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From the KATO Newsroom
William Perry - News Director

August 2006 Archive

Canadian mining company Inco Ltd. urged shareholders on Tuesday to reject a hostile offer from a Brazilian mining company, while encouraging a friendly takeover by Phelps Dodge Mining Company.

Toronto-based Inc, the world's second-largest producer of nickel, said Tuesday, that it continues to support a cash-and-stock offer from Phelps Dodge worth about $17.4-billion.

Inco shareholders would prefer to sell their company to Companhia Vale do Rio Doce of Brazil because they are offering an all cash deal for Inco.

The Inco Board of Directors are supporting the sale of the company to Phelps Dodge because of a "break fee" that would cause Inco to have to pay Phelps Dodge $428-million if they broke a previous sales agreement.

Inco shareholders are scheduled to vote on the Phelps Dodge bid on September 7th. If Inco shareholders reject the bid, Inco would be obliged to pay Phelps Dodge a $125-million "break fee". Inco would then be free to solicit acquisition proposals from third parties and seek an improvement in the Brazilian bid.

Phelps Dodge is under pressure from some of its shareholders over the level of debt it would incur if the deal goes through.

       

The gloves are off.

Democratic Senate candidate Jim Pederson has launched a new ad that characterizes the Republican incumbent as a shill for special interest groups.

The ad entitled "Changed" shows a grinning Senator Jon Kyl with President Bush and points out the senator voted for tax breaks for oil companies.

The ad began running statewide yesterday.

It says "Big oil has showered Senator Kyl with big money, and he has returned the favor."

Pederson calls the ad part of a new phase in his campaign that's meant to articulate how he differs from Kyl.

Kyl calls the ad a "snide political attack" that he intends to fight.

       

A new survey of Arizona voters shows most supporting four immigration-related measures that the Legislature put on the November general election ballot.

The same poll found a majority opposing an initiative measure on marriage.

Results of the poll were released Tuesday.

The poll found support for measures to deny bail to illegal immigrants charged with a serious felony.

Voters also appear to support making English the state's official language while barring illegal immigrants from receiving punitive damages in civil lawsuits.

Voters also favor prohibiting illegal immigrants from receiving certain government services and benefits.

The poll found a majority of those surveyed oppose an initiative to amend the Arizona Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

The poll was conducted Thursday through Tuesday by Phoenix television station K-A-E-I, Channel 8, and Arizona State Unviersity's journalism school.

       

Census Bureau figures show many of us are going without health care insurance.

More than one-point-two (m) million people or one in five residents did not have health insurance last year.

The count of uninsured jumped by more than 225-thousand people from 2004 to 2005.

Authorities say that whatever the increase, it reflects a worsening of Arizonans' ability to cope with higher health-care costs and insurance premiums.

The decline in coverage is occurring despite a slight increase in the state's median household income over a two-year period.

Census officials says the increase of 779 dollars to 45-thousand-279 dollars was too small to be statistically significant.

Arizona's poverty rate rose to roughly one in seven people, but the gain also was considered outside statistical significance.

       

Sierra Vista police say one of their officers was forced to shoot and kill a knife wielding woman last night.

Officers were sent to a home about 5 p-m when a woman said that her roommate was armed with a knife and threatening her.

A Sierra Vista Police Department detective says the 43-year-old woman with the knife was throwing her roommate's property out of the home when officers arrived.

At some point during the confrontation with officers, the woman was shot by one of them.

He wouldn't release the circumstances surrounding the shooting or how many shots were fired, citing the investigation.

The woman was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Health Center where she was pronounced dead.

       

American farmers and ranchers who've been hard-hit by drought are getting some relief from Washington.

The Associated Press has learned that the Bush administration is giving nearly 800 (m) million dollars to help them recover. It includes 50 (m) million dollars in block grants for states, and 18 (m) million from emergency conservation funds. And the Agriculture Department is speeding-up 700 (m) million dollars in planned payments to cotton, grain, sorghum and peanut farmers.

The administration has resisted a four (b) billion-dollar drought-aid plan in Congress because it would go only to those who already get government subsidies.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the aid Tuesday afternoon in South Dakota.

Last month was the hottest July since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

       

A Safford man died after he lay trapped under a tractor for over 9-hours, Sunday.

According to a report from the Graham County Sheriff's Office, 32-year-old Daniel Patrick Lee had been driving a farm tractor with a hydraulic hay rake implement attached to it in a hay field near East Relation Street in Safford.

A 9-year-old boy on his bicycle found Lee and called 9-1-1, Sunday afternoon.

A Safford officer was the first to arrive on the scene and he said that Lee was conscious and was talking. He told the Safford officer that around 7:30am, he was driving the tractor and was attacked by bees. He hit the engine "kill switch" and tripped when he jumped off the tractor.

The tractor was apparently still in the process of stopping and lurched forward, running over and stopping on top of Lee.

Lee was pinned underneath the huge tractor tire for approximately 9-hours before he was found by the boy at around 4:30pm.

The left-rear tractor tire was on the Lee's lower back.

An ambulance, the Safford Fire Department, and Lee's family were called to the scene.

Lee was extricated from underneath the tractor by using a back hoe and the winch on a Safford Fire engine. He was then flown by helicopter to University Medical Center in Tucson.

He died of his injuries at UMC at around 4:30am, Monday morning.

       

A Graham County Deputy was called to the Sand Dunes recreation area, South of Safford, early Saturday afternoon, where a motorcycle collided with a 4-wheeler, injuring two.

The deputy arrived at the Sand Dunes and found that a BLM officer was tending to a female who was lying on the ground. An ambulance had been called to the scene and the female was transported to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford.

Catalina Gonzales, age unknown, and some of her friend had gone to the Sand Dunes to ride a 4-wheeler. Gonzales told the deputy at Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, that she was riding a 4-wheeler. She went around a bush and was hit by a motorcycle.

The man driving the motorcycle, who was identified as Tyler Bell, 21, and who was also interviewed at the hospital, stated that he was riding his motorcycle on Sandy Road and was traveling at approximately 45 to 50-MPH when a 4-wheeler, driven by Gonzales, came out from behind a bush and the two collided.

The deputies report states that Tyler Bell received an injury to his left wrist. Gonzales sustained a compound fracture to her left forearm in the collision.

