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Apache Junction
Celebrates
45th Lost
Dutch-man Days
Wilson Named
Superintendent
 Former AJHS principal replaces Wyman as
head of AJ schools
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
The Apache Junction Unified
School District Governing
Board, meeting Tuesday,
February 24, voted unanimously
to name Chad Wilson
superintendent of schools
beginning July 1 when the
contract of current Superintendent
Dr. Greg Wyman is
fulfilled.
Wilson is currently the associate
superintendent for
educational services for the
district. This is a position he
has held since 2005 when he
replaced Dr. Gary Nine who
retired.
Wilson was originally hired
by the district nine years
ago as an associate principal
at Apache Junction High
School. He served in that
capacity until being named
AJHS Principal two years
later in 2003.
Wilson earned his bachelor
of arts in history from the
University of Arizona. He
earned his master’s degree
from Northern Arizona University
and will receive his
doctorate of education from
the University of Arizona this
spring. Wilson is married and
he and his wife have two children.
The board decided, in its
Tuesday, February 10, meeting,
not to renew Wyman’s
contract. The vote was 3-2
following the conclusion of
an executive session. Board
President Wendy Moore cited
philosophical differences between
the superintendent and
the board concerning the future
direction of the district.
Board members Moore, Linda
Newkirk and Debbie Skinner
voted not to renew. Lucy
Young and Jeff Cranmer voted
in favor of a new contract.
A spokeswoman for the
school district said members
of the governing board would
not comment further because
the decision was made during
an executive session.
Green Pools Pose
Threat
 Foreclosed homes making problem worse
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
When Apache Junction resident
Angie Hall learned of an
abandoned green pool near
her home in the 5800 block
of Windsong, she feared the
worst.
“When I went on vacation
at Christmas, my friend, who
house sits for me, she noticed
the (nearby) house is abandoned,”
said Hall, an infusion
therapy nurse.
“When I got back, she and I
went up to the home and saw
the large section of the fence
open. We did trespass and we
peeked over into the yard and
we saw the pool. We went on
in and we said, ‘Oh my God.’
The pool was so contaminated
you can barely see the
first step. I thought, ‘We have
a problem.’”
Hall said she spoke with Pinal
County health officials,
who jumped right on the
problem. The pool has been
treated and will continue to
be treated every six months,
she explained.
“That’s just something we’ll
have to watch as a neighborhood
to see if anything
changes, as far as property
ownership,” Hall said.
Green pools are a symptom
of a bigger problem, foreclosures.
According to Arizona
State University’s Morrison
School of Management and
Agribusiness, the 3,355 recorded
resale transactions in
third quarter 2008 included
1,515 foreclosures or 45 percent
of the resale activity in
Pinal County.
See
A-1
P&Z
Tables Horse Boarding
Next public hearing will be held April
28
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
The Apache Junction Planning
and Zoning Commission
voted unanimously to continue,
until April 28, proposed
amendments to the zoning ordinance
regarding equine regulations
pertaining to horse
boarding facilities during its
February 24 meeting in City
Council chambers.
Commissioner Sue Johns
made the motion saying the
recommending body needed additional time
“so we may
study this further.”
More than 15 residents
spoke out about the proposed
ordinance. Many spoke about
the proposed ordinance’s controversial
items. One of the
more contested proposals is
allowing one horse trailer to
be parked on the property for
every horse boarded. Boarding
stables were being or going
to be cited for too many
trailers parked on site.
Lucille Diekman, who owns
D Horse Boarding in Apache
Junction, said there are many
important reasons why facilities
like hers should be able
to house at least one trailer
per horse. For example, they
would be needed if her multiple
horses must to be evacuated
in case of an emergency.
Jim Foster of No Fly Zone
Stables had an issue with
“opaque” fences that are suggested
in the proposed ordinance.
See
A-1
and see Boarding,
A-10
Maughmer Runner-Up At
State
 Converse places 3rd at 4A-I State
Wrestling; Huynh, Hamlin and Dudley all
finish 6th
By Chuck Baker
The News
In just his first season
of wrestling competition,
Apache Junction High
School junior Cy Maughmer
nearly went all the
way. In fact, in most years,
Maughmer might have
captured a State wrestling
title. Only this year, his
nemesis, Doug Zisman of
Phoenix Shadow Mountain
got in the way.
Maughmer won his
first three matches in the
275-pound weight class at
the 4A-I State Wrestling
Championships held February
20 and 21 to advance
to the championship finals
but lost to Zisman via a
second period pin to settle
for a runner-up finish.
Zisman wrapped up a
perfect 22-0 season at 275
pounds while Maughmer
finished his first year of
competition with a terrific
37-6 overall record and a
second place State medal
to boot. Of Maughmer’s
six losses this season, his
last two came against Zisman,
one at the State finals
and one at the Desert Sky
Region finals held February
14 at AJHS.
Maughmer was the only
AJHS wrestler to advance
to the finals at the State
Championships. Three
others, junior Chase Converse
(119 pounds), senior
Taylor Hamlin (189
pounds) and junior Brandon
Dudley (215 pounds),
who had won their first
two matches to advance
to the semifinals in their
respective weight classes,
all lost in the semis and
dropped into the consolation
bracket.
See
B-1
and see STATE,
page
B-3
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