Apache Junction High School Student Council members were honored before a recent Arizona Diamondbacks game for winning their division of the United Blood Services Arizona High School Challenge by having the highest percentage of students donate blood during three drives held on campus this year. Students are (l to r) Siobhan McKay, Lauren Stewart, Gage Williams, Taylor Harvey, Brandon Fields, Nora Heilman, Natalie Donald, Anthony Gallina, Erin Rankin, Melinda DeMoss, Chyna Gade, Katie Stout, and Diana Woodruff.

Sheriff Fires 4, Including Drunk Sergeant
Despite evidence, deputy not charged with DUI
By Ed Barker
The News
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu hosted a press conference on Friday, May 15, in Florence to announce the termination of four sheriff’s employees, including Sgt. Ron Ryan, a deputy who showed up to his weapons qualifications test under the influence of alcohol three months ago.
   Sgt. Ryan was on duty at the time and was removed from the firing range early on the morning of Wednesday, February 18, after an instructor reported smelling alcohol on Ryan.
   According to sources in the sheriff’s office, Ryan drove his patrol car to the range and several sports drink bottles that had been filled with alcohol were found in Ryan’s patrol car at the scene. Ryan took a breath test that registered a blood alcohol level of .12, more than one and a half times the legal limit for driving.
   Despite the evidence, Ryan was not arrested and has never been charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI). Ryan was placed on paid administrative leave after the incident and continued to draw his paycheck until he was terminated last week.
   In a press release on Friday, May 15, Sheriff Babeu offered no explanation for why Ryan was not charged with a DUI.
   Babeu also announced the firing of Deputy Cardest James following an internal affairs investigation into numerous violations including his failure to maintain Intoxylizer 8000 records for several months which resulted in the dismissal of numerous DUI cases, for providing a civilian observer a loaded shotgun during a police involved shooting incident on October 18, 2008, and exposing the civilian and community to a potential deadly situation.
   Also fired was dispatcher Brittany Beauchamp for failing to follow her supervisor’s instructions and for untruthfulness after she was found to have lied during an investigation.

See A-1 and see Sheriff Firings, A-6

Rizzi Honored By President’s National Volunteer Award
Former City Council candidate recognized for volunteerism
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Former City Council candidate Christa Rizzi has received a President’s Volunteer Service Award from the President’s Council on Service and Participation for her work as a Pinal County Juvenile Court volunteer with the Restorative Justice Panel, Juvenile Detention Center.
   For her efforts, she received a letter from former President George W. Bush notifying her of the Bronze Award. Rizzi admitted she initially thought it was a joke.
   “You know how you get things in the mail and you think, ‘Oh this is a fake,’” Rizzi said with a smile.
“But volunteering is something I’ve done all my life. I love to do it. It’s my passion. It’s nice to be recognized.”
   Donna McBride, program administrator for Juvenile Court Services, nominated Rizzi as part of her organization’s celebration of National Volunteer Week, April 19-25.
   “As a treat this year, we worked with the National Volunteer Center that is through the Points of Light through the White House,” McBride said. “We were able to have all of our volunteers recognized. They received a certificate as well as a letter.
   “We have about 150 volunteers in Pinal County. Christa does work in several areas for us and has been very productive in helping us in the Apache Junction area and around the youth justice center, our detention center.”
   An Apache Junction resident and 13-year property owner, Rizzi has an impressive background. Rizzi, a 2005 Citizen Leadership Institute graduate, has served on the Apache Junction Health and Human Services Commission since 2008, the Apache Junction Municipal Property Corporation since 2005, and the Apache Junction Industrial Development Authority Board from 2005-2008.

See A-1 and see Volunteer, A-9

4A-I State Track Championships
Controversy leaves AJHS girls 4x800 relay out, then back in, then out again, while mess-ups also occur with girls 1600 and 3200 meter finals
By Chuck Baker
The News
Five boys and two girls from Apache Junction High School competed this past Wednesday at the 4A-I State Track and Field Championships held at Mesa Community College led by senior Rusty Fernando who was in three separate events.
   Fernando ran heats of the 100 meters and both the 110 meter high hurdles and the 300 meter intermediate hurdles on Wednesday but was only able to qualify for last Saturday’s finals in the 100 meters after running second overall in his preliminary heat with a time of 11:31.
   Although Fernando ran second overall in the first of two heats, he was seeded eighth overall for Saturday’s nine-man finals, results of which were not available when The News went to press.
   In the boys shot put finals held on Wednesday, senior Mike Taylor came in 7th overall with a throw of 46-04.50 while his teammate, junior Cy Maughmer, placed 10th overall with a throw of 44-6.
   Junior Zane Morgan competed in the 800 meter finals on Wednesday and ended up running seventh overall although a time has yet to posted by www.arizonatrack. com, the official site of the State Championships. A week earlier, Morgan set a new AJHS school record in the 800 meters competing at the Desert Sky Region Meet where he ran a time of 1:58.98. Morgan also ran seventh overall in the State finals of the 800 meters in 2008, where the AJHS boys captured the team championship title, the school’s first ever title in track and field.

See B-1 and see State, B-6

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