Looking back

Old-man 2006 is leaving the Gila Valley stage with more spring in his step than in years past.

So much has been accomplished this year, and there is so much yet to be accomplished. The Courier decided this year to look at the triumphs, tragedies, accomplishments and ongoing cases from 2006, then peek around the corner to 2007 to see what needs to be done to accommodate growth and the ever-changing complexities of this community.

Even as we celebrate or mourn this past year — depending on the circumstance — we hope you look to the future of the Valley with optimism and courage. Happy New Year!

New fine arts center breaks

ground Jan. 5

The Safford Fine Arts Center, due for completion in early 2007, turned heads with the installation of a feature called a turntable.

”It seats 250 people and can turn west to face the main stage or east to become a classroom with a small stage,” project manager Rick Schmidt of Core Construction said.

The turntable is 50 feet in diameter and required 73,000 pounds of structural steel during its construction. Made up of beams, columns and trusses, the contraption’s skeleton took about seven working days to complete, Schmidt said. The 13,500-square-foot building will cost $7 million when the structure is ready to showcase the projects and productions of students in the Safford School District. The center will also have a control room, an audio pit, a 1,440-square-foot lobby and seating for 998 people.

Shooter sought and caught

In January, a $5,000 award was offered for information regarding a shooter who had targeted several homes, motels and even a horse in the Gila Valley.

Michael Kenneth James of Safford was arrested in February as the suspect in the six shootings and a horse death in the county.

Nearly a year after he began terrorizing Graham County residents, James entered a plea agreement that could send him to prison for more than 20 years for the shootings. James will be sentenced by Graham County Superior Court Judge R. Douglas Holt at 2 p.m. on Jan. 16. The plea deal allows James to plead guilty to two counts of discharging a firearm at a residential structure and one count of killing livestock — all felonies. James was originally charged with six counts of discharging a firearm at a residence and one count of criminal damage.

There’s no place like Home Depot

The Graham County Home Depot opened its doors for the first time Jan. 26 with the buzz of an electric saw. Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting, which takes place when a new business opens, Home Depot opted to cut a board as a more indicative display of its products.

Around the wrist of each employee was an orange band that said, “Improve everything we touch,” which is the motto for the store.

Bulldogs soccer team kicks its way to state

The Bulldogs’ inaugural soccer season success was everything but unbelievable. Safford won its region title with ease, and after a 4-1 first-round state tournament victory against Scottsdale Christian on Feb. 4, the ‘Dogs seemed to have destiny in their back pocket and Lady Luck standing on their sideline.

Although the Bulldogs ended the season as 3A runners-up on Feb. 15, it was a great show for a new team.

Graham County loses one of its own to war effort

Marine Corporal Brandon Scott Schuck would have been home, kissing his wife and watching his 1-year-old son toddle around in less than two months had he lived past the first week of February 2006.Instead, he returned in a flag-draped casket. Schuck was killed while serving in Iraq, and his family said he was fighting for a cause in which he truly believed.

Schuck was the rear passenger on a vehicle leading a convoy through Iraq. He and three other soldiers were clearing the roads of obstructions such as land mines and bombs when one went off, killing two of the men instantly.Though Schuck survived the initial blast, he passed away before reaching the medical unit. Schuck was mourned by his wife, Megan, and son, Gavin, as well as his teachers, friends and coaches.

His death was memorialized in an article in People’s magazine in December 2006.

‘Dogs win second consecutive title

The Bulldogs were in familiar territory during the second week of February at the wrestling state championships, and the defending state champs performed with vigor, dominance and showed a lot of swagger while winning the 3A wrestling title.Not only did the Safford Bulldogs wrestling team win its second straight state championship crown, but four individuals took home the top prizes in their respective weight classes.