       

Graham County Search and Rescue, Sheriff's Deputies, and Pima Police and Fire Department were called to an area near Cottonwood Wash, west of Pima, Friday afternoon, to conduct a possible water rescue and search for three missing Pima boys.

An employee of the Union Canal Company had called the Graham County Sheriff's Office to report that another employee had witnessed some kids being swept down Cottonwood Wash during a flash flood at around 4:45pm.

The search party arrived at Cottonwood Wash and began searching from Grandview Lane to the Gila River. While the search was going on the three boys were located walking on a farm road near the area.

The three boys were identified as: Heath Ferrin, 19, Robert Johnson, 12, and Ryan Johnson, 8, all of Pima.

The three victims reported that they were riding a dirt bike and a 4-wheeler in the area of Cottonwood Wash. They had already crossed through water in Cottonwood Wash once and the water was not deep. When they decided to re-cross the Wash, the water had gotten deeper and swifter. All three boys were swept off their vehicles by the swift water and were being swept downstream.

19-year-old Heath Ferrin told investigators that he was able to get to an area where he helped the other two boys out of the flood waters.

The three then began walking down the farm road where they were found by rescue workers. west of Pima, Friday afternoon, to conduct a possible water rescue and search for three missing Pima boys.

An employee of the Union Canal Company had called the Graham County Sheriff's Office to report that another employee had witnessed some kids being swept down Cottonwood Wash during a flash flood at around 4:45pm.

The search party arrived at Cottonwood Wash and began searching from Grandview Lane to the Gila River. While the search was going on the three boys were located walking on a farm road near the area.

The three boys were identified as: Heath Ferrin, 19, Robert Johnson, 12, and Ryan Johnson, 8, all of Pima.

The three victims reported that they were riding a dirt bike and a 4-wheeler in the area of Cottonwood Wash. They had already crossed through water in Cottonwood Wash once and the water was not deep. When they decided to re-cross the Wash, the water had gotten deeper and swifter. All three boys were swept off their vehicles by the swift water and were being swept downstream.

19-year-old Heath Ferrin told investigators that he was able to get to an area where he helped the other two boys out of the flood waters.

The three then began walking down the farm road where they were found by rescue workers.

       

A Tucson lightning expert has teamed up with a University of Oklahoma professor to invent a device that could save lives by predicting when lightning might strike.

University of Oklahoma meteorology professor William Beasley says the Campbell Scientific C-S-110 Electric Field Meter measures the amount of electricity in the atmosphere. With that measurement the device provides advance warning that lightning may be imminent.

Beasley worked with lightning expert Leon Byerley of Tucson to develop the device and one is already in place on top of the soon to open National Weather Center building at the University of Oklahoma.

It costs about 35-hundred dollars - plus another three-thousand dollars for a solar panel, battery and tripod.

       

A 19-year-old Willcox man was sentenced to six months in the Cochise County Jail and four years probation for three counts of negligent homicide.

More than two and a half years ago a vehicle, driven by Kellen Patterson, who was 17 at the time, killed 47-year-old Geraldine Coffman and her two grandchildren, Christopher and Joseph Kingman, ages 1 and 4.

Patterson ran a stop sign at Hamilton and Old Stewart roads near Willcox, on Friday, January 9, 2004.

County Sheriff's deputies interviews with Patterson and his brother Koby, then 16, who was a passenger in the vehicle, indicated that Kellen did not see Coffman's vehicle coming, but apparently consciously disregarded the stop sign.

       

A Pima couple that were arrested in New Mexico for possession of 172 pounds of marijuana say the drug is sacrament in their religion. The U.S. attorney's office contends they are trying to use religion as a cover for a drug operation.

Danuel and Mary Quaintance staked their religious freedom claim in federal court in Albuquerque, last week, in a three-day hearing in connection with their February arrest in Lordsburg on drug charges.

The couple are charged with conspiracy and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute more than 50-kilos of pot that were found in their car.

Danuel Quaintance has been portrayed by his attorney as a "spiritual man who has followed his religious beliefs and practices at great personal risk."

The Quaintance's contend they have a right to marijuana as the central focus of the Church of Cognizance, founded by Danuel Quaintance in 1991 and registered as a religious organization in Arizona in 1994.

U.S District Judge Judith Herrera said she would take written arguments and review transcripts and documents before deciding whether or not to dismiss the charges based on the Quaintances' right to freely exercise their religion

       

A hive containing an estimated quarter-million Africanized bees has been removed from a home North of Sierra Vista where a 39-year-old man was fatally stung a week ago Sunday.

Charlie Pasley was stung about 300 times by a swarm of bees as he was working on the roof of his home in Whetstone with his father, Chuck.

Chuck Pasley was stung about 100 times but suffered no serious effects.

The bee attack was reported on KATO Radio last week, and received national attention.

Local exterminator Michael Smith says the hive weighed about 70 pounds. It was in a crawl space underneath the family's mobile home and couldn't be seen.

Smith says all wild bees in the state are Africanized and homeowners should have them removed as soon as they see them.

Africanized bees are no more poisonous than normal honey bees but they attack in swarms. Bee experts say an average 150-pound person can only tolerate about 100 stings before they die.

       

An illegal immigrant who abandoned a 16-month-old girl under a mesquite bush as Border Patrol agents closed in was convicted of child abuse Friday.

But a jury in Cochise County rejected a more serious abuse charge that could have led to a 24-year prison sentence.

Juan Cayetano Rosas crossed the border near Douglas in July 2005 with a group led by a smuggler. The Mexican man told jurors the smuggler told a woman in the group to give him her 16-month-old daughter to carry just before Border Patrol agents scattered them.

The 24-year-old says he hid with the child under a mesquite bush until the toddler started to cry, them ran away thinking agents would find the crying child. He was caught and led agents to the child several hours later.

A juror says they rejected the more serious charge because they didn't think the child was in as much danger from snakes and scorpions as prosecutors alleged.

       

A 39-year-old man died after a swarm of bees attacked him and his father near Sierra Vista.

The two men were working on a roof Saturday east of Whetsone when they accidentally disturbed a bee hive. While the father sought refuge inside the home, the son stayed outside to try to ward off the bees.

