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City Completes Latest
Phase At Community Park
 “Final puzzle piece” added to
Superstition Shadows Park on Southern
Ave.
By Sarah Owen
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- The City of
Apache Junction recently completed
the fourth phase of construction
at Superstition Shadows Park.
The park, located just east of Ironwood
Drive on Southern Avenue,
encompasses the city pool and
skate park.
Tucked between Desert Shadows
Middle School and Apache Junction
High School, Superstition
Shadows is the second largest public
park in the city. Parks Superintendent
Nick Blake says many
people don’t realize the mostly-hidden
park is there, or that it’s open
to the public.
In addition to the skate park and
pool, the facility also contains a
softball/baseball field, tennis
courts, picnic ramadas, barbeque
grills and a scenic walkway.
Improvements to and construction
for the park were funded by
grants and the city’s capital facilities
plan, approved by voters in
2000. The plan has funded other
projects in the city including
construction
of the Multi-Generational
Center and the new city hall.
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Two Charged With
Kidnapping
 Man escapes after being bound and beaten
By Jill Jones
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- A call to the
Pinal County Sheriff’s Office
(PCSO) in reference to a report of
criminal damage developed into a
case of alleged kidnapping that led
to the arrest of two Apache Junction
men on Friday, May 18, 2007.
A report of criminal damage to a
Queen Creek home took a serious
turn when, during the course of the
investigation, the victim told
authorities
that he had been held
against his will and assaulted by
two Apache Junction men on the
afternoon of May 16, 2007, in
Apache Junction.
The victim, whose name is being
withheld, reportedly told PCSO
deputies that he had driven to a
home in the 4400 block of N. Desert
View Lane in Apache Junction at
around noon to smoke marijuana
with Pete Michael Joseph, 44, and
a man later identified as Daniel
S.Wingate, 28, both of Apache Junction.
The victim alleged that Joseph and
Wingate tied him up and began to
punch, kick, spit and use a stun
gun on him in retaliation for a $2,000
debt he reportedly owed to Joseph.
The victim said he was able to free
himself about 15 hours later and
drive himself home to Queen Creek.
He sought treatment for his injuries
at an emergency room in Gilbert.
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Slow Down, Or Smile
For The Camera
Photo radar coming to Gold Canyon
By Jill Jones
The News
GOLD CANYON- Photo radar is
coming to Pinal County and will
make its debut on Don Donnelly
Drive in Gold Canyon before it goes
on to other areas in the county
where speeding is a problem.
Pinal County Sheriff Chris
Vasquez announced that Gold Canyon
would be the first stop on the
radar unit’s county-wide tour at the
Association for the Development
of a Better Environment (ADOBE)
April meeting, indicating that it
would be in place in about two
weeks.
Although it has been over a
month, it won’t be much longer. A
county press release issued May
22, 2007 indicates there is just a
little
more fine tuning to be done before
the photo radar actually hits the
streets.
The unit will be contained in a
marked van, which will be stationed
in various places in Pinal County,
beginning in Gold Canyon.
According to the sheriff, the public
will be informed when the van
is in their area. In addition, signs
will be posted on roadways with
speed limits over 40 miles an hour,
notifying drivers that their speed
will be monitored by photo radar.
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Milligan Named New
AJHS Football Coach
 As
A.J. freshmen coach, hasn’t lost a game
since 2004; 22 years at high school
By Chuck Baker
The News
As a head coach of the Prospector
freshmen football team
at Apache Junction High School,
Rich Milligan hadn’t lost a game
since the 2004 season. Milligan
will put that streak on the line in
the Fall of 2007 as the new head
varsity coach, replacing Max
Ragsdale, who is stepping down
to accept an assistant coaching
position at Gilbert Mesquite after
four years at the helm.
Milligan is a twenty-two-year
veteran with the high school
having started his career back
in 1984. During his time at
AJHS, Milligan has taught a variety
of subjects, is a former
varsity football assistant coaching
tight ends, defensive ends,
running backs, wide receivers
and defensive backs, and organized
and coordinated the
strength and conditioning program
for the football team.
Prior to coming to AJHS,
Milligan served six years in the
United State Marine Corps Reserve,
serving as a Sergeant in
D Company 6th Engineer Support
Battalion. Milligan received
his Bachelor of Science degree
and his Masters degree in secondary
education from Northern
Arizona University.
See
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and see Coach,
page
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