Nathaniel Abril took home the 112-pound title; Justin Gaethje grabbed the 152-pound crown; Billy Jurado won the 160-pound championship match, and Manny Jurado was crowned the 171-pound champion.”It was so awesome. The work that we’ve put in during the season and out of season was great. When it comes to a climax like that, it makes it all worthwhile,” Safford head coach Herman Andrews said. “You reflect back to when they weren’t in shape and not doing the little things. When you see it all come together at the state meet, it is very rewarding.”Abril was the first Safford wrestler to claim an individual state title, and he was followed by three clean sweeps on center stage at Glendale Arena.

Apaches claim 1A hoops title

It had been two decades since the Lady Apaches hoisted the girls 1A basketball state championship trophy over their heads, but after the Feb. 18 win at Glendale Arena, those past 20 years of waiting can be wiped away.The Lady Apaches were crowned the 1A state champions after defeating East Region rival Pima, 60-45, in front of a crowd that numbered at least the population of the towns that surround Fort Thomas.

“It’s unbelievable,” Lady Apache Kristen Duncan said. “Words can’t describe what I’m feeling right now.”The feeling of winning a state championship trophy was a refresher for the Lady Apaches after they won the 1A volleyball title a mere three months ago at the same venue.“It’s awesome. I don’t think our school has ever done that before (winning the volleyball and basketball titles in the same year),” Lady Apache Islynne Ward said. “It’s a good feeling to take this one home to Fort Thomas.”

Toddler survives fish tank accident; rescuers are honored

Layla Estrada, 2, was recently released from the Phoenix Children’s Hospital following a life-threatening accident in mid-January at her grandmother’s home in Safford involving a 20-gallon fish tank.Estrada was released Feb. 3 in good health with her face and neck wounds almost completely healed following the removal of more than 150 stitches.Safford officer Shawn Dolan and Dr. Bart Carter were honored at a Safford City Council meeting for their life-saving actions regarding the young child.

Homeless shelter opens locally

The old Chinese proverb says, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”In March, minister and life coach Greg St. Hilaire, formerly of Minnesota, started teaching families to fish as the founder of the Valley’s first homeless shelter on Hwy. 70 in Safford.

“I don’t do Band-Aids or handouts,” St. Hilaire said, referring to his work with the needy.Band-Aids are for when a person finds people or families desperate for help and simply gives them a quick fix, such as putting them in a motel or handing out food for a few days. The real problem is much bigger than the physical needs, St. Hilaire said.”The lack of financial planning is one of the biggest problems in this country and a common route to homelessness,” St. Hilaire said.Financial counseling is St. Hilaire’s specialty, and he also teaches life skills as he mentors, trains and encourages his congregation one person at a time.

By June, the homeless shelter had provided warm beds to 15 men, five women, four couples and seven families since it first opened. There were also plans to expand to a separate women’s shelter.

Wal-Mart Supercenter opens

Crowds gathered early March 22 in the massive parking lot east of 20th Avenue for the long-awaited grand opening of one of the largest businesses in the Gila Valley — the Wal-Mart Supercenter”Give me a W, give me an A, give me an L, squiggly, give me an M, give me an A, give me an R, give me a T,” co-manager Ty Wheadon said. “What’s that spell?”

Both new and old blue-vested employees erupted in reply, “Wal-Mart.” Wheadon pumped up the crowd with enthusiasm, and the employees chanted back phrases like “teamwork” and “Customers are number one.””We spent a lot of money opening this store, and we couldn’t have done it without the hard work of the associates at the old Wal-Mart,” Manager Mary Jane Sweet said.Sporting new khaki and peach colors on the exterior, the establishment opened to the public on a much larger scale than the previous store, with larger aisles, carts, inventory, departments and a new feature, the grocery store.

