State Sales Tax Increase Goes To Polls
Special election is Tuesday, May 18
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Arizona residents will hit the polls on Tuesday, May 18, to vote for or against Proposition 100, a ballot measure that calls for a temporary 1-percent sales tax increase.
   It is estimated to raise at least $1 billion.
 The City of Apache Junction could not take a stand on the issue, according to Public Information Officer Pat Brenner. However, AJUSD Superintendent Dr. Chad Wilson sent letters to parents and community members saying if the sales tax does not pass, the school district will have to cut 20.5 percent from its budget ot $6.7 million.
   “On May 18, a Sales Tax Special Election titled Proposition 100 will be held to give Arizona voters the opportunity to approve a temporary 1 percent (one cent on the dollar) sales tax increase to help fund primary and secondary education, health and human services and public safety,” Wilson wrote.
   “The 1 cent sales tax measure would increase the current rate of 5.6 percent to 6.6 percent.”
 If the sales tax passes, the district would have to still make cuts—$4.5 million or a 13.8-percent reduction.
   Wilson said the State of Arizona has approved two budget plans for 2010-2011 fiscal year, one if Proposition 100 is approved and the other if it is not.

See A-1

AJ Widow At Center Of Cancer Trial
It starts June 7 in Philadelphia
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Joanne Branham cries softly when she recalls her husband’s struggle with a malignant brain tumor that subsequently ended his life only one month after his diagnosis in 2004.
   But she is strong when she talks about her mission this summer. The Apache Junction widow intends to be in court every day, starting June 7, fighting for her late husband, Frank. Their case is the first of the 31 cancer cluster cases against chemical giant Rohm & Haas/Dow Chemical to come to trial in a Philadelphia courtroom.
   The Branhams, who prior to moving to Arizona lived in McCullom Lake, Ill., claim the chemical manufacturer poisoned the air and groundwater in the McCullom Lake community with vinyl chloride among other carcinogens discharged into an unlined waste pit from the Ringwood, Ill., plant. The prolonged exposure to the tainted water, ground and air caused the rare form of a malignant brain cancer that killed Franklin Delano Branham, according to their complaint filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. The cases are being tried in Pennsylvania because it is the headquarters of Rohm & Haas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Michigan-based Dow Chemical.

See A-1 and see Cancer Trial, A-9

Ironwood Work To Be Done In Phases
Motorists advised to expect delays
Construction on Ironwood Drive from U.S. Highway 60 north to 16th Avenue will continue through August 12, according to City officials.
   The project involves removing the old asphalt pavement and replacing it with new asphalt pavement. The project will be done in stages. The southbound lanes of Ironwood Drive (west side of Ironwood Drive) will be removed and replaced first, with north-south through traffic being placed on the northbound lanes. When the southbound lanes are complete, north-south traffic will be routed on the new pavement while the existing pavement in the northbound lanes (east side of Ironwood Drive) will be removed and replaced.
   Traffic barricading is in place throughout the construction area to assist with traffic flow and provide safety to the public and the construction workers. Local access for traffic will be maintained for the duration of the project. Traffic barricading is necessary to control traffic flow and speed through the construction site to ensure safety of vehicle & pedestrian traffic. The barricading is monitored constantly by the contractor and by the City, and changes are made as needed throughout the workday.
   Due to the nature of the work proposed for this project, the City recommends motorists use alternate roads if possible to avoid the construction area. The City apologizes in advance for any inconvenience this may cause the driving public.
   For more information, motorists and local residents should contact the City’s Public Works Department at (480) 982-1055.

4A-I State Track And Field Championships
Zane Morgan to run for “Gold” in both the 200 and 400 meters
By Chuck Baker
The News
I’m not sure what was more upsetting for the Prospector 4x400 meter relay team at last Friday’s 4A-I State Track and Field Championships held at Mesa Community College. Finishing seventh overall in the finals, or finishing behind their arch rivals from Queen Creek.
   Apache Junction’s foursome of junior David Fernando, freshman Ricky Donald, and seniors Colt Grandstaff and Zane Morgan got off to a slow start in Friday’s finals and were never able to make up much ground as they ran sixth overall in their heat and seventh overall with a combined time of 3:28.34.
   That was well off the their school-record pace of 3:24.90 set a week earlier when they captured the Desert Sky Region title and defeated the team from Queen Creek. But this past Friday, while the AJHS foursome, which had the fifth fastest qualifying time heading into the finals, finished out of the medals, the Queen Creek 4x400 relay squad, seeded 11th overall, shaved five seconds off of their qualifying time and ended up placing 4th with a time of 3:25.20 and picked up the fourth place medals.

See B-1 and see State, B-6