Hello, readers! Can you believe it — we’re almost done with July and into back-to-school season.

First off, let’s answer a question I received from a reader named Gil about some construction activity near Avondale Boulevard and Interstate 10 behind the Culver’s restaurant.

Dan Davis, Avondale’s economic developer, explained to me that it’s a road extension project.

“We’re also building a park-and-ride lot that will give about 400 more spaces. In addition to a park and ride, it’ll provide some additional parking for the city center,” he said.

While it isn’t a bright and shiny new business being developed, the construction does lend itself toward development of the city center, Davis added.

“It’s part of the implementation of the city center specific area plan. What it provides is pedestrian and car connectivity to hotels and the other businesses, as well as all the infrastructure in place to prime the area for additional development,” he explained. “It’ll continue to link the city center together for ultimate build out.”

The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, so keep reading the Briefcase for new businesses that may pop up along those new roads.

Something else to keep an eye out for in the Briefcase is more news on a new 156-bed patient tower at the Banner Estrella Medical Center at 9201 W. Thomas Road in Phoenix. It’s getting its final construction beam put into place next month.

The $151 million project is the second of its kind at the medical center’s campus and is expected to be completed by and open to patients by March 2014.

The remaining components of the expansion project, including a major expansion of the Emergency Department, is expected to be completed by July 15.

We’ll keep readers updated.

Next up are two salons that offer two different services.

Salon M, which sells clothing, opened up about two weeks ago on the southeast corner of Dysart Road and Rancho Santa Fe Boulevard in Avondale.

Over in Goodyear, Billie’s & Bettie’s Family Hair Salon had its grand opening last week.

Located just east of Estrella Parkway in Suite 104 at 15557 W. Roosevelt St., the salon employs five stylists who specialize in everything hair and beauty-related for the entire family, including color, up-dos and waxing.

“Basically the name just means that we do services for boys and girls, we wanted to make sure that the men knew that they could come in, too,” owner Sarah Potter explained. “And the family part means that it’s for kids, everybody.”

Potter added that she chose to lease that particular suite after the previous salon she worked at in the same location closed.

“When they left, we ended up leasing it and keeping the same stylists, so customers know us,” she said.

Hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

For information, call 623-242-6136.

Finally, let’s end with some bad news. The locally owned Ground Control coffee shop, bar and restaurant has closed its location in Verrado. It had been in operation since 2011.

The business still has its other location just south of Camelback Road on Litchfield Road in Litchfield Park, which opened last year.

That’s it for me, folks! Until next time, be kind to one another.

Rachel Trott can be reached by email at rtrott@westvalleyview.com or on Twitter @byracheltrott.