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Emissions Testing
Station Approved For AJ
 After 10-year push, facility to open in
January, 2009— expected to handle 80,000
inspections annually
By Jill Jones
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- It was
a ten-year battle for Representative
Pete Rios (D) and daughter
Senator Rebecca Rios (D) but
this legislative duo helped procure
approval for a vehicle emission
inspection (VEI) station for
Apache Junction.
“This has always been a team
effort,” said Pete Rios. “Rebecca
fought hard for 4 years - I fought
hard for a decade.”
It was a battle that ended in
victory. Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
Representative Steve Owens announced
on September 20, 2007
that ADEQ plans to open a new
VEI station in Apache Junction
in January 2009 to serve the Southeast
Valley.
The new station will be located
north of Baseline Road and south
of U.S. 60, between Idaho and
Tomahawk roads. It is expected
to handle 80,000 inspections a
year and will have three lanes.
See
A-1
 Adult Literacy Is A
Top Need For Pinal County
United Way identifies county’s needs at
‘Impact Breakfast’
By Jill Jones
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- United
Way of Pinal County is changing
with the times and has forgone
their previous payroll deduction
fundraising kick-off program in
favor or a series of Community
Impact Breakfasts held in various
communities.
A Community Impact Breakfast
was held at Central Arizona
College Superstition Mountain
Campus on Friday morning,
September 28 where two new
comprehensive plans aimed at
addressing critical needs in the
community were announced -
The Vision for Addressing Adult
Literacy in Pinal County and the
Financial Stability Partnership.
A community needs assessment
done in 2005 showed that
adult literacy in Pinal County
was one of the top needs identified
and also that there was a
lack of available and accessible
resources to assist individuals
needing basic literacy training.
An Adult Literacy Task Force
was formed to study and develop
potential strategies to address
the problem.
See
A-1
and see United Way ,
A-6
Long-time Resident
Jerry Nickel Killed In Montana Accident
 ATV roll-over Wednesday, September 26—
Nickel was 72
By Sarah Owen
The News
Long-time Apache Junction resident
Gerald “Jerry” Nickel was involved in a
fatal accident on Wednesday, September
26 in Clancy, Montana, near Helena.
Nickel, 72, moved to Apache Junction
from Wisconsin with his family in 1962.
Jerry raised his three daughters, Cindy,
Kathy and Penny, and his son, Tim, in
the town where he also owned a waste
management company. Nickel sold
Sanitary Disposal Service to a larger
conglomerate a few years ago and, after
retiring, he and his wife, Laura, began
spending their summers at a home in
Montana.
According to family friend Mike Slater,
Jerry was riding a Yamaha Rhino, a
two-person all terrain vehicle (ATV),
with a friend last week when the ATV
hit a rock. The ATV rolled over, Nickel
was thrown from the vehicle and hit his
head, Slater said.
See
A-1
and see Nickel ,
A-6
Prospectors Now 4-2
After Beating Independence, 28-7
 AJHS to be featured on “Friday Night
Fever” this week
By Chuck Baker
The News
Behind a ball control offense
and a huge edge in time of
possession, Apache Junction
ground out a 28-7 victory over
Glendale Independence last
Friday night at Davis Field to
improve to 4-2 on the season.
Independence fell to 0-5, its
losses coming against opponents
with a combined 20-2
record.
The Prospectors ran twenty-two
more offensive plays, had
double the total yards of the
Patriots, an eighteen to seven
edge in first downs and discovered
they can move the football
even when All State running
back Shane McCullen isn’t on
the field.
McCullen did his damage in
the first half, carrying the ball
14 times for 65 yards and a
touchdown and catching two
passes for 64 yards, including
a 62-yard reception just before
the end of the first half to give
the Prospectors a 14-7 lead at
intermission.
McCullen, bothered by
cramps, would touch the ball
just four times in the second
half but backup running back
junior Mike Taylor, senior fullback
Tripper Meason and sophomore
quarterback Nate Scola
picked up the slack, combining
for 23 second-half carries, 120
yards and two scores, a three yard
dive by Taylor on the
team’s first drive of the second
half, and a four-yard dart by
Meason to put the game away
late in the fourth quarter.
See
C-1
and see AJHS ,
C-3
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