The father was stung about 100 times, but his son was fatally stung about 300 times. The father was stable in stable condition at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center.

It was unclear whether the son died at the house or at the hospital.

Sheriff's deputies and firefighters used foam to placate the angry bees. Two emergency workers were stung, but were okay. Officials did not know what type of bees attacked the men.

       

Wildlife officials have saved the life of an eagle who was found so weak, his rescuers were able to pick him up with their hands.

The eagle was found on the ground trying to reach water near Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains in Cochise County.

When the eagle was brought to the Tucson Wildlife Center, it was extremely emaciated and dehydrated, and couldn't stand for the first couple of days he was in the center's care.

The eagle, which has been named Cochise after the famed leader of the Apache tribe, was treated with an I-V of fluids including dextrose and iron.

After a short time, Cochise was moved to the flight cage, and six weeks later, he was returned to the wild.

Cochise was spotted as recently as Saturday, soaring over the Cochise Stronghold.

       

Officials from the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy have noticed that in the past five years, the rattlesnake venom from snake bites in Cochise County have been the most severe in the state.

"The high acuity of these bites is a big concern for us, and it's something we don't quite understand", says Jude McNally from the Poison Center.

The center has been following the area's venomous snakebite cases, along with the care that bite victims receive at the Sierra Vista Regional Health Center.

Cochise and Graham Counties are the home of the Mohave rattlesnake, considered to be one of the most dangerous venomous snakes in the Sonoran Desert. Identified as having a neurotoxin that is not typically found in other venomous snakes, bites delivered by the Mohave rattler are extremely toxic and can be lethal.

Arizona Game and Fish and the UofA are working to find some answers as to why the Mohave rattlesnake venom is so much more toxic that other snakes around the state.

"We're in the process of preparing some preliminary studies on snakes to see where this will take us," says McNally. "Until we learn more, we're concerned there may be venom components in Cochise and Graham Counties that we have yet to characterize."

       

The Graham County Narcotics Task Force served three search warrants on Wednesday, August 16th, searching for illegal narcotics.

At around 8:30am, Wednesday, Task Force Officers served arrest warrants on Max Ramirez, 30, of Mesa, Antoinette Espinoza, 23, of Safford, and Sandra Sandoval, 19, of Sierra Vista.

All three suspects were booked on the arrest warrants and suspects Espinoza and Sandoval were found to be in possession of Crystal Methamphetamine.

They were also charged with possession of dangerous drugs for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia.

All three suspects were booked into the Graham County Jail and are being held on $10,000 bond each.

       

The Graham County Narcotics Task Force arrested the same two alleged drug dealers on August 14th, that they arrested on August 9th - for the same offense, possession of dangerous drugs.

Michael Van Raam, 64, and Christy Payette, 47, were stopped by a DPS officer on Monday, August 14th, at around 8:00pm, on Upper Solomon Road.

Michael Van Raam was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The DPS officer suspected that Van Raam and Payette were in possession of narcotics and he called members of the Graham County Narcotics Task Force for assistance.

The Task Force searched Van Raam's vehicle and found 21-grams of Crystal Methamphetamine, packaged for sale.

Both suspects were arrested and taken to the Graham County Jail for the second time in less than a week, on charges of possession of dangerous drugs, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, possession of drug paraphernalia, and Van Raam was charged with DUI.

Bond was set at $75,000 each.

       

District One Congressman Rick Renzi, who represents Graham and Greenlee Counties in the U.S.Congress, says he worries that human and drug smuggling networks along the Arizona-Mexico border could attract terrorist organizations.

Renzi spoke about immigration and terrorism at a special Congressional hearing in Sierra Vista.

He said at the House Intelligence Committee hearing that groups like al-Qaeda might someday copy successful smugglers and exploit security gaps along the border.

However, the committee's lone Democratic member wasn't so certain.

New Jersey Representative Rush Holt said terrorism and smuggling were being erroneously connected in the immigration debate. The U-S Border Patrol says it currently does not have evidence of terrorist activity along the U-S Mexico border.

       

A Douglas Police Officer has filed legal notice that he intends to sue Cochise County, The City of Douglas, and the State of Arizona, just to name a few, for alleged vindictive prosecution against him.

Roger P. Clark, is accusing the Douglas Police Chief Charles Austin, Douglas Police Lt. Charles Guido, Deputy County Attorney Anne Carl, and other municipal, county, and state employees of conspiring to maliciously prosecute him on domestic violence charges. Clark says he was arrested in July of 2004, and charged in three domestic abuse incidents dating back to December 2003.

Clark says he was arrested in a manner calculated and designed to embarrass, humiliate, injure, denigrate, and intimidate him.

All charges against Clark were eventually dropped.

Clark, who is still employed by the Douglas Police Department, is asking for a settlement of $750,000, although his attorney, Jose Lerma, said the amount could increase if the case goes to trial.

       

Safford and Pima Police arrested a group of 5-adults and 2-juveniles who are accused of walking into the Safford Wal-mart and walking out with 9-computers worth over $900.00 a piece.

According to a Safford Police Department Investigator, Diane Thomas, on Thursday, August 10th, a group of 5-related adults and three of their underaged children strolled into Wal-mart, at around 5:30pm. They loaded up two Westinghouse computers in shopping carts and walked out of Wal-mart without paying for the merchandise.

At around 8:30pm, the group was back. They strolled over to the computer department and loaded up seven more Westinghouse computers in shopping carts nd simply strolled out the front door.

Someone from the group was able to distract the door greeter during both shoplifting incidents.

The next day, August 11th, inventory was taken in the electronic department and they discovered that 9-computers were missing. The electronics department informed the Wal-mart Lost Prevention Officer, David Quintana, and he contacted Safford Police.

Wal-mart has a very sophisticated video camera system inside the store and Quintana and Safford Detectives went over video tapes from the day before.

Detectives were able to identify the burglary suspects from observing the videos.

On Wednesday night, August 16th, Safford investigators and Pima Police arrested Deborah Izzo, 39, Yvonne Vance, 24, Joseph Vance, 26, Destiny Hamlet, 19, Casey Vance, 21, and two juveniles at a residence in Pima.

Seven of the nine computers and other stolen merchandise and clothes from Wal-mart were also recovered at the residence.

