School Board Approves Cuts For 08-09
Bus transportation is a major cut
By Meghan McCoy
The News
APACHE JUNCTION — The Apache Junction Unified School District (AJUSD) governing board approved 52 budget cutting measures at the district’s monthly board meeting held on Tuesday, April 8, 2008.
   The 52 measures, gathered by community members and staff during January public meetings, will reduce the 2008-2009 Maintenance and Operating Budget for the district by $950,000, which is in compliance with the first of a three-year phase-out of the Maintenance and Operating Budget Override.
   The cost cutting measures were placed within eight themes— attraction and retention of staff, cost savings, student/parent/ community responsibility, energy efficiency, curriculum and instruction, health care, transportation and fund raising/community involvement.
   “I want to extend our thanks to our employees and community members who provided input on these solutions through a series of public meetings held in January to help us make these tough decisions,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Greg Wyman said. “Additional reductions of $1 million will have to be made in the next two budget years,” he explained, “If growth and state funding remain stationary, we will be coming back to the community for help with these decisions as well.”
   Many participants spoke out at the various January town hall meetings of the importance of attracting and retaining quality personnel in the district by becoming more competitive with wages in neighboring districts.
   Some of the measures included providing employee salary increases to become more competitive, modifying the existing salary plan to attract new employees, develop solutions for hard to fill positions by implementing seven years of experience for new employees, utilizing parttime employees and volunteers to cut back on full-time pay and providing an enhanced deferred compensation program, which will enhance the payout of the accrual of vacation and sick pay for staff members.

See A-1 and see Schools, A-5

ADOT Speaks To Future Of Gold Canyon’s U.S. 60
Presentation given before a standing-room-only crowd
By Jill Jones
The News
GOLD CANYON- Hundreds of people packed the MountainBrook Activity center on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 to hear the Arizona Department of Transportation’s latest plans for the future of the U.S. 60 alignment.
   Based on previous public and agency input, ADOT presented a new alignment alternative for U.S. 60 that would begin at the end of the current Superstition Freeway in Apache Junction on the west and continue on to the intersection of S.R. 79 (Florence Junction) on the east.
   The preliminary design concept calls for an access-controlled roadway that would veer a few miles south of Gold Canyon beginning at Mountain View Road (milepost 199.7); realigning with the current U.S. 60 alignment somewhere between Peralta Road and just west of the Renaissance Festival and then continuing on to Florence Junction (about milepost 213).
   The roadway is expected to be three lanes in each direction, with provisions for a fourth lane to be added, in each direction, should the need arise. The old 60 would then revert back to the county and connect with Old West Highway, providing local access to Gold Canyon.
   The existing two-lane roadway is currently overused, supporting approximately 35,000 vehicles daily. It is anticipated that by 2030 the same area will support 100,000 vehicles and another 45,000 if you include Old West Highway traffic.
   ADOT is anticipating that the environmental and engineering studies will be done in about a year, however; the next phase, design and construction, is not funded as of yet.
   For more information on the alignment project visit www.azdot.gov/us60pinalcounty.

Man Pays $1200 For Car Wash
Benefit car wash raises funds for Pinal County K-9 unit
By Jill Jones
The News
GOLD CANYON- A benefit car wash with a goal to raise $1,200 for a new training “Bite Suit” for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) K-9 unit, raised that amount and more, thanks to one person who wrote a check for $1,200 on the spot.
   Gold Canyon DOG (Dog Owners Group) held the car wash on Saturday, April 5 at the Superstition Foothills Baptist Church, raising a total of $2,040. Jay Mowat, a retired Los Angeles police officer, stopped by and asked Gold Canyon DOG President Marta Saint James how much a bite suit cost. When she told him the cost of a new suit was $1,200, Mowat proceeded to write a check for $1,200.
   Though it may not be the most expensive car wash ever, it has to rank right up there. Mowat and wife Carol donated the money for the new suit in memory of their dog, Bentley. The extra funds raised will go into an account for the Pinal County K-9 unit.
   Saint James said that having the car wash in a church parking lot must have evoked a “‘Higher Power’ for those that seek to do good deeds!”

AJHS Girls Remain Perfect In Region
Now 6-0 after two-game sweep over Saguaro
By Chuck Baker
The News
The Lady Prospector varsity softball team remained perfect in Desert Sky Region play, improving to 6-0 on the season after last week’s two-game sweep over Scottsdale Saguaro. Apache Junction (19-8 overall) defeated Saguaro 5-0 at home last Tuesday and beat the Lady Sabercats 9-5 on the road this past Thursday.
   In Tuesday’s win, the two teams were deadlocked in a scoreless tie until the Lady Prospectors scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. The clutch hits came from sophomore Chelsey Streibich and senior Ashley Nagle, both coming up with singles to drive in two runs.
   Nagle also came up with the defensive play of the game an inning earlier when she threw out a Saguaro baserunner at home plate from her right field position following a base hit.
   Senior Terra Ciesielski saw her record as a pitcher improve to 10-4 on the season with the twohit shut out. Ciesielski allowed only two walks and struck out nine Saguaro batters. Her earned run average also dipped to 2.61 for the season and the senior now has 115 strike-outs in just 75 innings pitched.
   Also on offense for AJHS in the Tuesday win, Nagle added a second single, Ciesielski drove in the fifth run with her single, junior Randee Drennan went 2-for-3 and freshmen Lindsey Skinner and Sierra Aulik each added a single.
   In Thursday’s win, Angelica Valtierra and Aulik both went 2-for-3 and drove in a run, Ciesielski was 2-for-4 at the plate and also knocked in a run, and Drennan, Streibich and Skinner all had one hit. DePriest went the distance on the mound striking out six Saguaro batters to earn her seventh win of the season against just three losses.

See C-1 and see Softball, C-3