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A.J. Teen Awarded Rare
National Honor
 NJROTC Cadet Kennedy receives Legion of
Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
An Apache Junction teen has
been hailed a hero for being
one of few students across
the United States to receive
the Legion of Valor Bronze
Cross for Achievement.
NJROTC cadet Austin
Kennedy was chosen from
720,000 eligible teens for the
Bronze Cross for Achievement.
The award is limited
to a maximum number of 50
who may receive the honor
each year.
Kennedy was presented
with the honor Wednesday,
September 30, by Army Maj.
Frederick Ferguson (Ret.),
the only living recipient in
Arizona of the Congressional
Medal of Honor.
“For this young man to receive
this in Apache Junction,
Ariz., it is no small
achievement,” Ferguson said
in presenting the medal to
Kennedy.
“I can guarantee that they
(the medals) are rare,” he
added.
Kennedy was recommended
for the honor by NJROTC
Instructor Maj. Bill Parker
because of his 4.0 GPA and
for his outstanding military
leadership and his participation
on the NJROTC Varsity
Marksmanship Team and NJROTC Competitive
Academic Team. Kennedy
was also cited for his ability
to “formulate goals” and “focus,”
as he has lost 40 pounds
since his freshman year and
now easily passes the physical
test. He was also nominated
“This award is a very rare
achievement for JROTC cadets,”
Parker said.
Ferguson added, “If nothing
else, it shows tenacity
and purpose. In the military,
tenacity and purpose is a big
thing.”
See
A-1
Walking For A Cure
 A.J. team participating in Breast Cancer
3-Day Walk
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
An Apache Junction-based
team of women will walk for
a good cause November 13
through November 15 in Gilbert.
The team, dubbed the “Hot
Pink Chili Steppers,” will participate
in the Breast Cancer
3-Day Benefitting the Susan
G. Komen for the Cure.
During the event, thousands
of women and men will come
together, each raising money
for Susan G. Komen for the
Cure and the National Philanthropic
Trust Breast Cancer
Fund, according to the event’s
Web site, www.the3day.org.
Then they take their commitment
to end breast cancer one
step further and walk 60 miles
over the course of three days.
Eighty-five percent of the
net proceeds of this event go
to Susan G. Komen for the
Cure. The remaining 15 percent
of net funds goes to the
National Philanthropic Trust
Breast Cancer Fund to provide
a permanent endowment
for ongoing support of breast
cancer initiatives.
Jessica Wallace—who is joined in her
team by Joyce
Johnston, Luci Guardi, Patti
Garnier, Tina Nichtern, Sandy
Greer and Debbie Morrison—
explained the reasoning
behind her team’s mission to
raise money for the cause.
“We had a client diagnosed
with breast cancer at a really
young age,” she said.
“Her daughers were my best
friends growing up in the
neighborhood.”
See
A-1
and see Walking,
A-3
Vice Mayor Victim Of
Road Rage
 PCSO says Eck struck motorcycle
resulting in altercation with rider
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Apache Junction Vice Mayor
R.E. Eck was discharged
from a hospital last Friday
night after he was involved in
a road rage incident at noon
the same day near Idaho Road
and Old West Highway.
According to the Pinal County
Sheriff’s Office, Eck’s car
struck a motorcycle from behind,
triggering the incident.
“The investigation is still
ongoing but it appears Vice
Mayor Eck’s vehicle struck
the rear of a motorcycle,
causing the passenger on the
motorcycle to be knocked off
onto the roadway,” said PCSO
spokeswoman Tami Villar.
“Following the collision, the
driver of the motorcycle apparently
assaulted Vice Mayor
Eck.”
Eck and the motorcycle passenger
were airlifted to a valley
hospital. The passenger’s
condition is unknown.
No arrests had been made
and no citations issued as of
Friday evening, according to
Villar.
As with any incident relating
to the City Council
or mayor, the matter was
turned over from the Apache
Junction Police Department
to the PCSO.
The assault incident was
the second involving the
vice mayor in just over a
year. Eck’s brother-in-law,
Vincent Carlos Sanchez, 37,
of Mesa, was arrested for
assaulting Eck on July 10, 10, 2008, at
the city official’s
home. The attack left Eck
with a broken rib as well as a
bruised abdomen.
Sanchez was arraigned
July 11, 2008, on two felony
charges of aggravated assault
and one count of burglary.
After the attack, Eck was taken
to Mountain Vista Medical
Center in Mesa where he was
treated and released.
Andrew Jones, Clarissa
Mohle Dual Winners
 Just one meet left before regionals for
AJHS swim & dive
By Chuck Baker
The News
Apache Junction swimmers
Andrew Jones and Clarissa
Mohle were both dual winners
in last Tuesday’s home
swim and dive meet against
(Chandler) Seton Catholic
but it was not enough as the
AJHS boys and girls teams
came up a little short in the
team competition.
Jones won the 50 freestyle
with a time of 24:74 and
then captured the 100 freestyle
with a time of 57:17
but the Prospectors still lost
to Seton, 101-84.
Mohle took first place in
the 100 butterfly with her
time of 1:14.26 and then
won the 100 backstroke with
a time of 1:14.99 but the
Lady Prospectors still lost to
Seton, 108-62.
Other first place winners
for Apache Junction included
Ole Gabrielson in
diving with 156.60 points
and Mackenzie Hvidsten in
the 200 freestyle with a time
of 2:07.40 for the boys, and
Jinny Voung in the 50 freestyle
with a time of 30:41
for the girls.
Posting second place finishes
for the AJHS boys
were Richard Penick in the
100 freestyle (57:24) and
in the 200 individual medley
(2:18.05), John Simeonoff
in the 100 backstroke
(1:09.68), Charles Bauer
in diving (126.10), Chris
Richmond in the 500 freestyle
(6:31.11) and both the
200 medley relay (2:00.23)
and the 200 freestyle relay
(1:50.36).
Second place finishes for
the AJHS girls included Kacey
Beyer in the 100 backstroke
(1:19.52), Nicoletta
Carbone in the 500 freestyle
(6:55.61), the 200 medley
relay (2:18.67) and the 400
freestyle relay (4:47.23).
See
B-1
and see Swim,
B-2
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