Missing woman murdered

Law enforcement officers from Graham and Greenlee counties located the body of Eve Marie Batchelder of Safford on March 30.Batchelder, 27, went missing in the late night hours on Tuesday. She did not show up for work at The Beverage House on Wednesday, and family and co-workers were concerned for her welfare. Subsequent investigation by Safford Police officers indicated she was last known to be in the company of Jason Martinez, 29, also a Safford resident, in a 1977 light blue Chevrolet “zolotone”-painted pickup.Officers received a tip during their investigation and located the pickup near the Black Hills Back Country Byway on Wednesday. Testimony during a preliminary hearing indicates it was driven there by Martinez.Batchelder was found about 200 feet from the pickup, and officers believe Martinez rolled her body down a small hill. Rocks had been piled on top of her.On April 27, the Safford woman’s accused killer sat in a courtroom as witnesses testified to Jason Martinez’s alleged involvement in her death, resulting in an indictment for three counts: premeditated murder, felony murder and kidnapping.

DNA testing began in December 2006, and the trial is scheduled for March 6. Martinez also goes to trial on Jan. 17 for dangerous drug and drug paraphernalia charges.

Odd Fellows celebrate 100 years in Valley

The historical Odd Fellows home on Eighth Avenue housed and cared for 33 orphans and half-orphans and 18 elderly people during the 31 years it was open.In late 1920, the building began its stages of construction, and it was completed in 1922, with plans to add wings. The wings were never added.Because the cost to run the home was unmanageable, the Odd Fellows home was purchased by the city of Safford. It went from an orphanage to the Safford Library in 1963. It was a tool for community education until 1991, when it became Safford’s City Annex Building.The Odd Fellows lodge of today still functions on Seventh Street across from the Thriftee Food and Drug store. Fellow Marvin Imel said he renovated and built parts of the current building out of two homes the Odd Fellows purchased in the 1940s. He was a general contractor and carpenter during that time.”We still reach out to the needy and work with many organizations and raise the money ourselves,” Imel said.The association holds raffles, breakfasts, dinners and other fund-raisers on its own and does not have government funding, Imel said.

Safford city pool cools hundred of Valley residents

On May 27, the first splash in Safford’s new pool was made by Mayor Ron Green, who dedicated the recreation area at Firth Park to the citizens, families and children of Safford and Graham County.

Kids anxiously waited for the pool to open as they ate hot dogs and cookies and stood in line for more than an hour so they could jump into the water.

The old pool was built more than 50 years ago. The city approved the construction of the pool more than a year ago to construct the new pool because the old one was losing 36,000 gallons of water a day.

With help from city taxes and other funding, the city of Safford was able to raise $1.2 million for construction of the new pool.The surrounding town governments and the Graham County Board of Supervisors dedicated $750,000 of CBDG (Com-munity Block Development Grant) funds to the project.

Improvements to the area surrounding areas of the pool continue and will include shade, a sand volleyball court as well as other landscaping and lighting.

New Cancer Center provides healing, sanctuary

The Cancer Center Ambulatory Clinic opened its doors to a welcoming community of cancer survivors, patients, residents and medical personnel May 12.Adjacent to the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, the center strived to provide a sanctuary of peace and health as it treats cancer patients locally and in the far reaches of the region.”This center is a milestone that we hope touches the spirit of anyone who walks through its doors,” John Ratje, president of the hospital board of directors, said.In the past, patients inflicted with the disease of cancer were expected to travel long distances to reach a cancer treatment center or other hospitals for care.”We hope this center will be a one-stop shop for cancer patients needing chemotherapy,” Chief Executive Officer Pat O’ Brien said.Doctors, administrators and health-care providers can now provide more adequate care, particularly with the new drugs available to patients suffering from cancer.”We have come a long way here. I remember giving chemotherapy in a small 9-by-9-foot room more than 10 years ago,” head oncology nurse Michaele Estrada said.

PD kicks off busing program

In May, Phelps Dodge started giving employees of the Morenci mine a new way to ride to work — in comfort and in style — as it helps keep the cost of commuting to a minimum for workers.After months of discussion and negotiations, Phelps Dodge signed a deal with Ryan’s Express Transportation Services, a private busing service with offices in Tempe, to contract three 56-passenger buses to deliver mine employees to Morenci and back to the Gila Valley every day.

