1916 Your Hometown Newspaper 2013 Ajo, Pima County, Arizona Wednesday, July 17, 2013 Volume 89, Number 45, ©2013 Ajo’s Desert Sharks went for the gold Personnel, policy on AUSD agenda Meeting in regularly scheduled sessions, the Ajo Unified School District board last week dealt with a variety of board policy, personnel, and business issues. Superintendent Robert Dooley, in a prelude to discussion on person- nel items, noted in his board report that staffing presents a perennial problem this time of year. He said he may ask for a special board meet- ing on hiring. Dooley singled out staff members Patti Spencer, Claudian Carpenter, and Angelina Valenzuela with praise for additional work they have put into the business office this summer. The School Improvement Grant (SIG) staff will return from summer break on July 29, he said, and teachers will be coming back to campus August 5 and 6. Dooley also noted that Jumpstart and STEM classes had started the week before, with 40 students in the former, and 12 in STEM. In personnel actions, the board voted to accept one certified and three classified resignations. Velma Taboada, hired at last month’s board meeting, decided to withdraw from employment with the district, cit- ing family reasons. The three classified resignations accepted were Joni Jaramillo, in payroll and accounts payable; Shawna Rupple, school sec- retary; and Dahlia Perez, custodian. The board okayed Charmaine Beharie for an extra-pay position as coordinator of the gifted program, and approved the hiring of Venus Celaya in accounting and accounts payable, and Nathan Garcia as a Jacob Lewis pushed off at the start of the boys’ 13-14 50-yard backstroke. His gold medal custodian. helped the Ajo Desert Sharks, the smallest team at the meet, to finish fourth. The board also approved the payment of $17,000 for new reading materials for students, and again voted to supplement insurance benefits for classified personnel. Dooley said the additional per-person insur- ance payment would be about $1895 for each of approximately 12-15 employees. Board policy provisions were given their first reading at the Tuesday study session, and adopted in the regular meeting Wednesday. Those revisions included performance classifications for probationary and continuing staff, and clarifications on staff reassignment and transfer. Modifications dealt largely with issues of lower-performance staff. The third policy change adopted had to do with evaluation of professional staff members with new outlines for performance levels and plans. Pima Board of Supervisors to consider fees for county landfills A second public notice for a hearing in Tucson on August 6 about landfill fees appears in this issue. The first notice appeared June 19 and there has been extensive coverage of the issues in this newspaper in the past weeks. The ordinance being considered covers fee structures for all landfills and transfer stations currently being operated by Tucson Recycling & Waste Services; it does not contain any proposals for future transfer stations. If approved, fees would be charged at the Ajo Landfill beginning September 6. The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 6, in the Board On his way to gold, Dylan Bryant hit the wall in the breaststroke portion of the boys’ 15-18 of Supervisors hearing room at 130 W. Congress Street in Tucson. The individual medley. Bryant also took the gold in the 50-yard freestyle event. Ajo won a total of 14 hearing room is on the first floor and the hearing will begin at or after 9 medals at the championship to place fourth of eight teams. a.m. The board has many other agenda items so it is unknown with the landfill item will be heard. The proposed ordinances are available for review at the PDEQ office, through the Pima County website at www.pima.gov and on the PDEQ website at www.pima.gov/deq online. For additional information, call Sarah Walters at 520-724-7400. Comments pertaining to the proposed solid waste ordinances may be submitted at the public meetings; in writing to PDEQ, Attn: Sarah Walters, 33 N Stone Ave., Suite 700, Tucson, AZ 85701; or via e-mail to [email protected]. Written comments on the proposed ordi- nances will be accepted by PDEQ until 5 p.m. on July 19. Written comments can also be submitted to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors until the August 6 board hearing to [email protected] or 130 W. Congress St., 5th Floor, Tucson, AZ 85701. Comments sent to the clerk of the board will be given to all five county supervisors. WEATHER REPORT Ajo alerts online TEMPERATURES Max Min Just in time for the monsoons Sunday, July 7 113˚ 86˚ and the power outages they often