The five adults and the three juveniles have been charged with Theft and Conspiracy to commit theft, Trafficing in stolen property, Contributing to the Delinquency of a minor, and other charges.

The group was arrested and taken to the Graham County Jail and Juvenile Detention in Safford.

       

An energetic summer monsoon system has fed a stream of moisture into portions of Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas.

Forecasters say the system is on a record pace in some areas. Parts of New Mexico have been pummeled for weeks -- leading to flash flooding and heavy runoff across the entire region.

President Bush this week declared El Paso, Texas, a disaster area from heavy rain and flooding earlier this month. Southeastern Arizona also has received an abundance of rain in recent weeks.

This summer's monsoon is one of the wettest on record so far.

Wednesday's storms dropped nearly an inch of rain on Tucson's east side and at Tucson International Airport, pushing the rain total to just under eight inches since the monsoon began June 15th.

The National Weather Service says the total makes the 2006 monsoon the second-wettest monsoon to date in Tucson. The wettest was back in 1955, when ten and a-half inches of rain was recorded.

       

A new report indicates that most states with high school exit exams have more stringent requirements than Arizona.

Arizona is one of 19 states that don't require school districts to offer remediation courses for students who don't pass Arizona's exit exam called AIMS. It is also one of five states that allows students to use course grades to augment test scores.

The report on the 25 states that are or will be implementing exit exams for high school students comes from the Center on Education Policy. It's a nonpartisan advocacy group for public schools based in Washington.

       

The Governor's Office for Children, Youth, and Families, Division for Substance Abuse Policy has awarded grants totaling more than $6,300,000 over five years to local community coalitions across Arizona, to establish infrastructure to address underage drinking and youth illicit drug use.

A portion of the grant money was awarded to the Southeastern Behavioral Health Services or SEABHS (SEABUS) in Cochise, Graham, and Santa Cruz Counties.

According to Governor Napolitano, "This award will allow communities to build the capacity necessary to prevent substance abuse and save the lives of our children, youth, and families."

Grant recipients will organize broad-based community coalitions that will analyze the scope of substance abuse problems in their areas. Additionally, coalitions will research current resources targeting these problems. With this critical information, communities will develop strategies to reduce and prevent the impact of substance abuse in their communities.

Funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

       

Secretary of State Jan Brewer announced Wednesday, a record setting increase in the number of overall voter registrations conducted over the internet.

According to Brewer, most of the new registrations came through the State's online EZVoter registration system.

Arizona is the only state in the country with such an online system that specifically allows citizens to register to vote over the internet. On Monday, a record 6,491 people registered through EZVoter, breaking the previous Primary Election registration record of 4,800.

The voter registration cutoff date for the November 7th upcoming general election is October 9, at midnight. The registration process must be completed at least 29 days before a new registrant can vote.

To register using EZVoter, visit www.azsos.gov. The voter registration is in English and Spanish.

       

Doctors at University Medical Center in Tucson say there soon will be no excuse for someone to die in Southern and Southeastern Arizona because of a lack of trauma specialists.

The University Medical Center in Tucson currently is the only trauma facility in southern Arizona that can provide the highest level of treatment.

But it soon will link with nine rural hospitals through live video linkups.

The rare telemedicine program was made possible with a $285,000-dollar gift from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

The program will enable emergency-room patients at rural hospitals to be treated by specialists based in Tucson.

Specialists at U-M-C will be able to examine the patients and talk to local doctors using the technology.

The telemedicine program has been in operation at a hospital in Douglas for almost a year and has saved at least 5-lives so far.

Blue Cross Blue Shield has agreed to expand the program with hook ups going to hospitals in Bisbee, Nogales, and Sierra Vista.

Within six months the telemedicine program will be available in Whiteriver, Willcox and the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford.

       

On this date, August 16th, in 1936, the city of Tucson discovered that its new underpass on Stone Avenue became a lake after every heavy rain. The city council named it Lake Elmira after Elmira Doakes, a Safford school student who was the first to swim in it.

       

Congressman Rick Renzi announced, Tuesday, that the Graham County Narcotics Task Force will be receiving $200,000 to fight methamphetamine abuse.

Renzi was passing through Graham County, traveling to Duncan to announce that $100,000 had been appropriated by Congress to pay for a new Health Care Clinic that would be opening in Duncan.

Renzi was in Duncan, Tuesday, to announce the opening of the Clinic and to tour the property.

Renzi also announced that Congress has appropriated $50,000 that would go to the Greenlee County Sheriff's Office to help with their efforts to fight Meth abuse.

The Greenlee County Sheriff's Offfice and the Graham County Narcotics Task Force should receive the $250,000 in "Meth Money", as Renzi calls it, sometime in December of this year or January of 2007.

       

Hundreds of scientists are discussing whether Pluto deserves to be considered a planet.

But no matter what the outcome of the discussion, astronomers at the University of Kansas will stand by Pluto's discoverer, Burdett, Kansas, native Clyde Tombaugh.

Barbara Anthony-Twarog, a professor of physics and astronomy, said the university will continue to lobby for Tombaugh's importance.

He discovered Pluto in 1930 while working at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. He later earned two degrees from the University of Kansas. He died in 1997.

The International Astronomical Union opened a 12-day conference monday in the Czech Republic, hoping to agree on a definition of what constitutes a planet. Pluto's designation is a key issue there.

       

The Eastern Arizona College Drama Department announces upcoming auditions for it's fall productions of the Greek Tragedy, "Agamemnon" - the restoration comedy, "She Stoops to Conquer", the modern drama, "Twelve Angry Women", and the ever popular musical, "Grease".

Auditions for the fall productions will be held August 23rd and 24th, from 5pm to 8pm, in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

Anyone over the age of 17 is encouraged to audition. Everyone who auditions will be given a part.

For more information about the auditions, contact Dr. Crae Wilson at EAC at 428-8460.

       

The Arizona Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency will begin sponsoring a pilot pesticide disposal program for farmers and ranchers to dispose of unused insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides.

For years, doctors and medical personnel have theorized that pesticides used in farming were causing pre-mature births and birth defects in pregnant women.

In the 40's and 50's, unused pesticides used by crop dusters were poured out on the ground at the Safford Airport.

