After 64 Years, Veteran Receives Purple Heart
Ceremony held at VFW for wounded WWII Vet
By Meghan McCoy
The News
A Mesa man was honored on Memorial Day, May 26, 2008 at VFW Post #7968 in Apache Junction after waiting 64 years to receive his Purple Heart from the U.S. Army.
   M.L. Smelser, Jr. was drafted into the service in 1944, where he was known as the “Arizona Kid” by fellow soldiers because he was the only one from Arizona in his company. The Arizona Kid received a purple heart because while serving his country he was thrown into the air after a large caliber artillery round flew into the foxhole he was digging, which resulted in serious back injuries among other injuries.
   A special ceremony was held for Smelser, his daughter Teresa Cole and his wife Joni last Monday.
   V.F.W. Commander Mike Ferguson presented Smelser with his long overdue purple heart. Apache Junction Mayor John Insalaco, Sheriff Chris Vasquez and the Apache Bravo Young Marines also attended the special ceremony.

G.C. Sewer Petitions Submitted
Corporation Commission accepts petitions— Water usage claims disputed by customers
By Jill Jones
The News
GOLD CANYON- A petition drive initiated by Gold Canyon citizens in protest of the 72 percent rate increase granted to the Gold Canyon Sewer Company last year, resulted in 963 signatures and water usage figures of Gold Canyon citizens being delivered to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) last week.
   The Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) was granted a rehearing on the ACC decision to grant the 72.2 percent rate increase last year and final briefs in the case were delivered to the hearing judge on May 22, 2008.
   According to Gold Canyon citizen and activist Ron Kelly, the 963 signatures of Gold Canyon Sewer customers, complete with their daily water usage figures averaging 145 gallons per day, were delivered to ACC headquarters to be included in the documentation, despite their original rejection by the ACC Docket Control Office.
   The person delivering the signatures and gallon usage, which was significantly less than the 475 gallons per day figures submitted by Gold Canyon Sewer in consideration of the rate increase, were at first rejected, according to Kelly, “For reasons she (the delivery agent) didn’t understand.”
   The tenacious citizen, however, would not accept the refusal and reportedly proceeded to the second floor offices of the commission and spoke with an employee in the corporation’s legal department. The employee made some calls and then accepted the petitions, agreeing to deliver them to Docket Control.

See A-1 and See Petitions A-5

Kennedy Appears For Hearing
Former fugitive shows for May 30 court date
By Jill Jones
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- Incredulousness, shock and dismay were just some of the reactions to news that accused child molester, former youth pastor and teacher Bobby Kennedy was back on the streets and remains free after appearing in Pinal County Superior Court last week on May 30, 2008 before Judge Boyd Johnson with no request to adjust bail.
   Kennedy, 29, was an uncertified teacher at Morningstar Academy Charter School in Apache Junction, where his mother, Carolyn Kennedy 54, is principal and where he allegedly molested at least three female students in the spring of 2005.
   Kennedy was charged with 2 counts of Child Molestation and 1 count of Sexual Abuse in May 2005 and was held on $750,000 until June 21, 2005 when the bond was found to be excessive and reduced to $150,000 by Pinal County Judge David Roer, who ruled that the state did not meet its burden of proof. The bond was posted and Kennedy appeared at a pretrial conference held on July 18, 2005 at which the Deputy County Attorney did not oppose the defendant’s (Kennedy) Motion for Redetermination of Probable Cause.
   The case was remanded back to the grand jury on August 11. 2005 and Judge White granted a motion by Deputy County Attorney Kate Pierce to dismiss the charges against Kennedy, at which time neither were reportedly aware that earlier that same day Kennedy was indicted on a total of 22 counts under a new case number. Charges included molestation, sexual abuse, aggravated assault and furnishing obscene materials to a minor.

See A-1

Summer Hoops Kick Off For AJHS Boys, Girls
By Chuck Baker
The News
The Summer versions of the boys and girls basketball teams from Apache Junction High School were both in action this past week, competing in a Summer League hosted by Mesa Skyline. The boys opened this past Tuesday with games against Globe and Mesa Westwood while the girls played on Wednesday against Skyline and Chandler Hamilton. The AJHS girls also played this past Friday and Saturday in the Queen of the Court Tournament hosted by Gilbert Mesquite and the AJHS boys played a pair of games last Friday night in the Skyline Shootout Tournament.
   The Summer League at Skyline continues through June 24 for the AJHS teams with each playing two, and sometimes three games in a night. The boys will be back in action on Tuesday, June 3 playing against Skyline at 5:00 p.m. and against Higley at 7:00 p.m. The girls will be back on the court Wednesday, June 4 with a 5:00 p.m. game against Queen Creek, a 6:00 p.m. game against Hamilton 2 and a 7:00 p.m. game against Hamilton 1.
   Results from last Tuesday’s boys Summer League games were not available but the Lady Prospectors opened their Summer League play last Wednesday with a 36-30 win over Skyline’s varsity team and a 36-28 victory over Hamilton’s junior varsity team.
   In the win over Skyline, Apache Junction was clinging to a 32-30 lead with 5:40 still to play in the second half and held Skyline scoreless the rest of the way for a six-point win.

See C-1 and see Hoops, C-6