Since my appointment on Friday, May 11, 2012 to the position of County Supervisor by the Pinal County Board of Supervisors for the seven months remaining of that term, some have asked why I would leave the Apache Junction City Council for a short-term position at the county. The follow-up or implied question is whether I intend to run for the four-year position in the November election.

Pinal County School Office Education Service Agency announces for those interested in obtaining their Substitute Teaching Certification, there will be a three-day, 21-hour course that will be held May 29-31, 2012 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.  Each participant will be paid $9 per hour, for a total of $189. The cost of certification and fingerprints will also be covered once the course has been completed.  Bring your own lunch.  Registration: due by May 24, 2012.     

Property owners will receive a tax break thanks to the Pinal County Supervisors, who Wednesday, June 20, passed a $334.5 million budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 that includes a 5-percent cut in the primary property tax rate.

The current rate of $3.99 will decrease to $3.79 for every $100 of assessed valuation.

Info wanted on disposition of surplus military equipment

The Pentagon has asked the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office for documentation on the $7 million in surplus military equipment that it has received and lent to other non-police agencies, according to an article in the May 30 edition of the Arizona Republic.

A missing family has been located in a remote canyon and returned home after their vehicle was discovered abandoned.

On 4/15/2012 a PCSO deputy on patrol near the junction of Redington and River Roads located a vacant maroon 2000 Saturn sedan on the shoulder of the road. A check of the vehicle showed it was registered to a 34?year?old female from San Manuel, but the license plate was suspended. Because the vehicle was partially protruding the roadway, the deputy called to have the car towed.

NEWSRELEASE

A single vehicle rollover early Saturday morning has claimed the life of a 16?year?old driver.  On 5/19/2012, just after 12:00 a.m., deputies were called to Freeman Road, approximately a mile?and?a?half from Camino Rio. (Near San Pedro and Highway 77 in Dudleyville.)  

Lost Dutchman board game invented by Valley men who seek $24,000 to manufacture it

An ex-journalist and a former actor are hoping to pay tribute to the Lost Dutchman legend by producing a board game that outlines the story.

“Legend of the Lost Dutchman” was created by Michael Coe and Patrick Nickell of Crash Games LLC.

Visiting tot falls in pool at grandparents’ Entrada del Oro home

A three-year-old child, who apparently tumbled into a backyard swimming pool at his grandparents’ home has died June 6 at Cardon’s Children’s Hospital.

The child was not breathing when rescued by his father at the home in Entrada del Oro. According to the Apache Junction Fire Department spokesperson Dave Montgomery, emergency crews were dispatched just before 5 p.m. on June 4, and sent to the subdivision, which is about eight miles southeast of Gold Canyon in Pinal County.   

An illegal immigrant from Mexico is in PCSO custody following a vehicle pursuit Monday evening.  On 4/23/2012, at approximately 8:30 p.m., a Pinal County Sheriff Office deputy on patrol heading eastbound near Meadow View and Green Road’s observed a white, 2003 Ford F?150 pickup traveling westbound at a high rate of speed.

The deputy turned around to conduct a traffic stop at Osa and Javelina Roads.  After the deputy activated his emergency lights, the truck accelerated away from the deputy at a high rate of speed.

Up to his ears in government surplus Humvees and underwear, Babeu defends himself

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and his stewardship of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office was the subject of journalistic hits last week as three different topics surrounding the sheriff were treated prominently in the Arizona media. Some national media such as USA Today then picked up the news and ran with it, as well.

A Pinal County jury on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, found David Allen Becklehimer guilty of burglary in the third degree, a class 4 felony.

Becklehimer, 54, broke in the Presbyterian Church of Superior on Saturday, April 23, 2011 and was caught going through cabinets of the church’s basement area.

A Pinal County Jury on Friday found Elisha Robert Edwards, guilty of one count of possession of methamphetamine a dangerous drug for sale, possession of drug paraphernalia, two charges of misconduct involving weapons.

Police ask help in gathering info about Apache Trail fatality

On Thursday, June 7, 2012, at approximately 11 p.m., a single vehicle fatal collision occurred at Apache Trail and Meridian. A 2003 Ford F–150 pickup was traveling eastbound in the number three lane when it left the roadway and struck a light pole located on the south east corner of Apache Trail and Meridian.

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors has chosen Clark L. Smithson to be the new Supervisor for District Two.

Smithson will be sworn in as District 2 supervisor in the coming days.

A date and time was not determined at press time.  He will represent the district that covers Apache Junction, San Tan Valley, Queen Valley and parts of Florence and Queen Creek.  He replaces Bryan Martyn who resigned his seat on April 30 to accept the position of Arizona State Parks Director.

With the interior demolition complete and the architectural design finalized, the next and biggest step of the renovation of the 1891 Courthouse is now underway – interior construction.

“Considering the age of this building, it will be a very sensitive project.  It is not typical of our past projects where we build from the ground up.  You have to plan this properly, it means taking extra care during demolition and construction but this is an exciting time,” said construction project manager Archie Carreon.

A car wash is being held Sunday July 15th from 8am to noon at BASHAS’ GROCERY STORE - 5310 S. Superstition Mtn. Drive - Gold Canyon, Arizona to help raise money for funeral expenses and hospital bills for little Tristan Kyler Sutton who received his Angel Wings June 6, 2012 at 1:22am.

• Free Food and Beverages
• Generous Donations to Help Raise Money to Set up a Memorial Fund in Tristan's Honor will be raffled

“We celebrate his life and, although we will miss him and his winning smile everyday. He will remain forever in our hearts.” Mrs.Sutton

Laura Dean-Lytle, Pinal County recorder, would like to inform voters in Pinal County that voter identification card will be issued to all active registered voters throughout the county within the next week.  

A Pinal County political group headed up by Pinal County Supervisor Bryan Martyn is under investigation by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to determine if the organization violated state campaign-finance laws.

The group, known as the “Pinal County Truth Squad,” organized in February in an effort to influence the outcome of the 2012 city election in the Town of Florence. 

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce a very special guest will speak at the 2012 Peace Officers Memorial Service outside the Sheriff’s Office this Thursday, May 10th.

Kent Terry, brother of the late Brian Terry, will serve as the guest speaker during the service.

Brian Terry, a US Boarder Patrol Agent, was killed in the line of duty after he and fellow Border Patrol agents with the elite tactical BORTAC team were engaged while patrolling Peck Canyon, in Pima County, Arizona; eleven miles from the Mexican border.

The San Tan Valley area off of Magma Road and Hunt Highway has been a known problem area for over a year, acting as both a site of illegal desert dumping and target practice, according to officials.

The desert area, near Johnson Ranch, has caught the attention of the Pinal County Sheriff ’s Office, and San Tan Valley citizens. Shooting is an ongoing problem in that area, said PCSO Public Information Officer Elias Johnson.