martyn, hosted a Community forum to address issues ranging from hunt hwy to the library to semi-truck parking.

The forum started out with a basic rundown of what the County is promising "is yet to come".  We heard about new traffic lights, costing us $150,000 each - that are supposed to be posted at Thompson, Hunt Hwy and Johnson Ranch Blvd (by the dead tree) and at Copper Mine Road.  We were also warned that the intersection of Empire and Ellsworth will be a "disaster" for about 3-4 months while they are widening the road.  The Hunt Hwy project is a 6 phase project and will cost the county $129 million.  There are also supposed to be lights going up at Pecan Creek South, however the county is waiting on the supplier, which is what is causing the delay.  May be considering putting another light up at Chandler Heights as well, but no decision has been made.