Trouble at Zipps & new bbq in the West Valley

In partnership with

Am I the only one lamenting at our lack of a ‘winter’ this year? I know, 75* & sunny isn’t exactly BAD weather, especially when many states are having crazy ice storms and below freezing temps.but I have a closet full of nice flannel shirts that I haven’t been able to wear this season! 😎 👔

I suppose if the biggest problem I have to whine about, is the beautiful weather, life is pretty good. 🙏

In this week’s Scoop:

• Zipps Sports Grill locations closed by Feds

• El Mirage Road extension..some day

• Award winning BBQ comes to Downtown Peoria

• And so much more!

COMMUNITY NEWS

~ RIP to Zipps golden wings? Federal agents recently carried out enforcement actions at several Valley locations of Zipps Sports Grill, part of a broader operation targeting employment documentation violations. No customers were affected, but the situation has sparked conversation across the Valley about workplace compliance and how national enforcement efforts can show up locally. (link)

~ An extension of El Mirage Road north of the Loop 303 is in its final design phase with the City of Peoria, but may not be an open road until 2029. (link)

~ Texas style barbecue is coming to the West Valley with the opening of Caldwell County BBQ in downtown Peoria on February 5th. Known for slow smoked meats and bold flavors, this is one of those spots where the food is genuinely worth a short drive to experience at least once. Their grand opening starts with a ribbon cutting at 1030am, and goes all day and will include live music that evening. (link)

ARIZONA TRIVIA & HISTORY

Was Sun City West created as a “do-over”??

When Del Webb expanded westward, planners took years of feedback from Sun City residents and used it as a blueprint for improvements. The result? Wider streets, larger homes, and more generous lot sizes that reflected how people were actually living, not just how planners predicted they would.

Space was a feature, not a luxury.
Sun City West homes generally sit on larger lots because developers anticipated multi-car households, golf carts, and even RVs becoming part of everyday life. That extra breathing room was intentional, long before RV garages became trendy.

Roads were built for comfort, not speed.
Street widths and layouts were designed to handle higher traffic volumes while still keeping neighborhoods calm and residential. It’s one reason Sun City West feels less congested even during peak seasons.

Privacy mattered more than proximity.
Unlike Sun City’s tightly knit, clubhouse-centered feel, Sun City West emphasized privacy and personal space. Recreation centers were still central, but homes were spaced farther apart to create a more relaxed, resort-style atmosphere.

It quietly influenced later West Valley development.
The planning concepts tested in Sun City West, larger setbacks, wider roads, and vehicle-friendly design, ended up shaping how later age-restricted and master-planned communities across the West Valley were built.

Sun City West wasn’t just an expansion, it was an evolution. And many of the features residents enjoy today exist because planners were willing to listen, adjust, and rethink what retirement living could look like in the desert.

Summer is coming… 

Heading out of town for the summer? It is not too early to think about who is protecting your Sun City home while you are away. When a house sits empty in extreme heat, small problems can quietly turn into major damage. Don’t leave that up to chance in one of your biggest investments.

Learn more about how professional home watch visits can help monitor your vacation home while you’re away for the summer.

Visit PhxHomeWatch.com or call (623) 226-8299

EVENTS

This Week

[Sun City] As part of the WINTER Ticketed Mini-Series, 4 GENTS COAST TO COAST, will be held on Wednesday, January 28th, at 6pm at the Sundial Recreation Center. (link)

Slide across the bench seat, fasten your lap belt, and get set for the road trip of a lifetime! Join the vocal quartet The 4Gents (Chach, Juan, Greg, and Matt) on a Coast to Coast musical journey with famous tunes and iconic sounds featuring songs that span from the city streets of New York all the way to the beaches of California … and scenic places in between

[Sun City West] SUN CITY WEST DESERT GARDEN CLUB Workshop: Citrus Pruning and Care Demonstration
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Time: 10:30-11:30am
Location: At a Private Residence, 12328 W Aurora Drive, SCW
Topic:  Citrus Pruning and Care Demonstration on how to prune citrus trees and care for them.
Presenter:  Ben McGonigle, Certified Arborist and Owner of Design Tree Maintenance

NOTE: This is a private residence, please be respectful of neighbors and parking. Open to All SCW Rec Card Holders

[Sun City] This week’s movie is ‘MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN’. Showtimes are Wednesday 1/28 at 2pm & 7pm at the Marinette Rec Center & Saturday 1/31 at 2pm & 7pm at the MOUNTAIN MUSIC ROOM (New location). See the January movie lineup here.

[Sun City West] The Friends of the R H Johnson Library are hosting Nationally recognized Abraham Lincoln presenter and historian, John Voehl, who will be presenting in Summit Hall A at the Palm Ridge Rec Center on Wednesday, January 28th at 2pm. (link)

The Friends of the R H Johnson Library support a lecture series usually presented on the last Wednesday of the month on topics of health, history, and community resources.