The busing is a trial program that can either be expanded, kept the same or wiped out after a few weeks, depending upon the employee usage and feedback, Phelps Dodge Communications Manager Kimball Hansen said.“It’s not a requirement but a free service for employees,” Hansen said. “With departure times at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m., it gets people up there in time for their shifts.”The buses depart from a parking lot along Discovery Park Boulevard just west of the Safford Cemetery. Two of the buses depart at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m., and the third leaves approximately 30 minutes later for each trip to catch any stragglers.

New dialysis center to accommodates growth in Valley

Patients needing dialysis to repair less than functional kidneys can be treated in relative comfort and spaciousness in the new facility on 20th Avenue.The previous facility, known as Building B next to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, incorporated a number of outpatient services with the Renal Care Dialysis Center.The new building is located at 1250 S. 20th Street on the west side near the Safford High School and down the street from the local hospital.In the building leased through the hospital, patients needing care often had to await aid in cramped quarters, a problem which only worsened with the growth of the Gila Valley.”I believe that building was about 2,000 square feet, but only 10 patients could be treated at a time,” Fuller said.

The new center has 16 dialysis stations and machines, which remove toxic wastes and elements from patients’ blood and impaired kidneys.”It’s a significant increase in square footage at 8,473 square feet,” Fuller said.Another feature is the new building will no longer have to share the space — including the restrooms and waiting area — with other outpatient services. Previously, patients needing ultrasounds, cancer treatments or an outpatient physician shared the building with the dialysis center. The dialysis center should open in the early months of 2007.

Leadership program graduates first class

Though 17 members of the community graduated from the first Gila Valley Leadership class, they did not end their journey but began a lifelong voyage in using their skills as active leaders.These were the words of Everett Rhodes, who is the director of Project CENTRL and guest speaker at Thursday’s graduation dinner. Project CENTRL is a statewide center that focuses on rural leadership, and Rhodes shared his thoughts with the inaugural class of the Gila Valley Leadership group.

“I challenge you all to move forward in your roles as leaders,” he said. “Leadership is not a spectator sport - it needs to be practiced.”The Gila Valley Leader-ship classes included seminars on industry and contributors to the Gila Valley including, but not limited to, mining, culture, agriculture, Native American affairs and health care. The class ended its year by building a walking path around the newly opened Mt. Graham Cancer Center and added benches with memorial plaques to the path.

Konopnicki named legislator of the year

The Gila Valley’s representative in the Arizona Legislature is well known for his representation of the area, and he was honored by a state organization for his efforts.The Arizona Association of Counties has awarded District 5 Representative Bill Konopnicki with the 2006 Legislator of the Year award.Though it tries to keep the award recipients to one or two each year, executive director of the association Nicole Stickler said this year, there was no question that Konopnicki was the only one who deserved the honor.Stickler said the association looks for legislators who maintain an open-door policy for local governments as well as someone who goes out of the way to understand the impact of the legislation.”Konopnicki really listens to his local government officials and makes sure their voices are heard at the state level,” she said. “He also makes sure they are aware of the impacts certain types of legislation could have at the local level.”

Konopnicki exhibited so many qualities the Arizona Association of Counties looks for in its legislator of the year that Stickler said it was hard to pinpoint one particular item that set Konopnicki above the rest.

Four-year bill fails; college looks to grow

An old adage, “Change is good,” may be apropos to Eastern Arizona College, a Gila Valley institution that has undergone 10 name changes and numerous course corrections since its humble beginnings 116 years ago. The college, however, will have to wait another year before it again tries to expand its horizons to become a four-year institution.A bill introduced in the Arizona Legislature in January by District 5 Rep. Bill Konopnicki (R-Safford) that would have allowed four-year degrees at EAC failed to garner enough support for passage.If the bill had passed, the college would have begun offering bachelor’s degree programs in teaching, nursing, business and interdisciplinary studies beginning with the 2007/08 school year.”We have found that EAC is really the only community college in the state that is definitely in favor of offering four-year degrees. This fact should help us because the change would be limited to EAC and not be systemwide,” college President Mark Bryce wrote in an e-mail message to the Courier.

