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Another Side To
Complaint Against Police Chief
Employees speak out in defense of Walp
By Jill Jones
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- Another
side to the sexual harassment complaint
leveled against Apache Junction
Police Chief Glenn Walp is beginning
to emerge as some employees
speak out in defense of a leader
they say has brought professionalism
and integrity back to the department.
Statements and documents of
more than 14 employees have
painted a different picture of Jenny
Lewis, the 39-year-old Hispanic
administrative
assistant who claims
to be a victim of sexual harassment,
stalking, gender discrimination,
retaliation,
and a hostile work environment
at the hands of Walp.
The city asked a human relations
firm to investigate Lewis’ initial
allegations
and complaints against
Walp in April, and when they found
his actions to be well intended but
inappropriate, records show that
Lewis responded by sending an
email to City Manager George
Hoffman on April 12, expressing her
dissatisfaction and in which she
said, “I want the chief terminated.”
See
A-1

Roadway Memorial
Honors AJPD Fallen Officer
Portion of Superstition Boulevard
dedicated to officer
By Jill Jones
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- Two Arizona
Department of Transportation
Adopt a Highway signs, dedicating
a portion of Superstition
Boulevard between Idaho Road
and State Route 88, went up last
week in memory of fallen Apache
Junction Police Officer Russell
Dunca, the only AJPD officer to
die in the line of duty.
Duncan, 28, joined the AJPD in
1983 after serving as a Michigan
State Police officer for six-and-ahalf
years. Despite being an experienced
law enforcement officer,
Duncan was required to go
through the AJPD training academy
and was accidentally shot by
a fellow recruit on November 9,
1983, just a few days before graduation.
The fellow recruit had arrived late
for class that day and did not
participate
in a weapons check with
the other participants. He accidentally
shot Duncan during an
exercise on felony stops, believing
his weapon contained blanks.
See
A-1

New East Valley
Hospital Opens
Mountain Vista Medical Center opens its
doors Monday, July 23
By Sarah Owen
The News
Mountain Vista Medical Center,
the East Valley’s newest hospital,
opened its doors to patients Monday
morning, July 23, 2007. Hospital
staff hope the long-awaited facility
will relieve the patient load at
nearby hospitals and reduce emergency
department wait times.
With 178 beds, full-service emergency
and surgery departments, a
maternity ward and state-of-the-art
equipment, Mountain Vista represents
a complete healthcare center.
Chief Executive Officer Kelly
Adams says the hospital, located
at Southern Avenue and Crismon
Road, is designed to provide quick
turn-around for patients, allowing
them to get in and out of the hospital
with no unnecessary delays.
See
A-1
and see Hospital ,
A-5

Getting Their Kicks
AJHS Soccer hosts camp for kids
By Chuck Baker
The News
Apache Junction High School
boys and girls soccer programs,
which will make their
debut as a varsity sport this
winter, sponsored a camp for
kids ages six to 14 years this past week
at AJHS and coordinated
through the Apache
Junction Parks and Recreation
Department.
The camp was run by AJHS
coaches Norm Hoeffer and
Jeff Roach with assistance
from Lady Prospector players
Cristy Martinez, Ruby Garibay,Ciarra
Fabian, Brenda Carrillo,
Dianna Ibarra and Tiah Muller.
The camp covered all facets of
the sport of soccer and included
instruction on passing, dribbling,
shooting, throw-ins,
trapping, headers, offense, defense,
team work and game
strategy.
Each day began with drills
and fundamentals and ended
with scrimmage games.
The AJHS soccer teams have
been playing the sport as a junior
varsity squad the past two
years and on December 4,
2007, the Prospectors,
coached by Roach, and Lady
Prospectors, coached by
Hoeffer, will make history when
they host Marana High School
out of Tucson in the school’s
first ever varsity soccer
matches at Davis Field.
See
C-1
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