Authentic Italian Flavors Found at Newly Opened Fabio on Fire’s Gelateria & Panini Shop
Photos courtesy of Fabio on Fire Geleteria & Panini
Italian Chef Fabio Ceschetti is bringing a new culinary experience to Peoria with Fabio on Fire Gelateria & Panini, which opened this summer. Born and trained in northern Italy, Ceschetti has infused his family’s Southern Italian heritage into his West Valley eatery Fabio on Fire, and now he extends that tradition to a more casual deli and gelateria.
Located in the Four Corners shopping center at Happy Valley and Lake Pleasant roads, the new venue replaces the former Wow Wow Lemonade store. The 1,500-square-foot space features both indoor and outdoor seating, accommodating up to 55 patrons.
Fabio on Fire Gelateria & Panini offers artisanal sandwiches and house-made gelato, with an on-site market selling imported delicacies from Puglia and Piedmont regions. Ceschetti’s commitment to authentic Italian cuisine extends to the bread used for paninis, which is freshly baked daily from pizza dough and then filled with imported Italian meats and cheeses. His unique high hydration dough results in a tangier flavor and a crispy crust that perfectly complements the fillings.
The gelateria side of the business boasts a range of rotating weekly gelato flavors, all made from a machine imported from Italy to ensure authenticity. Favorites such as pistachio, amarena, stracciatella, berries, and lemon cake can be expected on the menu. The restaurant is located at 24775 N. Lake Pleasant Pkwy., Suite 101. For more information, visit fabioonfire.com.
Axis for Autism Expands in the West Valley
Axis for Autism, an Arizona-based company, has unveiled its new clinic at 12725 W. Indian School Rd., Suite C102, Avondale, to respond to the escalating demand for autism care and evaluations. The expansion promises a relief for families in the West Valley, offering accelerated diagnostic evaluations, improving accessibility to essential interventions and therapies.
Established in 2021, Axis for Autism uses a proprietary model to hasten diagnosis and reduce wait times. The company has bridged an essential gap, as families across Arizona have typically been compelled to wait for more than a year for autism evaluations. This development holds particular significance as Arizona’s autism prevalence has climbed from one in 64 children in 2008 to one in 36 currently, according to CDC reports.
Axis for Autism’s Avondale clinic will provide diagnostic services to both children and adults, with options in both English and Spanish to counter language barriers. This clinic aims to remove impediments to autism diagnosis, by providing low-cost screenings that accept health insurance coverage and Medicaid.
The company also offers applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, an evidence-based practice beneficial for children, adolescents, and adults with autism. Axis for Autism has plans to further extend its presence in the West Valley later this year. For more information or to book an appointment, please visit axisforautism.com.
Peoria School Board Denies Free
Microsoft-Backed Tech Education Program Citing Diversity Concerns
In July, the Peoria Unified School District governing board turned down a cost-free computer science education program amid concerns over its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The proposal was for a memorandum of understanding with the Microsoft Philanthropies Technology Education and Learning Support program, which targets underrepresented groups in the tech industry. The motion ended in a stalemate, with board president David Sandoval absent from the meeting.
Sandoval, however, can call for a reconsideration of the motion in future meetings, according to district spokesperson Danielle Airey. If accepted, the Microsoft initiative would have teamed up tech professionals with educators at three district schools — Raymond S. Kellis High School, Centennial High School, and the MET Professional Academy — to collectively instruct computer science.
The program, new to the district and executed at no cost, aimed to bolster access to computer science education in Peoria Unified, boosting both computational thinking and problem-solving skills, according to Teresa Hernandez, the district’s chief academic support officer.
The board’s decision was influenced by public objections, including opposition from Tiffany Benson, a representative from Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization. Heather Rooks, a board member who voted against the program, recognized the district’s dearth of computer science teachers but remained skeptical about the initiative.
