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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS Wednesday, January 18, 2017
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Developer loses bid for reimbursement FOOTHILLS NEWS of $1.2-million drainage system
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS WWW.AHWATUKEE.COM
BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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No teacher shortage yet in Ahwatukee schools
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(Larry Mangino/AFN Staff Photographer)
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DREAM COME TRUE Local remodeling firm opens showroom
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Mountain Pointe High School sophomore Daleeyah Mitchel 15, was engrossed in her painting during the school’s 24th annual student art show last week. The show featured completed works by students as well as demonstrations throughout the day and early evening. For more photos, see p. 22.
Appellate court rejects Gila bid to stop freeway work during appeal BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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pponents of the South Mountain Freeway last week lost their last chance to halt construction while they try to permanently stop the $1.77 billion project. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit turned down the temporary injunction request filed by the Gila River Indian Community and rejected its claim that it deserved separate consideration from
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the Ahwatukee-based Protect Arizona’s Resources and Children. Meanwhile, there were developments on two other fronts connected to the freeway as crews began stepping up work along the Pecos Road segment and the Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee prepared to get an update on the project next Monday. The last time the committee got an update, in late August, a group of Gila Community
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tarkly different stories surround a failed effort by the developer of a new Ahwatukee complex to get city taxpayers to pick up a majority of the tab for a storm-water drainage system. Investment Property Associates wanted city taxpayers to pay for at least two-thirds of the cost of a $1.2 million storm-water drainage system at its new Ahwatukee senior independent- and assisted-living complex. The developer’s lawyer believes city staffers misled his client into paying for the project, which is expected to end periodic flooding during heavy rains at the intersection of 50th Street and Chandler Boulevard. Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio said at a hearing that he also believes the developer was misled and went so far as to say City Manager Ed Zuercher lied—an allegation Zuercher firmly denied. Insisting that they misled no one, city staffers say the company opted for a system that was nearly three times more expensive than what was needed so that it could develop more of the site. The complex is the new 137-unit Generations at Ahwatukee, scheduled to open later this year. The conflicting stories emerged in documents and at a lengthy hearing Jan. 10 before City Council, which ultimately voted 7-1 to deny IPA its request for a See
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