Farmers and ranchers who would like to safely dispose of their unused pesticides will have to register with the Arizona Department of Agriculture and describe the chemicals you wish to dispose of.

For more information, contact the Arizona Department of Agriculture.

       

A man was stabbed nine times during a robbery in his own home in Sierra Vista.

The 36-year-old man was in his trailer home in the Hummingbird Mobile Home Park when someone stabbed him nine times during a robbery around noon Saturday.

He suffered a collapsed lung and had to undergo surgery at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center. He was in intensive care at the hospital, Sunday evening.

Police arrested 33-year-old Gregory R. Flores about 1:30 p-m Saturday in connection to the incident.

Flores will appeared before a judge on Monday in an initial appearance. He is charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault causing serious injury, aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument and first-degree burglary.

       

The Graham County Narcotics Task Force served two search warrants last week searching for drugs.

The first warrant was served on Monday, August 7th, at a residence at 306 W. 12th Street in Safford.

Officers found a usable quantity of meth, marijuana, and associated paraphernalia at the home of 24-year-old Jacob Anthony Murer and 27-year-old Meredith Lashae Gann.

They were both charged with Possession of dangerous drugs. Murer's bond was set at $2,500.00 and Gann's bond was set at $1,000.00.

The second search warrant was served on Wednesday, August 9th at the residence of Michael Van Raam, 64, and Chisti Payette, 47, at 3751 E. High Mesa Road.

Task Force officers also found a usable amount of Meth, Marijuana, and associated paraphernalia and several firearms.

They were both charged with Possession of dangerous drugs and misconduct involving weapons.

Both suspects were booked into the Graham County Jail and bond was set at $10,000 each.

       

The Border Patrol has reactivated checkpoints on highways 80 and 90 in Cochise County that were dismantled in April after years of intermittent operation.

The checkpoints are north of Tombstone on Highway 80 and north of Whetstone on Highway 90. They were dismantled in April after years of wrangling between the Border Patrol and Congressman Jim Kolbe (Cole-Be).

Kolbe has argued that permanent checkpoints are ineffective and should constantly be moved so immigrants can't anticipate their location and avoid them.

Border Patrol spokesman Chuy (Chew-ee) Rodriguez wouldn't say how long the checkpoints would be up and running.

But trailers, floodlights and a toll-booth like hut at the sites suggest they may be operating for a while.

       

Medical examiners in Southern and Southeastern Arizona border counties have first-hand experience with life-and-death costs of illegal border crossings.

Deaths in Arizona have been mounting in recent years as migrants have tried crossing through more remote and dangerous desert areas to avoid increased enforcement.

That's despite the efforts of federal officials and humanitarian groups to prevent those deaths.

Pima County's chief medical examiner says his office is increasing staffing in large part due to border crossers' deaths.

Arizona accounted for more than half of the deaths of migrants who died in the last federal fiscal year while trying to enter the United States.

       

The U.S. Border Patrol in the Tucson Sector, which includes Cochise County, reports apprehensions of illegal immigrants in Cochise County were down 48-percent in July.

The report says that Border Patrol arrested 9,738-illegals in Cochise County in July of 2005. Agents arrested 5,046-illegal immigrants last month. Since October 1, 2006, countywide apprehensions are down 47-percent to 75,120.

The Border Patrol has consistently attributed the trend to a buildup of manpower and technology in the Cochise County area.

Throughout June and July of this year, teams of 35 to 50 Marine reservists from the 6th Engineer Support Battalion rotated through the area immediately west of Naco, to build new border fencing, improve border access roads and construct low water crossings in support of the Naco Border Patrol Station.

The Border Patrol says that just because apprehensions of illegal immigrants are down, doesn't mean that they are going to pack up and leave the area.

A Border Patrol spokesperson says that the Tucson Sector along the Arizona- Mexico border is still the nation's busiest in terms of apprehensions. He expects Cochise County to remain a stronghold of illegal immigrant deterrence.

       

A New Mexico man on a 1990 Harley Davidson motorcycle, traveling East bound on Interstate 10 was killed when his bike crashed, Wednesday afternoon, near Benson.

DPS officers reported that Ruben A. Olivas, 52, of Mesquite, New Mexico, went off the I-10 pavement and into the median. The motorcycle then rolled several times. Olivas was not wearing a helmet and sustained serious injuries.

DPS officers were at the scene very quickly and began to perform CPR on Olivas. An ambulance was called to the scene. However, near St. David, the ambulance was unable to cross a flooded wash and was unable to arrive at the accident scene in a timely manner.

DPS officers at the scene decided to transport Olivas to the nearby Benson Hospital in a patrol car. The officers continued to perform CPR on Olivas until they arrived at the hospital.

Olivas later died at the Benson Hospital from his injuries.

       

The body of a second man swept away when rising flood waters swamped a hay truck in a wash has been recovered by searchers in Southeastern Arizona.

The two men were returning to St. David after buying hay for their cattle.

They were north of Benson Monday evening when they tried to cross the wash and became stranded.

The Cochise County Sheriff's Office says another motorist tried to throw a rope to one of the men as he was perched atop hay on the flatbed truck, but he was washed away.

The body of 61-year-old Zunon Martinez Guzman of St. David was found early yesterday about a half- mile downstream.

The body of 45-year-old Manuel Pena also of St. David, was recovered this morning.

       

With monsoon season in full swing, the Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns residents faced with cleanup or repairs to be on guard against home improvement scams.

Complaints against home improvement -home repair contractors are among the most common consumer complaints received by the Better Business Bureau. Home improvement scams are very lucrative for scam artists.

In 2005, home owners in the U.S., spent more than $200-billion on home remodeling and repair projects, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Some tips that the Better Business Bureau has for consumers is:

Beware of door-to-door contractors who claim they have leftover materials from a recent job and can offer low-cost services.

Compare costs of what contractors want to charge for repairs.

Get bids.

Prepare a written agreement with anyone you hire.

The contract should outline the work to be done, start and completion dates, and price breakdowns for labor and materials.

Review the agreement carefully before signing.