[Sun City West] Sun City West R.H. Johnson Library is hosting an open house on Saturday, January 31st, from 2pm-4pm. Come see what the library is all about, including over 9,000 large print books available for check out. (link & map)

Weekly Events 

[Sun City West] The Sun City West Friday Farmers Market. The market is every Friday from 10am-2pm at the Lord of Life Lutherans Church. (link)

[Sun City] The Sun City Farmers Market is back at the Bell Center, on 99th Ave just south of Bell Road. The market will be held every Thursday from 9am-1pm. (link)

[Surprise] Surprise Farmer’s Market, every Saturday from 3-7pm. A weekly market featuring fresh local ingredients, homemade goods, and artisanal crafts from nearby farms and ranches. (link & map)

[Sun City West] The Sun City West Desert Garden Club hosts weekly PLANT SALES from 9:00am to noon each Thursday Club members will be on hand during sales to answer questions and offer gardening advice. Visitors are encouraged to tour the adjacent botanical garden during their visit to the greenhouse. The plant sales are open to the public and payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Supporting Education and the Community.

Upcoming Events 

[Sun City] As part of the WINTER Ticketed Mini-Series, TRIO will be performing on Wednesday, February 4th, at 6pm at the Sundial Recreation Center. (link)

Trio celebrates the collaboration of Grammy® award-winning hall-of-fame artists Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton. Mindy Ronstadt, Heather Hardy and Jody Darling lead Trio, with Darling’s lilting soprano and brassy stage presence embodying Parton’s style, Ronstadt’sy and Jody Darling lead Trio, with Darling’s lilting soprano and brassy stage presence embodying Parton’s style, Ronstadt’s vocal stylings so closely resembling those of her famous aunt, and Hardy’s smoky alto voice and expert fiddle playing honoring Harris’ brilliance.

[Sun City West] Movie Night at the Stardust Theatre Join them for an evening showing of HAPPY GILMORE on Thursday, February 5th at 6pm, or a matinee showing of ACE VENTURA PET DETECTIVE on Friday, February 6th at 1pm. (link)

[Sun City West] Be ready to catch Cupid’s arrow at the Rec Centers annual Valentine’s Day Dance from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, at the Palm Ridge Rec Center. Doors for the event open at 5:30 p.m.

This upcoming dance will feature music from the band Sundown.

Tickets are $20 per person (eight per rec card for cabaret-style seating) and go on sale at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the R.H. Johnson Box Office and online at suncitywest.com/tickets.

[Sun City] Get ready to step back in time at the “Back To The 70’s” event on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Elizabeth Seton Church near 98th Avenue and Bell Road. Tickets are $25, must be purchased in advance at the office, and are limited, so plan ahead if you want to attend. (link)

Have an event you want listed here? Please reach out!

CLUBS

Vintage Vehicles of Sun City will celebrate its 11th anniversary during January.

The club was formed in November 2014 by a group of seven Sun City residents who shared a common interest in restoring older vehicles and keeping them on the road. Vintage Vehicles of Sun City was granted a charter by RCSC in January of 2015. The first meetings of VVSC were held in the garage of the member whose car was being worked on at that time. After not having a facility for some time the club was granted use of a recently vacated RCSC Skilled Trades building in 2018.

Today VVSC with over 500 members is one of the largest clubs in Sun City. The rapidly expanding growth and associated need for more space to work on vehicles precipitated the need for a larger facility and in 2021 the club moved into it’s current facility at the Grand Recreation Center at 10411 Grand Avenue. The area is utilized by members for their restoration and maintenance needs. It contains specialty areas for welding, engine rebuilding, upholstery work as well as routine repairs on both old and newer vehicles. There are even special accommodations for motorcycles, golf carts and even motorhomes. The club facility also serves as a club meeting place, training facility, museum and library for automotive resource materials.

Owning an older vehicle is not a requirement to be a member of VVSC. As a Restoration and Social Club membership is open to all RCSC card holders. The club’s vision is to have a member operated full service automotive service center whether that be maintenance of daily drivers, restoration of older vehicles or the creation and building of hot rods of custom cars.

VVSC club members are active in the Sun City Community conducting an annual car show at the Sun Bowl on the first Saturday of March every year. The 2026 edition is expected to draw 300 vehicles from throughout the valley and will feature the raffle of a 2000 Ford Mustang convertible. Tickets for the raffle can be purchased at the VVSC shop or online at carshowtoolbox.com/raffle with each ticket being $20 or you can purchase 6 for $100.

For more information about Vintage Vehicles of Sun City you can stop by our facility during open hours from 8AM to 4PM Monday through Friday and some Saturdays. call us at 602-609-0973 or visit our website at vintagevehiclesofsuncity.com.

Want to have your club featured in the Sun City Scoop?

Please reply to this email or send details on your club to [email protected]

SURVEY

The Sun City Scoop Newsletter is growing fast, and in an effort to make sure I’m providing the content you want to see, please do me a favor and complete this survey. Thank you 🙏

Thank you to everyone who has completed the survey! 🙏

If you know someone who would benefit from the Sun City Scoop, please forward this email to them. 🙌 

If you want to learn more about who is publishing this newsletter, click here.

Thank you for reading, have a great week!