In The News

Yesterday when I got to the office and picked up the Tribune, there was a front page article about the changing postal codes for Higley. The Water Expert and I were amazed that we hadn't heard anything about this, since we consider ourselves fairly well informed about town news. The AZ Republic has followed suit with an article on the topic that begins this way:

It's about time to buy new stationery for some Gilbert residents.

With the addition of two new ZIP codes - 85295 and 85298 - to Gilbert, more than 9,000 residents will have a new mailing address beginning July 1.

The changes mean the Higley area of Gilbert will no longer have its own ZIP code.

Higley has its own road, school district and post office, but it isn't its own town, although residents think of it that way.

Before Gilbert and Queen Creek began expanding their boundaries, the area known as Higley was comprised of farms. A post office was built so the farmers could pick up their mail. The 85236 ZIP code was also created. Residents began to think of Higley as its own community.

When The Mister and I bought our first house as a recently married couple, it was in the Higley zip code, and I know about the pride of community in that area. I also know that we rarely introduced ourselves to others as being from Higley (most folks were unaware of its location), and we were well aware that we were residents of Gilbert. The comments posted by readers at the end of the newspaper article don't surprise me - we don't like change - but I'm afraid it is akin to arguing with a baseball umpire about a call he has made: it isn't going to be reversed, no matter how much dirt you kick on his shoes. Come July 1, those folks with Higley addresses will adjust, though there is a one year grace period when both zip codes will work.

One of those Higley-now-Gilbert addresses is at Lakeview Village and there was another article about that, although this is old news now:

Bashas' is giving new life to a Gilbert store Albertsons closed in 2006.

The store, in the Lakeview Village at Morrison Ranch shopping center at the intersection of Higley and Elliot Roads, will reopen as a Bashas' on June 30, said Kristy Nied, director of communications and public affairs for Bashas' Family of Stores.

The store will be the first Bashas' with a gas station, Nied said.

When it opens, this will be the second Bashas' in Gilbert. The company also has a store at the intersection of Baseline and Greenfield Roads.

"They're homegrown, and that fits well with Morrison Ranch," said Howard Morrison, a partner with Morrison Ranch. "We're very pleased to have Bashas' as a neighbor to fill the space and be an active part of the community."

The Albertsons at Higley and Elliot was one of three in Gilbert to close in the wake of the 2006 purchase and division of the company.

Can't wait.