       

A City of Safford employee reported a burglary and theft of tools and city equipment at the Safford Cemetery, Monday morning,

Peter Cisneros, who is the caretaker of the Safford Cemetery on 32nd Street, contacted Safford Police to report that someone has stolen an air compressor and a pair of bolt cutters over the weekend from a fenced in equipment area of the cemetery.

He stated that whoever took the air compressor must have jumped the fenced area, took the bolt cutters, and then cut the chain on the fence gate.

The compressor did not have a cord on it and did not work, according to Cisneros.

He pointed out a set of tire tracks that he believed were the suspects tracks. Safford Police are investigating the incident.

When asked how he liked working in the Safford cemetery, Cisneros said, "He likes it. It's quiet and he has several thousand people who look up to him."

       

An alert Road Master for the Arizona Eastern Railway contacted Safford Police, Monday afternoon, to report that damage had been done to one of the rails crossing Highway 191 near the intersection of 8th Street and 191 in Safford.

Dennis Giacoletti, the Road Master who inspects railroad and street crossings for Arizona Eastern Railway that travels through Safford, showed the Safford officer the damage to the South rail, in the northbound lane of traffic on Highway 191.

The rail was bent and twisted out of position and Giacoletti told the officer that the rail was probably hit by a "low boy" trailer, causing the damage.

If the twisted rail had not been noticed and a freight train came through Safford, a "de-railment" of the train could have occurred, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to the rails, the surrounding property, and Highway 191.

Arizona Eastern track crews have replaced the twisted rail and vehicle and railway traffic should be back to normal.

       

8/10/06 Flooding kills one man, second man missing near Benson A St. David man has been found dead and another man is missing after being swept away in a wash north of Benson.

Sixty-one-year-old Zunon Martinez Guzman and another man whose name has not been released were on their way back to St. David when they tried to drive through rapidly running flood water.

A Cochise County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman says the men were driving a 1997 Ford flatbed truck on Cascabel Road and got stuck in four to five-feet of water.

A man driving by saw the stranded truck and tried to throw a rope to Guzman. But Guzman fell into the water and was swept away. Deputies continue to search for the second man.

       

A Huachuca City man was killed and a Sierra Vista woman was badly injured after the man, who was driving well over the speed limit, crashed into the rear of the woman's vehicle, Sunday morning on Highway 90, according to an investigating DPS officer.

Anthony Young, 28, of Huachuca City was killed, and 32-year-old Darian Aira is in critical condition at University Medical Center in Tucson. Both were "Air-vacked" to Tucson.

According to the DPS report, Aira had left "Dillion's" nightclub, east of Sierra Vista, and was making a left turn onto Highway 90 when she was slammed into from behind by a vehicle driven by Anthony Young, at around 2:30am, Sunday morning.

Young was apparently speeding Eastbound on Highway 90 and Aira pulled out infront of him from the Dillion's parking lot. Whether alcohol was involved in the accident is part of an ongoing investigation and DPS is waiting for results of lab tests.

       

A judge has lowered the bond for a 64-year-old man awaiting trial in connection with a July third robbery of Stockmen's Bank in Sierra Vista.

Joseph R. Dennis' lawyer had asked that his client be released without bond. The judge declined, although he lowered the 20-thousand-dollar bond to seven-thousand dollars.

Dennis, a Sierra Vista resident, is scheduled to go on trial October 24th.

       

The Douglas Police Department has issued a warrant for Alejandro Tapia of Douglas for the alleged shooting of a 17-year-old girl.

Tapia, 30, is considered armed and dangerous. Tapia shot the girl - who's name was not released - in the lower back, last Thursday, when she was in a car with a male friend. Tapia fired the shot at the victims car at around 12:03am, Thursday morning.

The male friend was not injured.

The 17-year-old female was air-lifted to University Medical Center in Tucson where she is in intensive care.

Tapia is being charged with attemped homicide and aggravated assault by the Douglas Police Department.

Tapia is being sought in the shooting incident and has not been seen since the shooting

       

Graham County Schools will begin the 2006-2007 school year, beginning the week of August 14th.

Dan Hinton, Ft. Thomas, Pima and Bonita Schools will begin classes on Monday, August 14th. Thatcher School start classes on Tuesday, August 15th, and Safford and Solomon Schools begin classes on Wednesday, August 16th.

Registration for Graham County Schools started Monday, and is going on this week, thru Thursday in Safford, Thatcher, and Pima Schools, for classes K thru 12.

Safford schools will hold a "Back to School" night at Safford Elementary Schools on August 15th, from 4 to 6pm. The Safford "Back to School" night will give parents of students a chance to meet the child's teacher and get an idea of what will take place in the child's classes during the school year.

For more information about school start dates or class registration, contact the school that your child is expected to attend this year.

       

8/08/06 MAN ATTACKED BY BEES ON NEAR KLONDYKE ROAD A man driving a bulldozer, trying to repair rain damage to some levies near Klondyke Road was attacked by killer bees, Sunday morning.

Harold Bob Lackner, 53, was driving a bulldozer near Walker Canyon when he drove by a cat claw bush that apparently had a bee hive in it. The noise from the bulldozer must have disturbed the bees and he was attacked while on the bulldozer.

Lackner told his sister-in-law, Kim Lackner, that at first he tried to out-run the bees on the bulldozer. When that didn't work, he jumped off the earth mover and started running toward his truck.

He got to his truck, with the automatic windows down and the truck wouldn't start. The whole time, Lackner continued to be stung by bees.

He was able to get to a neighbors house, and call his brother and sister-in-law for help.

A lot of the dirt roads in this area have been washed away and damaged during the recent rains but Lackner's sister-in-law, Kim, was able to get from her house to the neighbors house by driving a 4-wheeler.

She brought some Benadryl and an epinephrine sirenge in case Harold Bob had an allergic reaction to the bee stings.

She administered a few doses of Benadryl and with help from her son, Mike, Kim was able to call Pima Ambulance, get Harold Bob into a truck, meet the ambulance, and transport him to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center.

Harold Bob was able to make it to the hospital and was released Sunday afternoon.

The family estimates that he was stung at least 300-times by the bees.

       

A hit and run driver, who is suspected of killing a Duncan man at around 9:45pm, Sunday night, on Highway 75, was caught by Safford Police and DPS, Monday morning, at an apartment in Safford.