Bryce and Konopnicki indicated they plan to try again in 2007 by introducing another bill in the Legislature.”We will be back before the Legislature in January. In the meantime, we shall formulate strategy and prepare for the next encounter,” Bryce said.

Efforts to beautify Downtown take form

A facelift of Downtown Safford began on the corner of Eighth Avenue and Main Street in June as the first phase of the sculpture project began with the laying of flagstone in the northwestern corner of the City Hall lawn.The city of Safford and the Arizona Department of Corrections laid the first flagstone near the towering pine tree. The flagstone was donated by ADOC, and two inmates helped city of Safford employee and sculptor Mike Castro prepare the ground and place the stone.

A sculpture of a Gila monster, which was designed and created by Castro, will be placed near the tree as well.SAVE Chairman and sculpture committee chairman J.T. Cotter said the sculpture is designed to be a bench or a place for children to play.The sculpture committee hopes to add other pieces of art around Safford and is working with local artists on designs.THe city has also installed new period lights, sidewalks and signs welcoming the public to Downtown Safford on the east and west ends of Main Street on Hwy. 191 and on Eighth Avenue.

Safford featured on CNBC series about heavy metals

Safford graced television screens across the country the week of June 29, but it wasn’t because the community was experiencing a catastrophic fire or had a murder suspect among its population.CNBC aired a three-part program about heavy metals this week, some of which was filmed in Safford and Morenci.

The final segment focused on Safford and is titled “Safford, AZ: Small Town, Big Changes.”The Safford segment featured Phelps Dodge as well as an interview with Safford Mayor Ron Green and focused on economic development.The segment was designed to show how the high demand for copper and other metals is having a real-world impact - and the Safford community was used as an example.CNBC reporter Melissa Lee referred to Safford as “a small town that could be straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting.”

When Lee interviewed Green, he said Safford was on the verge of a nice growth pattern.

Pima couple uses freedom of religion to fight drug charges

A local couple who claims to practice an ancient religion that deifies and allows them to consume marijuana will be in court next month to fight for freedom to practice their religion.Dan and Mary Quaintance of Pima are the founders of the Church of Cognizance.

Because the church’s members, or cogniscenti, believe that the cannabis plant is an ancient holy entity and use the plant as its holy sacrament, the Quaintances have found themselves in legal trouble because the use, distribution and possession of the substance is illegal in the United States.In February, the couple was arrested in New Mexico for having 172 pounds of marijuana in their possession. The Drug Enforcement Agency took the Quaintances into custody and executed a search warrant, with help from the Southeastern Arizona Drug Task Force, on their property in Pima.Though the task force was aware of the group and its activities, it did not have enough evidence for a search warrant until the task force joined with the DEA, Task Force Spokesman Dave Boyd said.Though the search warrant produced minimal results, the couple were jailed briefly on the possession charges. Released until their dismissal hearing, the Quaintances are dealing with several different release orders, which have made it The Quaintances are scheduled to go to trial in January after a federal judge ruled against their assertion that their marijuana usage is tied to religious practices.

They face up to 40 years in prison each if convicted on felony charges of conspiracy and transporting more than 100 pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute, according to an Associated Press report.

The couple is scheduled to go to trial in Federal District Court in Albuquerque on Jan. 16.

Federal prison on Swift Trail expands

A new building at the Safford Federal Correctional Institution will house up to 500 inmates and necessitate 31 new jobs in the Gila Valley.The 37,000-square-foot building, constructed mostly by inmates, should be completed by the end of April, John Fief, the prison’s general foreman, said. Cost of the project is $6.726 million.

