AZ Valley View

Construction seen at the soon to open Taqueria Factory and Fruitlandia combo location, located on Darrow drive and Priest drive, seen on May 23, 2023. (Photo by AZ Valley View staff ) Taqueria Factory and Fruitlandia will open their first combined drive thru restaurant at the former 5 & Diner just outside Arizona Mills, located at 5025 S Arizona Mills Cir., in Tempe. The location is expected to o pen in mid June, according to an April article from What Now Phoenix.  Taqueria Factory offers Mexican cuisine such as tacos and ramen birria that “marries tradition and innovation” according to the restaurant's website.   Fruitlandia, owned by Taqueria Factory founders Gamaliel and Maria Garfio, offers authentic Mexican treats and desserts like Sonora Dogs, and a non-alcoholic Pina Colada with shaved ice and pineapple ice cream. 

  Contractors outside the soon to be opened Aldi grocery store, on the Southwest corner of Southern Avenue and McClintock Drive, on May 22, 2023. (Photo by AZ Valley View staff) Aldi plans to open its tenth Arizona location in Tempe with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on June 15, 2023, starting at 8 a.m. During this event, the first 100 customers will receive a “golden ticket” that could be worth up to $100 in store credit.  Free tote bags will also be provided while supplies last. The new store, located at 1715 E. Southern Ave, offers fresh food with a focus on product safety and quality, according to the company’s core values. The German based grocer took on a lengthy renovation of the retail front after purchasing the property for $2.6 million in 2017, according to public record. Aldi has announced plans to open an additional 120 more stores nationwide in 2023, attributing this expansion to high customer demand, as stated in an April press release.

Cyclists at a previous Desert Challenges Games. (Photo courtesy of the city of Mesa). The city of Mesa will host the 2023 Desert Challenge Games at Kino Aquatic Center, Broadway Recreation Center and Mesa Community College from May 24 to 28, offering a platform for more than 200 athletes with disabilities. The games will also act as a qualifier for the Hartford Nationals. Athletes from 11 different countries will compete in swimming, track and field, air rifle, pistol, and archery sports, along with free para sports clinics in boccia and para powerlifting, according to a recent press release. Athletes will range from age six to 77, and will include 14 military veterans. 33 athletes in the event are part of Arizona Disabled Sports, a local organization that helps those with disabilities participate in sporting activities. Each day of the event will be dedicated to a specific sport:  Swimming on May 24, 2023, starting at 6 p.m., at Kino Aquatic Center, located at 848 N Horne, Mesa. ...

Fiesta Mall on May 18, 2023. (Photo courtesy of the Mesa Legend) Mesa city officials spoke to the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday, according to a report by the Mesa Legend.  The Coyotes are looking at their options left in the valley, after they were denied a contract renewal in Glendale in 2021 and rejected by Tempe voters earlier this week in a special election. Read more on the Mesa Legend.

A tractor on the flat lot of 3206 S McClintock Dr. Soon to be a Satrbucks, seen on May 20, 2023. (Photo by AZvalleyview) The original location of Arizona based stir-fry restaurant, YC’s Mongolian Grill in Tempe on Southern Avenue and McClintock Drive, has been demolished and will be replaced with a Starbucks, according to public record. The now flat dirt lot is located at 3206 S. McClintock Dr. in central Tempe was home to YC’s Mongolian Grill from 1991 until its closure on August 19, 2020. Several tractors and construction equipment lay in wait, as the fenced off lot closes a portion of the Southern Palms shopping plaza parking lot during Starbuck’s construction.  Public records show required city plans and reviews that will see a Starbucks drive thru built on the property at an unknown later date. There is currently a Starbucks at 3223 S. McClintock Dr., which is located directly across the street from the new construction. It is currently unknown if this existing location will r...