Attempt took place on Ironwood Dr. near Food City— Police release composite sketch

Police Communication Center Honors Staff
April 12-18 is Telecommunicator Week
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
   The Apache Junction Police Department is honoring its communication center staff during National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week April 12-18.
   Government officials have been invited to tour the facility at Idaho Road and Superstition Boulevard, however, the general public will not be allowed to enter.
   “We can’t have our center open to the public because of the security level of the information that we process through the state and federal databases,” said Kathy Jeter, communications administrator. “You have to have a background clearance to come in.”
   To honor the telecommunicators, Chief Jerald Monahan has purchased little gift packets for each of the 13 dispatchers, Jeter said. There are three senior telecommunicators who are shift supervisors, nine telecommunicators and Jeter. “What most people don’t realize is the types of calls they handle,” Jeter said about her department. “We call them ‘First Responders’ because they have first contact with people.
   “They’re in a hysterical state. We try to calm them down and try to get some information from them, whether they need police, fire or medical. The stress that’s on them (the telecommunicators) in that respect (is tremendous). They’re doing multiple things at the same time.”

See A-1 and see Police Center A-3

Awards Abound for CAC Students
Apache Junction students featured in USA Today   Two Central Arizona College Superstition Mountain Campus students are now among the nation’s community college elite. Kelly Lintecum and Sarah Contreras were featured in the April 6 edition of USA Today as part of its 2009 All-USA Community College Academic Team.
   Nearly 1,450 students from 800 community colleges in 49 states and Guam were nominated for the honors.
   Lintecum was one of just 20 students selected for the All-USA Community College Academic Team and one of two chosen from Arizona.
   She received a $2,500 scholarship and had an opportunity to be the guest student speaker during the annual convention of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) on April 6 in Phoenix.
   Lintecum also was the recipient of a 2009 Guistwhite Scholarship worth $5,000 toward completing her four year degree. CAC’s Superstition Mountain Campus now boasts back-to-back Guistwhite Scholarship winners after Lyndee Goetz of Apache Junction received the award last year.
   Contreras was chosen for the 2009 Coca-Cola All-State Academic Team, with Contreras being name a finalist. Contreras landed a $1,000 check from CAC Students, page A-1 to help cover educational expenses.

See A-1 and see CAC Students A-9

Morgan, Fernando Tops At Greenway
Zane Morgan wins 800 meters in 2:03.08; Rusty Fernando takes 300 meter hurdles in 36:69
By Chuck Baker
The News
   Zane Morgan and Rusty Fernando came up with first place finishes at the Greenway Invitational Track and Field Meet held on April 4 with Morgan winning the 800 meter race in a time of 2:03.08 and Fernando running first in the 300 meter intermediate hurdles with a time of 39:69.
   Morgan, who competed a year ago in the 800 meter finals at the 4A-I State Championships where he ran seventh overall with a time of 2:00.93, and Fernando, a member of last year’s State Champion 4x100 meter relay squad from AJHS, accounted for 20 of Apache Junction’s 42 team points at Greenway, giving the Prospectors a seventh place team finish out of 18 schools.
   Phoenix Shadow Mountain scored 75 team points to finish first, Phoenix Deer Valley was second with 71, followed by Pinnacle with 65 points, Valley Christian with 50.50, Phoenix Thunderbird with 48, Phoenix St. Mary’s with 44 and then Apache Junction.
   Also scoring points for the AJHS boys were Trevor Berner (six points) with his third place finish in discus (143-01), the 4x800 meter relay team of Andrew Frost, Colt Grandstaff, Morgan and Armando Zuniga (six points) with their third place finish (5:56.62), Fernando (five points) with his 4th place finish in the 110 meter high hurdles (15:89), the 4x100 meter relay team of Bo Bankhead, Fernando, Harrison Pomeroy and Brian Steward (three points) with their sixth place finish (44:81), Fernando (one point) with his seventh place finish in shot put (42-03.50), the 4x400 meter relay team of Ryan Golden, Grandstaff, Morgan and George Aguayo (one point) with their eighth place finish (3:44.38), and Grandstaff (one-half point) by tying for eighth place in high jump (5-08).

See B-1 and see Track, B-3

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