Clayton Gardner was walking southbound on Highway 75 Sunday night, when he was struck and killed by a southbound vehicle. The vehicle fled the scene and was later located at a nearby residence.

According to a DPS report, the suspect driver, Clifford Fowler, fled the area on foot and was tracked by Greenlee County Sheriff's Deputies, DPS, and DOC tracking dogs, early Monday morning.

Fowler was recently released from prison and was on probation.

Greenlee County Deputies received information that Fowler had returned to his residence in Duncan and retrieved his own vehicle.

He was later located at an apartment at 514 W. Second Street in Safford by Police and was arrested without incident and taken to the Graham County Jail.

DPS is continuing to investigate this collision.

       

Some head-butting at an immigration field hearing in Phoenix. The U-S House Committee on House Administration met to discuss voter fraud.

Some at the hearing argued that stronger voter identification is needed to prevent illegal immigrants from casting ballots Others asserted such a problem doesn't even exist and strengthening voting requirements would only alienate minority voters.

In 2004, Arizona voters passed Proposition 200, an initiative requiring voters to prove their citizenship before casting a ballot It also denied some government benefits to illegal immigrants.

Legislation similar to Arizona's law is pending before the House Administration Committee. It would impose voting restrictions at the federal level.

       

Federal and state wildlife managers are seeking public comment on allowing landowners to maintain or create habitat to conserve the threatened Chiricahua leopard frog.

The Arizona Game & Fish Department and the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service are promoting the plan, which is called the Safe Harbor Agreement.

The causes of the declining frog population are not clear, but the authorities said the species has disappeared from mountain ranges, valleys and river drainages in Southern and Southeastern Arizona and within its historical range.

       

A resolution to the ten-year-old, multibillion-dollar lawsuit by American Indians against the U-S government has been delayed at least a month.

That will allow more time to fine tune a settlement. Senate Indian Affairs Chairman John McCain and vice chairman Byron Dorgan of North Dakota proposed legislation to settle the case last year. They approached the Indian plaintiffs last month with an eight (b) billion dollar offer.

They had planned to complete the bill during a hearing Wednesday. However, McCain says the hearing has been postponed at least until fall.

Thousands of American Indians sued in 1996 -- accusing the government of mismanaging more than 100 (b) billion dollars in royalties from their lands dating back to 1887.

       

Federal claims could top one (b) billion dollars against Asarco for environmental damage at 31 sites operated by the bankrupt mining and smelting company.

The Justice Department met Tuesday's deadline for submitting claims to an administrator appointed by a bankruptcy judge in Corpus Christi.

States are seeking additional cleanup money.

The company also faces asbestos-exposure claims from individuals, who have until September 30th to file.

Asarco operates a mine in Hayden and in the Tucson area. Asarco sought bankruptcy protection last August.

       

8/03/06 C.I. TRIES TO "PINCH" COCAINE FROM RELIABILITY DRUG BUY In a continuing effort to fight problem drug abuse and drug dealing in this part of the state, the Southeastern Arizona Narcotics Task Force is constantly forced to deal with unsavory characters and con-men.

The Task Force sometimes has to use suspects who have already been caught committing a crime, and use them as "confidential informants" to help investigate drug and other crimes being committed.

In this case, two Task Force officers and a Confidential Informant, or "C. I.", had set up a "controlled reliability drug buy" where the C.I. would go to a suspect residence, in Safford, where the Task Force suspected cocaine was being sold.

The C.I. was given $70.00 and then sent to the suspect residence, with officers observing, to attempt to buy one-sixteenth of an ounce or approximately 2-grams of cocaine.

With money in hand, the C.I. went to the residence and came out about 30-minutes later.

He then met with the officers again and gave them the cocaine that he had bought. The officers weighed the cocaine and it weighed 1.4-grams. The Task Force officers realized that they had not been given the right amount of cocaine by the C.I. The amount was short.

The agitated officers again frisked the C.I., and searched his vehicle. One of the officers had the C.I. take off his shoes and found a paper receipt with .7-grams cocaine inside.

The officer asked the C.I. if he had "pinched" the cocaine and the C.I. said, "Yea, I had to make it look realistic."

The officers realized that the C.I. was trying get himself off the hook by working with police and also trying to "score" some free cocaine, hoping that the cops wouldn't question the weight.

       

The state Republican Party has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing Democratic Senate hopeful Jim Pederson of failing to file contribution reports on time and in a complete manner.

The Republican complaint accuses the (m) millionaire real estate developer of failing to report several of his own contributions to his campaign within the required 24 hours.

They also accuse Pederson of not listing the employers and occupations of some contributors. Pederson is seeking the Democratic nomination. He hopes to face incumbent Jon Kyl in the November general election.

       

Undercover investigators repeatedly entered the U-S this year -- using fake documents.

The Associated Press reports that in some cases, Homeland Security Department agents didn't ask for identification. At nine border crossings, on both the Canadian and Mexican borders, some agents never questioned the authenticity of the counterfeit documents.

The findings come as Congress considers delaying a 2007 deadline requiring passports or tamperproof I-D cards from all who enter the United States.

A Homeland Security spokesman says agents are trained to identify false documents. But he says agents are sometimes unable to verify more than eight-thousand different kinds of acceptable I-D's without significantly slowing border traffic.

       

Arizona is among 14 states trying to force the Bush administration to require manufacturers to disclose even inert ingredients that state officials say pose an undisclosed health hazard in pesticides to people.

The Environmental Protective Agency requires active toxic ingredients that kill insects and weeds to be listed on labels now. Inert ingredients make the active chemicals more effective.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is taking the lead for the states asking the E-P-A to expand the labeling requirements.

He says the inert ingredients can cause serious health and environmental problems.

Willcox family charged with ripping off the feds

A Willcox farming family have been charged with fraud after they allegedly used 800-thousand dollars in federal loans to buy personal property including two Mercedes.

Sergio and Sandra Renteria and their daughter, Kayla Taylor, were charged with bankruptcy fraud, conspiracy to impair the Farm Service Agency and illegally disposing of federal property.

The U-S Attorney's Office says Taylor was also charged with making a false statement in connection with a loan.

The 18-count indictment says the family obtained multiple loans from the farming agency and then failed to pay them back.

