of battle space data in real time, to identify and neutralize threats before ever being de- tected, and to transmit and facilitate com- munication across a eet. Among fth-gen- eration aircraft, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is in a class of its own. My commitment to the F-35 is rooted in more than an appreciation of its capabili- ties. I am a retired career Air Force jet pilot. To the people who entrusted their lives to me, who will be called upon to ght a tech- nologically advanced enemy in the future, I want to give the best tools and the best chance possible to successfully complete their missions and return safely home. I urge Boeing and the Navy to acknowledge that the best chance for mission success does not involve saddling fth-generation ghters with the dead weight of highly vis- ible fourth-generation escorts. Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Wendy Rogers Tempe Editors note: Lt. Col. Rogers is one of the U.S. Air Forces rst 100 women pilots. She is a Republican candidate for Arizonas 9th U.S. Congressional District. Letter writers: Schools chief candidate not qualied To every single voter in Arizona: As long-time education advocates in Peoria and co-founders of Peoria United Parent Council in 2004, we have had long- term rst-hand experience with superinten- dent of public instruction candidate Diane Douglas. We want to make this warning crystal- clear to voters: Diane Douglas does not even remotely have the skills to do the job. Several years ago, before she ran for the Peoria Unied School District Governing Board, Diane was a member of our parent group. At the time, she seemed to be willing and able to make reasoned decisions and prepared to review all sides of an issue. However, much to our chagrin and dis- may, once she was elected to the PUSD Governing Board, an astonishing Jekyll- and-Hyde transformation took place. Her dangerous extremism and overwhelming anti-public-education, anti-teacher agenda came rushing to the forefront. Her micro- managing of educators and overwhelm- ing partisanship in a non-partisan posi- tion was so volatile and divisive that it became nearly impossible to get even the most mundane day-to-day business of the district done, let alone provide additional support to kids and teachers. Diane is an anti-everything candidate. She repeatedly scorns the benets of higher education. She opposed every effort to pro- vide adequate funding for our district. While she was a PUSD Governing Board member, she led the opposition against Prop. 100, the temporary statewide 1-cent sales tax initia- tive intended to provide a modicum of ad- ditional support to education. Fortunately, Prop. 100 was overwhelmingly approved by voters and supported by our Republican governor, Jan Brewer. Dianes only experience in the class- room is second-guessing thousands of high- ly educated, hard-working, overwhelmingly competent professional teachers in the district on a daily basis. And, no, teaching people how to make stained glass does not count. Yes folks, this esteemed candidate for the most powerful education position in Arizona most recently worked as an in- structor at the local strip malls stained-glass shop. An honest job, but hardly the back- ground required for providing high-level educational leadership and policy direction for the state. Please listen to the people who know her best. Dont put Diane Douglas, who is scarily unqualied for this important state- level position, in charge of the future of our childrens and grandchildrens education, and hence the future economy of Arizona. By any measure professionalism, coop- erativeness, experience and so much more David Garcia is the far more qualied can- didate to lead our schools. The above accurately describes our eight- plus-year experience with Diane Douglas, however, we are no longer spokespersons for PUPC. Jan Wilson Kim Price Olsen Peoria Letters Continued From Page 6 AT&T opens new authorized dealer locations in Mesa AT&T announced Oct. 7 the opening of two new authorized dealer locations in Mesa. The stores will provide customers with options for the latest devices, acces- sories, and services from AT&T. The new stores are at the following locations: 1909 N. Power Road Suite 101; open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Mesa Grand Shopping Center: 1859 S. Stapley Drive Suite 106-9C; open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. AT&T invested nearly $575 million in its Phoenix area wireless and wireline net- works between 2011 and 2013, and contin- ues to expand its networks in 2014, accord- ing to a press release. AT&T has company-owned stores in Ari- zona and also sells its products and services in authorized dealer locations and select na- tional retail stores, according to the release. To nd an AT&T store or Device Sup- port Center, visit www.att.com/nd-a-store or www.att.com/dsc. Customers can make an appointment before visiting a local AT&T store at www.att.com/storeappointment. MAKE Your Voice Heard BY E-MAIL: emesanews@newszap.com Letters must include name, address and daytime phone POST YOUR OPINIONS: Online at arizona.newszap.com/eastvalley BUSINESS Briefs MESA INDEPENDENT Our Purpose The Mesa Independent is published by Independent Newspapers of Arizona. Independent is owned by a unique trust that enables this newspaper to pursue a mission of journalistic service to the citizens of the community. Since no dividends are paid, the company is able to thrive on prot margins below industry standards. 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