Council Keeps ‘Call To The Public’ As Is
City Council discussed televising “Call to the Public” but decided against it— October proclaimed ‘Domestic Violence’ month
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
The Apache Junction City Council discussed possibly changing an ordinance to televise the “Call to the Public” portion of the City Council meetings but the idea was dismissed by most of the governing body during its work session Monday, October 18.
  The idea was open to discussion only and no vote was held on the subject, as with all items on work session agendas.
  The governing body moved “Call to the Public” to the end of the meetings in spring 2009 after it became “unruly and quite nasty,” said Councilman Jeff Serdy. The City stopped televising it shortly thereafter.
  Serdy called for the discussion, according to the agenda. He said after the last regular City Council meeting on October 5, several people approached him with items that were worthwhile for the public to hear.
  “I feel now that it has settled down enough and people respect it more,” Serdy said.
 Councilman Doug Coleman said there are still valid reasons to keep it off television. For example, political activists use the segment to push their causes and their websites.
  Also, he explained, sometimes misinformation is presented and the council spends a lot of time trying “to correct things.”
  “I realize that there are certain announcements that are really intended for the community,” Coleman said. He added that those announcements can easily be made via a letter to the editor in a local newspaper or by handing a note to one of the councilpersons before a meeting.

See A-1 and see Council, A-9

Valley Fever Walk Set For Nov. 7
Event to raise awareness of illness
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Humans and their canine companions will come together to raise awareness for Valley Fever during the second annual Valley Fever Walk for the Cure at 8 a.m. Sunday, November 7, at 550 Van Buren near the College of Medicine at the University
of Arizona.
  The individual registration fee is $25. To register online, visit tinyurl.com/phoenixvfwalk. Present at the walk will be Dr. John N. Galgiani, director and founder of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona in Tucson, and Dr. Lisa F. Shubitz, Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology University of Arizona.
  Gold Canyon D.O.G.—Dog Owners Group, through the Kramer Valley Fever Fund, has been one of the organizations involved in Valley Fever Awareness, Education and Fundraising. For more information, visit its website, www.GoldCanyonDOG.org and click on the Valley Fever page.
  In 2009, more than 200 people and about 80 dogs attended
the event.
  Coccidioidomycosis (“Cocci” for short)—more commonly referred to as “Valley Fever”—is primarily a disease of the lungs that is common in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is caused by the fungus Coccidioides spp., which grows in soils in areas of low rainfall, high summer temperatures and moderate winter temperatures. These fungal spores become airborne when the soil is disturbed by winds, construction, farming and other activities.

Nov. 1 Sentencing For Maeghan Rice
Teen pleads guilty in ‘08 murder
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Gold Canyon resident Maeghan Rice is set to be sentenced November 1 after pleading guilty to second degree murder recently for her role in the June 20, 2008, murder of Randall Davis- Mercier.
  She was originally charged premeditated murder in the first degree. The deal happened within the last couple weeks, said Kostas Kalaitzidis, a county attorney spokesman.
  Meanwhile, the trial of 20-year-old David Paulson, who is charged with premeditated murder in the first degree, has been set for April after a set of continuances.
  According to police, Paulson stabbed 17-year-old Mercier 20 times in June of 2008. The attack, which began in Gold Canyon and ended in the 1000 block of North Tomahawk Road, occurred between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.
  Authorities suspected the attack was the result of jealousy between two boys over one girl, Capt. Tom Kelly of the Apache Junction Police Department said at the time.
  The attack took place after Paulson allegedly told Rice he was going to kill Mercier. Rice, who is now 19, was allegedly directed by Paulson to pick up Mercier, while Paulson hid in the back seat of a crew cab truck under a blanket. Paulson allegedly waited for Rice to utter a code word before he lunged from the backseat, stabbing Mercier, police say.
  Paulson then fled to Utah, where his mother resided, and he was extradited from that state to Arizona.

AJHS V-Ball ‘Big Winner’ On Senior Night
Sierra Aulik and Marissa Stinnett return to the gym
By Chuck Baker
The News
The Lady Prospectors lost to Scottsdale Saguaro in a tough five-setter last Thursday evening on “Senior Night” ut make no mistake about it, AJHS volleyball was the big winner this night as Sierra Aulik and Marissa Stinnett made their return to the gymnasium, just nine days after that somber rollover accident on October 15.
  Aulik, a senior, and Stinnett, a sophomore, were dressed in their game-day jerseys although neither was ready to hit the court again.
  Sierra was showing the bumps and bruises she suffered in the accident and doctors say it will be several weeks before she will be able to return to athletics, hopefully some time during the upcoming basketball season.
  Marissa was still in a wheelchair and wore a neck brace as a result of her recent surgery and doctors say it may take a year before she will be able to return to competition, although AJHS Coach Mandy Gamboa believes that day may come sooner.
  Without question, seeing Sierra and Marissa back in the gym was the highlight of Senior Night, even though the actually match that was played was a terrific one.
  The Lady Prospectors, understandably fighting back their emotions on this night of celebration, dropped the first two games to Saguaro, 25-18 and 25-14, but roared back to take the next two by identical 25-20 scores, setting up a fifth and deciding game to fifteen points. Saguaro survived in the tiebreaker, 15-9, and improved to 12-9 overall on the season, greatly helping their post season playoff chances.

See B-1 and see Seinors, B-6