The family also allegedly sold crops and farm equipment that had been pledged as security for the loans.

       

Two Safford girls were washed away by flood waters in Ft. Thomas and nearly drowned, Tuesday.

The Graham County Sheriff's Department was notified, at around 1:00pm, Tuesday afternoon, that two Safford girls had been washed away by flood waters in Black Rock Wash, near Ft. Thomas.

Deputies were informed by Graham County Highway Department employees that they had found 10-year-old Shelby Stone about 200-yards away from Desert Sage Road.

Deputies were also informed of another girl who had been swept away by the rushing water in Black Rock Wash.

They continued to search from Desert Sage Road to the Ft. Thomas Elementary School, then North of U.S. Highway 70, toward the Gila River.

Both girls were taken to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford and were reported to be in good condition.

A Graham County Deputy spoke to a mother of one of the girls at the hospital and found out that the two victims and another 5-year-old girl had gone to Black Rock Wash for a picnic.

The 5-year-old got too close to the water and fell in. The other two girls rushed into the raging water to rescue her and were both swept away.

       

The detection of a wine-growing insect pest - the Glassy Winged Sharpshooter has increased to 132, found in the Sierra Vista area, so Governor Janet Napolitano has allocated an additional $528,000 to fight the pest through June of 2007.

An external quarantine order went into effect on Tuesday. This order prohibits host material from entering Arizona, unless it has been treated or comes from a plant nursery that has been certified as Glassy Winged Sharpshooter free.

       

Graham County Highway Superintendent, Rob Chesley and residents have reported that heavy rainfall since last Tuesday, July 25th, in the Klondyke area, has washed out and closed Klondyke road. Klondyke has received approximately 12-inches of rain since last Tuesday and Klondyke Road is completely closed to the end of Aravaipa Canyon. Area residents will need to call the Graham County Sheriff's office dispatch if they need supplies or medical assistance.

Meanwhile, consistent rains have not effected Ft. Grant Road from Highway 191 to the Ft. Grant Prison. Ft. Grant Road from Highway 266 to Ashcreek Road has been closed.

A phone call from a Bonita resident reported that a layer of water was completely covering the Bonita area, Tuesday morning.

Roads also closed are: Ft. Thomas River Road, closed at the Gila River crossing, Hot Springs Road is closed at the end of the pavement with severe to moderate wash outs; and Bryce-Eden Road: closed at Morcomb Creek with barricades and road closure signs posted.

Chestley also reported that County road crews are currently working on repairing a Levy that has been eroded near the Ft. Thomas Schools at Black Rock Wash.

The repair of the levy should take several days.

Chestley said that highway repairs can be completed after water levels go down.

       

More than six-thousand National Guard troops have been assigned to southwestern border states, but the Guard says only about half of them were on duty along the border.

Guard officials say 62-hundred troops were somewhere in the four southwestern border states, with many still in training.

Guard spokesman Colonel Mark Allen says between two-thousand and three-thousand were physically on the border, the vast majority searching for illegal activity.

Allen says the Guard never intended to have six-thousand troops - quote - "with their toes on the border." He says the number will fluctuate depending on Border Patrol requests.

President Bush's plan for curbing illegal immigration called for having up to six-thousand troops on the border. The Guard repeatedly says they would be there by August First.

       

The several inches of rain that Graham County has received in the past few days has County road crews hustling to repair washed out roads and working to repair flood damage.

According to Graham County Highway Superintendent, Rob Chestley, the County has closed Klondyke Road, the Bonita-Klondyke Road, Ft. Thomas River Road, and McEuen Road to all traffic due to severe flooding.

Chestley said that they had to close Ft. Grant Road in Bonita due to excessive rain, along with Hot Springs Road, George Wash, and Bryce-Eden Roads as well. County bulldozers and graders will be working today near Ft. Thomas to keep a levy on Black Rock Wash from washing away and possibly flooding the Ft. Thomas Schools.

According to Chestley, most of the flood damage has happened in the Ft. Thomas and Klondyke areas.

Chestley also said that his crews are working diligently to repair flood damage to County roads and will be able to complete the repairs when the rains let up.

Chestley said that Graham County has sand bags available to those who are being flooded. The sand bags will be distributed on a case by case basis.

Officials ask motorists to please obey all posted warning signs and watch for flood debris while driving on all County roads.

       

Cigarette-maker R.J. Reynolds is expected to invest millions in Arizona and other states to defeat a smoking ban on the November ballot and support a compromise that would strike down smoking restrictions in cities that are already in place.

The maker of Camel, Kool and other cigarette brands told Wall Street last week that it would spend $40-million on campaigns in Arizona, Missouri, California, and Ohio.

It is fighting the more-restrictive Smoke-Free Arizona ballot measure, or Proposition 201, which is supported by the American Cancer Society and other health groups. The tobacco-backed measure would ban smoking in many enclosed public places but would allow smoking in bars and would strike down all local ordinances that are more restrictive.

The campaign is billing itself as a compromise: restricting smoking in some places and leveling the playing field across the state because several cities such as Tempe and Prescott have enacted their own smoking restrictions.

As of May 31st, R.J. Reynolds had contributed $193,000 of the $204,000 raised to support the Arizona Non-Smokers Protection Act, which will also be on the November ballot as Proposition 206.

       

A Tucson man was shot in Willcox last week, and the shooter is still at large. According to Willcox police, 22-year-old Brandon Napper of Tucson was shot in the jaw by a friend who had invited him to party at an apartment on South Bisbee Avenue.

Napper told Willcox Police that he had been shot by 20-year-old Ruben Urena, who is apparently his roommate in Tucson.

An argument insued at the apartment. The two men left the apartment and walked together into a Willcox alley.

According to Napper, Urena produced a small caliber automatic pistol and shot Napper in the right side of his jaw and both men ran off in different directions.

Napper, looking for help, began knocking on doors in the neighborhood until he found someone home and they called 911.

Napper was then taken to Northern Cochise Community Hospital and then flown to University Medical Center in Tucson for treatment.

Judge Judy Bethel, Justice of the Peace number 4 in Willcox, issued a warrant for Urena's arrest and charged him with attempted pre-meditated first degree murder. Willcox Police continue to search for Ruben Urena.