Readers’ Choice BY JUSTIN GRIFFIN AND KYLIE WERNER
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To kick off our year in review, we took a look at the stories that mattered most to our readers. To curate this list, we looked at the top 10 most read stories of the year.
Maricopa’s Pediatric Dental Specialist
1 CAFFEINE CRASH FEBRUARY
3 DEADLIEST CATCH JUNE
improvements to State Route 347 now deemed “unfeasible,” the board decided it was time to hit pause. The agency’s plan had been heavily reliant on a sales tax approved by voters in 2017, which was ultimately struck down by the Arizona Supreme Court, leaving $90 million in limbo. While no staff were laid off, funding and future projects are now nonexistent, although a half-cent local sales tax is being explored as a new solution. 5 HIGHS AND LOWE’S JANUARY Lowe’s Home Improvement confirmed Maricopa would start seeing more than just the usual desert landscape when Thompson Thrift began construction on a 130,000-square-foot hardware superstore. The Indianapolis developer, which finalized a $9.25 million land purchase last summer through its Phoenix office, is setting up shop at the South Bridge Marketplace. Currently under construction are a 30,000-square-foot garden center, retail and restaurant spaces, catering to Maricopa’s growing demand for goods and services. The developer is no stranger to the area — back in 2019, it completed the Sonoran Creek Marketplace with big-name tenants like Sprouts Farmers Market and Marshalls. Now, it’s bringing more shopping options to a city hungry for retail. Plans for the project include an Aldi supermarket and additional storefronts in phase two, expected this year.
In a shocking twist, Dutch Bros Coffee decided against opening a second location in Maricopa — just after announcing its corporate move from Grants Pass, Ore., to Phoenix. The company had filed paperwork in July 2023 for a new drive-thru at Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and Stonegate Road, but after months of silence, it confirmed it would no longer pursue the project, leaving coffee lovers in the area without a favorite caffeine fix. Maricopa’s existing Dutch Bros store opened in 2019. 2 COACH OF THE YEAR JUNE Ryan Portee, a former football coach at Desert Sunrise High School, was arrested after InMaricopa publicized video footage of a disturbing road rage incident in May. Portee, 50, had threatened to kill 21-year-old Jordin Amato at the intersection of Porter and Honeycutt Roads. Portee had a history of traffic violations across multiple states, including DUI, reckless driving and other dangerous offenses. This latest incident led to his termination from both Desert Sunrise and Sequoia Pathway Academy, where he had been a coach and physical education teacher. He faces charges of threatening and intimidating, along with disorderly conduct.
Leanne Lemman, 45, was already in hot water for stealing from her ex-employer when things took a tragic turn. While on the run from the local police in Payson, she ran a red light and killed 69-year-old Mark Alexander, who was riding his bicycle. Though initially released by police, Lemman’s connection to several fraud charges across the state caught up with her. Now arrested on multiple felony counts, she faces up to 93 years in prison — and more charges could be on the way. The Casa Grande Police Department had been tracking Lemman, a one-time Rancho Mirage resident, for months after she is said to have gone on a self-indulgent shopping spree using stolen credit card details from her ex-boss. From Botox to pedicures, Lemman left a trail of financial ruin and legal problems. As creditors and investigators closed in, Lemman’s evasion efforts seemed endless — until her fatal driving incident in Payson. Lemman is accused of a series of fraudulent activities, including theft and forgery, linked to multiple cities in Arizona. After spending weeks evading arrest, she is still being held in the Pinal County jail on a $20,000 bond. 4 VAPID TRANSIT NOVEMBER The Pinal Regional Transportation Authority announced it was suspending operations after nearly a decade of failed efforts. With
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