Fief talked about the new building and other projects during a meeting of the facility’s Community Relations Board on July 18. The 500 additional inmates who will be housed in the building will bring the prison’s inmate population up to 1,330.In addition to the new building, the prison is expanding its visiting area by 3,500 square feet. The prison is also increasing the number of warehouses and building covered parking areas as part of Gov. Janet Napolitano’s energy conservation program.Marvin Rios, the facility’s employee services specialist, said an additional 31 staff members will be needed to supervise and care for the additional inmates. If approved by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the additional staff will include 10 correctional officers and a registered nurse.

Grant indicted again for wife’s murder

Pima businessman and former Phoenix Suns nutritionist Doug Grant was indicted for the second time on a first-degree murder charge in the 2001 death of his wife, Faylene.Grant, 40, was indicted July 21 and was in Maricopa Superior Court on Friday for an arraignment hearing.

Grant’s lawyer, Mel McDonald, said while the arraignment hearing was merely procedural, it was the July indictment that may put another hold on the case.The case was sent back to the grand jury in June after a judge ruled that Grant had been denied his rights by not being allowed to participate at his own initial grand jury hearing.Grant wanted to testify and present evidence before the second grand jury but chose not to do so.“The reason not to testify was because the prosecutor had conditions on it, which was really nothing short of a kangaroo court,” McDonald said.

Homes, roadways flood in Aravaipa

Severe flooding in the Aravaipa Canyon area, where the desert meets the mountain, resulted in the loss of homes and livestock in August. Mount Graham also experienced some flooding, mostly due to the lack of vegetation on watersheds after the 2004 Nuttall Complex fires.Two separate floods, related to the burned out region of the Nuttall-Complex Fire in August 2004, also resulted in flood warnings issued for sections of Hwy. 366 at the base of Mount Graham on Aug. 11. Noon Creek and Wet Canyon watersheds filled, causing floodwater to spill over from the canyons, creeks and streams and onto roadways.

“The Aravaipa access road is completely washed away,” Park Ranger Patrick O’Neill of the Bureau of Land Management, said. O’Neill, who works at the BLM’s Brandenburg Ranger Station, was isolated in the area for several days until Pinal County restored access. It will be several months, maybe longer, before the entire road is repaired.The Brandonberg Ranger Station, located on the west side of Aravaipa, was where O’Neill witnessed significant flood damage, which included at least four homes, livestock, vehicles, fences, pumps, tool sheds and other items.O’Neill said two floods occurred in the early morning hours of July 29 and Aug. 1. The second flood was by far the biggest of the two. Flash flood warnings for the area were also issued Aug 7 at 5 p.m for western Graham County.“Some of the residents who have lived in Aravaipa Canyon a pretty long time said this is the biggest flood they have ever seen — much bigger than the flood of 1983,” O’Neill said.

Although no human lives were lost, O’Neill said one resident lost four horses when they were swept away by floodwaters late into the night. One sheep and four rams were also reported missing due to the heavy flooding that struck when Aravaipa residents were sleeping.A large amount of riparian vegetation, such as cottonwood trees, pecan trees, shrubs, bushes and all types of plant life were also washed away in the flood.

“Everything in the riparian zone that lived along the creek is gone,” O’Neill said.The local residents also experiencing a high amount of monetary losses, particularly with the damages the flooding caused in homes. Three residents did not have any vehicle access to their homes and had to hike onto their property, he said.

Phelps Dodge starts construction on mine

Less than two months after receiving the final permit needed to begin construction in July, Phelps Dodge had several building projects underway at the Safford mine site.Concrete was poured, and foundation work was done on several sites around the Safford mine, most notably the primary, secondary and tertiary crusher sites.

While work on road-building began with the groundbreaking at the site on June 12, Phelps Dodge could not move forward with the construction projects it is building now until a final air quality permit was approved in mid-July.Mine General Manager Ruben Griffith said the steel to finish the structures will be brought in around the middle of next month, getting the structures off the ground and up into the air.“After the structures go up, (we) can begin installing equipment,” Griffith said.Phelps Dodge communications director Kimball Hansen said the process for construction on the different building projects requires coordination between Phelps Dodge and the companies it brings to the site.

