Eck Resigns As Vice Mayor
Retains seat on the council— New vice mayor may be selected this week
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Councilman R.E. Eck has resigned from his role as vice mayor of the Apache Junction City Council. His written resignation was dated Friday, September 24, 2010 and received by the city clerk’s office on Monday, September 27. The issue of accepting his resignation and appointing his replacement is on the governing body’s agenda for the Tuesday, October 5 meeting. Eck will retain his seat on the council.
   In the brief resignation letter to Mayor John Insalaco, Eck wrote, “It has been an honor to serve in this capacity, but I believe it is time to pass the baton to another council member.”
   He gave no reason for the resignation but it is known he has been plagued with health problems for several years.
   “I just believe it would be better off for him and the rest of the council and whole city in general, because of his health and what’s going on,” Insalaco said. “But I think it would be best for his own sake if he just stepped down from being vice mayor.”
   Eck was recently indicted for his role in an October 2009 road-rage incident. He is set to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Friday, October 15, in front of Judge Pro Tem Dwight Callahan, Division 5, Pinal County Superior Court in Florence.

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‘Smugglers’ Desert Shooting Case Reopened
Experts say deputy’s story doesn’t match evidence— Sheriff forced to allow forensic exam
By Ed Barker
The News
After five months of dismissing questions about the investigation of a desert shooting of one of his deputies, public pressure has forced Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu to finally allow forensic tests on evidence from the April shooting incident that made national headlines at the time it was reported.
   In a press release dated Monday, September 27, 2010, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department said they were “reopening” the case and the bloody shirt the deputy was wearing that day will be furnished to the Arizona Department of Public Safety for forensic examination. However, it is not clear if the test results will be made public.
   The shooting involved Deputy Louie Puroll who said he was ambushed in the desert near Casa Grande. The incident took place in the midst of a controversy over a newly inacted Arizona immigration law (SB 1070) and a national furor over immigration. Puroll said he was shot while tracking drug smugglers. He suffered a flesh wound to the side during a purported shootout with the outlaws. But by the time other officers arrived, the half-dozen suspects had disappeared.
   Immediately after the shooting some law-enforcement experts raised questions about Puroll’s account based on physical evidence and other circumstances. For example, it has never been explained why Deputy Puroll was tracking drug smugglers alone, or how the suspects got away with their purported 50-pound marijuana loads despite a search by 200 deputies and several helicopters. One official said, “Drug smugglers always drop their marijuana loads when fleeing.”

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Rios ‘Leader of the Year’
Capitol Times honors Apache Junction’s state senator
Arizona Senate Assistant Minority Leader Senator Rebecca Rios of Apache Junction was honored as one of Arizona’s leaders of the year in public policy for government transparency by the Arizona Capitol Times.
 “I am honored to receive this recognition, but in truth, this award is for the people of Legislative District 23, who have bestowed on me the honor of representing them at our state capitol,” Rios said.
 “I have always believed that they, along with all other Arizonans, have a right to know what is happening in our government, and I have sought to bring honesty, integrity, and transparency to the Legislature throughout my time there.”
 The Capitol Times called Rios “one of the most accessible legislators at the Capitol. The outspoken Democrat takes time to call back if she missed a call and follows up on queries. Her office is always open, and she doesn’t back away from tough questions.
 This outspokenness has won her many fans among her colleagues, but not surprisingly, some don’t always like to hear what she has to say.
 “If I don’t have a voice, my constituents don’t have a voice, and I’m not going to let that happen,” said Rios.

Prospectors Can’t Rid Demons On Homecoming
Lose five fumbles in 21-12 loss to Greenway
By Chuck Baker
The News
 If the Prospector varsity football team had any demons in their closet in their 4-1 start to the 2010 season, it would be a tendency for the offense to put the ball on the ground. They did so five times in Friday’s Homecoming Game against the Greenway Demons, two of the fumble recoveries leading to short-field touchdowns, and Apache Junction came up a little short, falling 21-12, spoiling an otherwise festive night.
 Coupled perhaps with an emotional letdown after the previous week’s big 34-7 win over #2-ranked Cottonwood Mingus, Apache Junction found out the hard way that if you turn the ball over against a quality opponent, it’s tough to win. In six games, the Prospectors have fumbled 14 times and have lost ten of those.
 Apache Junction, now 4-2 on the season, has nothing but quality opponents remaining on their schedule, starting with this Friday’s away game at Cave Creek Cactus Shadows. After that, remaining games are against Queen Creek, Tempe Mc- Clintock and Scottsdale Saguaro. Their remaining five opponents have a combined record of 13-7 and the Prospectors simply have to do a better job of protecting the ball with this group of teams ahead as they battle for a post season playoff spot.

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