Monday, July 8 109˚ 83˚ bring to Ajo, the Ajo AZ Alerts in- Tuesday, July 9 95˚ 75˚ formation phone line is now func- Wednesday, July 10 99˚ 72˚ tional. People may call toll-free Thursday, July 11 97˚ 76˚ 866-92-AJO-92 (866-922-5692) Last week a total of 0.22 inches any time, day or night, in the event of precipitation was recorded. of a power outage, severe weather, Weekday weather informa- or for shelter information in the tion is provided by Freeport- event of a disaster. Ariana Rendon powered through the butterfly on her way to the gold medal in the girls’ 8 & McMoRan. Ajo AZ Alerts also has a pres- under individual medley. Rendon also took gold in the 25-yard butterfly and silver in the 25-yard For the week, expect sunny ence on Facebook, Twitter, and freestyle to help lead Ajo to a fourth-place finish at the Pima County Championships in Tucson skies, highs in the 100s and lows offers cellphone text alerts. For sponsored by the Pima County Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation department. in the 80s according to weather. more information visit www. Robert Sorrels photos com online. alerts.ajoaz.org online. Ajo Copper News, July 17, 2013, Page 2 Francisco Parra The family of Virgil W. “Butch” Denning would like to thank you for the kindness, prayers, & thoughts at July 3, 2013 both near Why. Broken windows at a business. July 11, 2013 this time. “Gone but not forgotten Assisted Ajo Ambulance with Marco A. Lopez, Jr., 23, ar- medical call. Bryan A. Richard- rested on assault and Felipe A. as are the Hot Shots of the World, son, 28, arrested on possession Lopez, 29, arrested on assault. God Bless You All” of marijuana and Kris Lamont Conrado A. Valenzuela, Jr., 20, Gaines, 35, arrested on posses- arrested on disorderly conduct. Jessie Denning, Julie Denning, sion of dangerous drug, posses- Broken windows at a residence. sion of marijuana, possession of Disturbance; peace restored. Con- Jess & Cristy Denning, drug paraphernalia, and a felony rado A. Valenzuela, Jr., 20, ar- Todd & Jennifer Denning & Family warrant out of Maricopa County; rested on interfering with judicial 4.51 grams of marijuana and 0.69 proceedings. Vern & Dodi Denning & Family grams of meth confiscated; all in Information for the Sheriff’s Log is Francisco Daniel Parra, 42, Larry & Anna Manuel & Family Lukeville. received from the Ajo District of the known to his friends and family as July 4, 2013 Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Little Frankie, died July 8, 2013, Sarah (Denning) Gore & Family Luis V. Arviso 21, arrested on Other than correcting typographical in Mesa. errors or clarifying, the newspaper theft-control property and domes- He was born February 26, Lloyd, Marty & Cini Denning & Family does not edit the log; names are not 1971, in Ajo. tic violence-disorderly conduct. left out by request. The log contains “Frankie passed away unex- Mike & Shirley Denning & Family Ignacio Luera, Jr., 28, arrested names of people who have been cited on a felony warrant out of Marico- or arrested; they should be presumed pectedly, but until his death lived pa County. Reckless driver in the innocent until convicted in a court of life to the fullest,” said his fam- area; unable to locate. Kenneth law. ily. “He loved the desert and came E. Dixon, 43, cited and released PCSD front door home to Ajo any chance he got.” on driving on suspended driver’s The Ajo District Office of the Pima Mr. Parra was preceded in license. 16-year-old juvenile was County Sheriff’s Department normal death by his mother, Sandy Walk- hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. er. paper referred and charged with Monday through Friday. The office is He is survived by his father possession of marijuana and pos- closed Monday through Friday from 5 & stepmother, Francisco & Vicki session of drug paraphernalia; 2.3 p.m. to 8 a.m., and all day on Satur- grams of marijuana confiscated. days, Sundays, and holidays. Parra of Ajo; by his son, Francis- Report of a trespassing at a resi- People who need to speak to a dep- co D. Parra Jr. of Tucson; by his We are your local funeral home. dence. uty after hours are asked to contact the brother, Michael Parra of Tucson; 520-387-7863 11 Pajaro July 5, 2013 Ajo District office. by his sister, Brandi Diaz of Buck- 1 undocumented alien turned Emergency: Call 911 eye; and by many nieces, neph- over to Border Patrol. Rosalinda Non-emergency: 387-8539 ews, cousins, and friends. Inmate visitation hours are 1 p.m. A celebration of his life was F. Sneed, 34, cited and released to 4 p.m. daily. Ajo Church near Why on driving on suspend- held Saturday, July 13, at the Mo- ed driver’s license. 278.80 lbs.