$1 Million Fire Destroys AJ Warehouse
10 businesses burned in massive southside blaze
By Meghan McCoy
The News
APACHE JUNCTION — Firefighters from multiple Valley agencies were called out to fight a massive warehouse fire that caused an estimated $1 million damage to ten businesses on the south side of Apache Junction on Tuesday, March 25, 2008.
   Residents in a subdivision west of the warehouse in the North Pinal Industrial Park, 4747 S. Pinal Drive, placed a call to alert firefighters after they smelled smoke and saw flames around 8:45 p.m., according to Mesa Fire District (MFD) spokesperson Mike Dunn.
   MFD was first to arrive on the scene with the Apache Junction Fire District (AJFD) following close behind after they received the second dispatch from MFD at 8:50 p.m., according to Dunn.
   Dunn said the closest Mesa fire station was on Signal Butte and Baseline, which was three miles from the warehouse.
   Rural Metro Fire Department (RMFD), was later called for additional help on the scene and conducted an investigation into the cause of the fire.
   Firefighters faced the daunting task of attempting to fight a fire with the nearest hydrant two miles away. The fire units are able to only carry approximately 500 gallons of water, which were used within minutes after arriving, according to Dunn.
   Firefighters began to set up a tanker shuttle operation to transport water to fight the 15,000 square foot structure fire, said AJFD Fire Marshall David Montgomery. The closest fire hydrants were a four-mile round trip away at Baseline Avenue and Ironwood Drive, he added.

See A-1

Pinal Ranks Third In Fastest Growing U.S. Counties
Surpassed only by repopulating Louisiana areas
By Jill Jones
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- If you have noticed more and more cars on the roadways in what was once a rural Pinal County, your observations were recently reinforced by the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest figures that rank Pinal County as number three in the fastest growing areas in the country and puts it’s estimated population at 299,246.
   The census figures (for counties with populations of 10,000 or more) released on Thursday, March 20, 2008, and reflecting figures based on the time period from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007, show that Pinal County had a population growth rate of 11.5 percent, surpassed only by Orleans (13.8 percent) and St. Bernard (42.9 percent) Parishes in New Orleans.
   If it were not for the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Pinal would probably be sitting at number one. Both Saint Bernard and New Orleans Parishes experienced significant drops in population immediately following the hurricane, so the numbers reported this year, and probably for a few more years, are believed to be due to the repopulation of the area.
   Maricopa County was number one in counties with the largest numeric increase, according to the census, with Pinal County coming in at 11 in the numeric category. All but one of the nation’s fastest growing counties was found to be in the South or West, with Kendall, Illinois breaking the pattern. For more information visit www.census.gov.
   Apache Junction, with more than 42,000 residents, is the largest incorporated city in Pinal County. The Apache Junction/ Gold Canyon area is estimated to have a population of over 60,000 people.

Proposed School Budget Cuts Heard At District Meeting
52 proposed cuts presented last week
By Meghan McCoy
The News
APACHE JUNCTION — School boundary shifts, elimination of full day bus routes, reduction in the number of bus stops, pay for play and reduction in staff through attrition are just a few of the 52 budget reduction recommendations presented at the first of two town hall community meetings by School Superintendent Dr. Greg Wyman last Monday.
   The cost savings measures are the result of community and staff input gathered at three community meetings held in January to help the Apache Junction Unified School District (AJUSD) cope with the budget reduction they will be faced with next school year, 2008-2009. The budget reduction of more than $950,000 will be the first of the three-year phase out of the Maintenance voters failed to renew last May and again in November.
   A total of 19 staff and community members attended the initial two-hour presentation of proposed recommendations held at Thunder Mountain Middle School on Monday, March 24, 2008.
   Wyman began his list of budget cutting proposals by explaining to audience members that some of the suggestions might be unpopular, but by law the district must have a balanced budget, so cuts must be made.
   The first of the proposed reductions would go into effect next school year, 2008-2009. Some measures may result in a one-time savings, while other measures may have a more longterm effect.
   The 52 proposed recommendations include such topics as an attraction and retention of staff, cost savings, student, parent and community responsibility, energy efficiency, curriculum and instruction, health care, transportation and fundraising and community involvement.

See A-1 and see School Cuts, A-3

AJHS Girls Sweep Cactus Shadows
Begin region play 2-0; improve to 15-8 overall
By Chuck Baker
The News
The Lady Prospector varsity softball team opened Desert Sky Region play last week with a two-game sweep over Cave Creek Cactus Shadows. Playing at home on Tuesday, Apache Junction bested Cactus Shadows 15-0 behind three hits and three RBI from sophomore Chelsey Streibich. Playing on the road last Thursday, the Lady Prospectors came up with a 7-1 victory to improve to 15-8 overall on the season and a 2-0 start in region games.
   Also in last Tuesday’s win, junior Randee Drennan singled, walked three times, scored a pair of runs and drove in a pair of runs for Apache Junction, senior Katie Corbin also knocked in two runs with her one hit, sophomore Katie Stout went 2-for-4 with a RBI, senior Lauren Jackson walked all four of her at-bats and scored three runs, senior Ashley Nagle went 1-for-1 with a double, freshman Shelby Olson was 1-for-2 at the plate, and senior Terra
   Ciesielski and freshman Sierra Aulik both scored two runs. Ciesielski also earned the win from the mound, allowing three hits in four innings of work and struck out six batters.

See C-1 and see AJHS, C-6