Currently, the mine construction operation is using about 300 contracted employees on a daily basis, with an additional 100 Phelps Dodge employees on site. Griffith said the numbers of employees are increasing on a weekly basis and can be expected to top out at approximately 1,000 workers at the peak of construction.

The water permit for the mine was issued in May, and the $550 million needed to build the mine was approved by Phelps Dodge in February.

Woods family mourns loss of brother and son

For years, a group of young people who grew up in Pima have taken camping and fishing trips together.

J.T. Woods, 20, will no longer be joining his mates on these yearly excursions because his life was ended Aug. 20 by a bolt of lightning that hit the tree he was under, sending electricity up through the soles of his feet. J.T. was doing one of his favorite things, fishing with his friends — on Hawley Lake on the Apache Reservation near Show Low — when he died.Robert Woods, 27, J.T.’s older brother, was near, standing on the shore of the lake with his girlfriend and 2-year-old son when the rain began to pour down on their party of eight or nine people. He remembers hearing a crash of thunder and, in the next moment, seeing the bolt of lightning slice into the tree above his brother and a friend, Brent Braithwaite, who now lives in Flagstaff.Robert and his friends ran to the tree and found that Braithwaite was not breathing and had no pulse. His clothing had been blown off by the force of the lightning, and the only thing that remained was his belt and a few strips of his pants. Braithwaite was resuscitated, but Woods died at the scene.Braithwaite’s sister, LaRee Mason, said he had several first-degree burns and some short-term memory loss.

Local man dies after tragic tractor accident

A local businessman died Aug. 28 after his tractor rolled over his legs and pinned him in a field in Safford for more than nine hours on Sunday.Daniel Patrick Lee, 32, was found around 4:30 p.m. Sunday evening when 9-year-old Kade Whitmer rode down East Relation Street on a bike and discovered Lee underneath a tractor he had been using to rake hay. According to Lee’s father-in-law, Bill Kempton, Lee was fighting off a swarm of bees that were attacking him and jumped from the tractor, only to fall and be pinned up to his hips by the left rear wheel of the tractor.

“His cell phone was in his front pants pocket and was buried against the ground, so he couldn’t call for help,” Kempton said.Rescuers arrived on the scene after the call went out at 4:44 p.m. and used a backhoe they chained to the tractor to pull the heavy machinery off Lee. Paramedics and firefighters coordinated the rescue effort while triaging Lee at the scene, hydrating him and checking his vital signs.Once freed, Lee was airlifted to University Medical Center in Tucson and arrived lucid enough to talk to doctors and family members.Kempton said Lee was lucid right up until he was sedated for exploratory surgery early this morning. Kempton traveled to Tucson with Lee’s wife of 11 years, Danielle, and other family members.Kempton said Lee died due to toxins that had saturated his body and forced his kidneys and heart to fail.

County files 11 charges for multi-state crime

A multi-state crime spree ended with a shootout in a Thatcher cotton field on Sept. 9.

Alleged shooter Christopher Lee Harris, 27, was charged by Graham County Attorney Kenneth Angle on 11 counts, including three counts of aggravated assault, unlawful flight from law enforcement, theft of a mode of transportation, possession of a dangerous drug, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful discharge of a firearm, endangerment and misconduct involving a weapon.

Safford Police Detective Sgt. Jason Knight testified Harris was pulled over for a routine traffic stop, and he handed the officer a Wisconsin’s driver license that had a different name and picture on it. When the officer asked for the vehicle’s registration, Harris took off, leaving officers to scramble in pursuit down U.S. Highway 70 at speeds topping 80 mph.It was later determined that the green GMC Jimmy Harris was driving was stolen at gunpoint from a woman in McPherson County, Kansas.After talking with officers from Kansas, Knight determined, “They (Harris and Loren Marie Gonczi) asked the lady for a ride, then pulled a gun on her and had her get out of the car.”

During a three-week span, Harris and Gonczi are suspected of committing crimes in Arizona, Il