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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS www.ahwatukee.com
MAN ON A MISSION
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
@AhwatukeeFN |
@AhwatukeeFN
School hopes emerge amid wrangling, lawsuit threats
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services and PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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hwatukee public schools remained closed for a fifth day today, May 2, as teachers continued their walkout amid continued skepticism by #RedforEd movement leaders about Gov. Doug Ducey’s plan to give them and their districts more money and the Legislature’s buy-in. At press time there was no clear indication when schools would reopen, although Kyrene Superintndent noted that Arizona Education Association President Joe Thomas suggested
teachers would return Thursday. However, it also remained possible that the AEA Arizona Educators United – the two groups leading the statewide walkout – may wait to see if the Legislature on Friday adopts a budget containing Ducey’s proposal for additional public school funding. The walkout began April 26 and Desert Vista High School teacher Lara Bruner said on Sunday: “The majority of Desert Vista teachers were in the flood of Arizonans who marched on the Capitol.” “After years of feeling that public education has been a low priority in this state, it was incredibly inspiring to see so many educators and community members tell the Legislature
that their number one priority needs to be education. Despite people passing out from the heat throughout the day (including my own teenage son), folks showed up in record numbers,” Bruner added. Jen Liewer, spokeswoman for Tempe Union High School District, said, “We are making closure decisions based on staffing levels, on a day-by-day basis.” Vesely said, “We are hopeful that Kyrene schools will reopen on Thursday.” Both districts urge parents to keep an eye on their email and the districts’ websites for late-breaking announcements.
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS RACING FOR THE SUN
See
TEACHERS on page 14
Technology helping rescue units aid more stranded hikers
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RACIAL DIVIDE
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(Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association)
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Members of the all-volunteer Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association earlier this year used a helicopter to rescue some stranded hikes at Bulldog Canyon, near Bush Highway in the Lower Salt River Recreation Area. More cellphone towers in the East Valley make it easier for rescuers to located stranded hikers, provided they have their cell phones in good oeprating condition.
FROM SEA TO LAND
BY JIM WALSH AFN Staff Writer
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othing is foolproof in the wild, where nature routinely demonstrates that it is more powerful than man.
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MONTESSORI A Foundation for a Lifetime of Learning
But Central Arizona Mountain Rescue, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and other organizations say technology is helping them even the odds when it comes to saving stranded hikers. Technology has significantly reduced the
number of long ground searches for lost hikers, they say, and that turns more missions into rescues of injured or lost hikers rather than body recoveries. See
RESCUE on page 20
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• (480) 460-7312