Babeu issues statement regarding SB1070 decision
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu has issued the following statement in response to U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton’s injunction against certain provisions of SB1070, Arizona’s new immigration law, which goes into effect tonight at midnight:
“Incredibly, even though there is not one person who can legitimately claim to be harmed by a law that has not even taken effect, the result of an injunction is de facto amnesty through non-enforcement of laws against illegal immigration,”
“The federal government refuses to secure the border and leaves it to states like Arizona to bear the costs of its inaction. Yet, when we try to do the job they won’t do, in a manner consistent with federal law, they stop us. You couldn’t make up something this ridiculous.”
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Police apprehend Lakes vehicle burglars
Tuesday morning, shortly before 5:00 am, Maricopa Police responded to the 41000 block of West Bravo Drive, in The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado, due to reports of a vehicle burglary in progress.
The victim advised that she surprised two male suspects entering into three vehicles that were parked at the residence and that the suspects had fled on foot. Police arrived and immediately located the two suspects in the backyard of a vacant residence a short distance away. The suspects fled from police into an open field, where officers quickly took them into custody.
The suspects, two male juveniles age 17 from Maricopa and 16 from Ak-Chin, were booked into the Pinal County Juvenile Detention Center in Florence on several counts of vehicle burglary. MPD detectives are continuing to work this case and anticipate that additional vehicle burglary cases will be cleared as a result of these arrests.
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Two bodies recovered from desert in separate incidents
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two bodies that were discovered in different remote desert locations within the county during the past week.
Last Thursday, at around 1:00 in the afternoon, PCSO was contacted by the U.S. Border Patrol regarding a possible dead body. The Border Patrol had detained seven suspected illegal immigrants and they reported that a member travelling in their party had fallen behind and was deceased.
Members of the Sheriff’s Office searched the area where the individuals described and were able to locate the deceased body of an adult male subject. The body was found four miles south of Interstate 8 and milepost 149. The body was transported to the Medical Examiners Office to determine the cause of death.
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The Duke hit by overnight burglary
Shortly after closing Friday night, burglars broke into the golf shop at The Duke at Rancho El Dorado in Maricopa.
According to employees, the perpetrators used part of an outdoor umbrella to chisel their way through a wall behind an alarm control panel and apparently disabled the shop’s security system.
The robbers then broke through an outside door and headed for the shop’s safe. The safe was severely damaged and employees were not able to gain entry to it the following morning.
As of press time, it is not known if the burglars were able to successfully gain entry to the safe, or if anything else was taken from the shop. The incident was captured on surveillance video.
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11 year-old struck by vehicle while riding bike
This past Wednesday, around 7:30 pm, Maricopa Police responded to the intersection of Goles Drive and Venture Road, in Rancho El Dorado, on a report of a vehicle versus pedestrian injury accident.
When officers arrived on scene the Maricopa Fire Department was giving aid to an injured 11-year-old boy. The victim was responsive at the time and was identified and the child’s guardian was summoned to the scene.
The victim was transported to the Maricopa County Medical Center in stable condition by Southwest Ambulance, with non-life threatening injuries.
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Maricopa Historical Society incorporates as non-profit
The Maricopa Historical Society has announced that they have incorporated as a non-profit corporation. They will hold their first meeting on August 2nd at 6:00 pm at the Maricopa Public Library, 41600 W Smith-Enke Road, and welcome anyone who is interested in History, especially the history of Maricopa, to join them.
The Society began meeting in 2005 as the History Committee of the Friends of the Maricopa Public Library. Thanks to many generous donations from local individuals and businesses they were able to republish a book by former local teacher, Patricia Brock, “Reflections of a Desert Town”. Those donors were honored with a “Benefactors of Maricopa’s Heritage” plaque which hangs in the library meeting room.
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Snider to hold Maricopa office hours in August
Supervisor David Snider will hold his monthly office hours in Maricopa on Tuesday, August 3rd from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm at the Maricopa Interim City Hall.
To set a specific appointment with Supervisor Snider during his office hours in Maricopa, please contact his executive assistant, Wanda Kartchner, at (520) 866-7401 or (520) 836-0003 – otherwise it is first come, first served.
“I have some particularly good news for people in this area,” Snider said. “The county is in the process of bonding for money to build a much needed public health clinic in Maricopa. I am excited about the future expansion of health-related services coming to this area.”
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Melvin named president of national organization
Maricopa’s Assistant City Manager, Patrick Melvin has assumed the duties of national president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). Melvin, who previously served as first vice president, was installed in his new position during NOBLE’s 34th Annual Training Conference and Exhibition held in Baltimore the week of July 10th.
Melvin said as president he plans to focus on three new areas of concentration – two dealing with safety and the third aimed at enhancing NOBLE’s financial health.
“I want to do all I can to encourage seatbelt usage nationally for the communities we serve, our law enforcement colleagues, family members and friends,” said Melvin, a former motorcycle officer who witnessed first hand the results of not buckling-up. “NOBLE will provide recommendations for policy initiatives aimed at avoiding injuries and deaths related to non-seatbelt usage.”
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Arizona’s open primary means independents can choose a ballot
FLORENCE – Candidates for election have filed their petitions, which means the election season is off and running. The Primary election is August 24, 2010. In the primary, voters will decide the nominees who will appear on the ballots in November’s election.
Pinal County Recorder Laura Dean-Lytle says that people are still asking questions about the Open Primary law enacted by the voters in 1998. The law allows people who are registered as an Independent to request a Democrat, Republican or Green Party ballot, including early voting ballots.
As of press date, voter registrations in Pinal County break down as follows:
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Two arrested in drive-by shooting case
In the early morning hours of June 19th, Maricopa Police responded to a report of shots fired in 43000 block of West Rio Bravo Drive in Rancho El Dorado.
Officers found several bullet holes in the family’s vehicle parked outside the home, one bullet hole in the residence and some very frightened people. Fortunately, no one was injured and there was only property damage. Through the course of the investigation and the efforts of patrol officers and detectives, several subjects were identified as being involved.
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