2024 December InMaricopa Magazine

December 2024 issue of InMaricopa Magazine InMaricopa.com InMaricopa is Maricopa's premier local news source InMaricopa is your go-to source for hyper-local news and information about Maricopa, Arizona. Stay informed with the latest community updates, events, and stories that matter to our city. InMaricopa is the only dedicated news outlet focusing exclusively on the city of Maricopa, ensuring residents are always in the know.

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December 2024

Underdogs A dog fighting ring. A euthanasia revival. And a shelter that will likely never come.

HISTORY • GOVERNMENT • BUSINESS • COMMUNITY • HOME • MORE

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CONTENTS

Maricopa

December 7th, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

LEADING OFF Editor’s letter 4 Contributors 4 HISTORY

The Lunch Room is a bite of Old West railway culture 6

This month in history 6 GOVERNMENT

Overfull and understaffed, local shelter resumes euthanasia to community’s dismay 8 Child from known family at center of scandal involving top city officials 14 Permits 17 COMMUNITY Underground dog, cockfighting ring seems more than just whispers 20 Inside the secret murder house no one ever knew was here 24 What I learned after a year of self-reflection 28 BUSINESS Briefs 30 Restaurant inspections 31 U.S.’s largest Black-owned book packager bases operations in Province 32 Here’s a new approach to weight loss that actually works 38 12 ways to ease your tax bill before the New Year 40

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HOME HOA wars reach fever pitch in Rancho Mirage, elsewhere 42 Forget mistletoe, here’s another festive flora to stage your Christmas smooch 48 Flood insurance in the desert? Yes, really 49 Extreme home sales 50

EVENTS Calendar 54 TRENDING A look at what’s hot on InMaricopa.com 63

PARTING SHOT Humming up roses 64

ON THE COVER Monica D. Spencer captures a dog’s paw resting outside his kennel at Pinal County Animal Care and Control in Eleven Mile Corner, Ariz., on Oct. 30, 2024.

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InMaricopa.com | December 2024

FROM THE EDITOR

J JOURNALISTS ARE PROSECUTORS IN THE COURT of public opinion. They are advocates; they are keepers of vital records. And, at times, they are P.I.s you don’t have to pay. People often ask me if I’m afraid A.I. will take my job one day. After all, any generative chatbot worth its bytes can spit out an instant novella if you ask it nicely — and I’m still under 30. My longtime AM radio cohost, Bill Brady, has often said on the air that what makes the InMaricopa team special is that, unlike most news outlets in cities this size, we “get our fingernails dirty.” By the time this December edition of the magazine was ready to print, let me tell you, our fingernails were absolutely filthy. Let’s start with the cover, and it is an evocative one. Our newest reporter, Kylie Werner, writes that there’s never been a worse time to be a dog in Maricopa. Pinal County quietly resumes euthanasia at its shelters as an underground dog fighting ring, even more quietly, expands its enterprise in Maricopa, sources say. An eye-popping 97% of Maricopa residents support an animal shelter here in the county’s But my answer is always a swift and confident “Nope,” often delivered with a chuckle. Because A.I. chatbots don’t have fingernails. Let me tell you what I mean. Can you dig it?

Publisher SCOTT BARTLE

most populous city, as the other shelters are perpetually overfull and understaffed. Yet the few dissidents are likely the people who could bring such a project to fruition.

Managing Editor ELIAS WEISS

Advertising Director VINCENT MANFREDI

A similarly large majority of Maricopa residents believe their HOA agreement is unfair, and with good reason. Our Monica D. Spencer tells us what she learned in conversations with homeowners who plan to protest outside their neighborhoods with signs urging others not to move there. As for me, this month, I’m exposing how a top official covered up the assault

Advertising TAWNI PROCTOR MICHELLE SORENSEN

❉

Writers JEFF CHEW KRISTINA DONNAY

DAYV MORGAN CHERYL PURVIS BRIAN PETERSHEIM JR. BRIANNA REINHOLD TOM SCHUMAN CHRIS J. SCOGGIN MONICA D. SPENCER KYLIE WERNER

Merry Christmas AND A VERY HAPPY 2025 WISHING OUR READERS A ❄ ❅ ❆ ❆ ❉

of a child on city property. Then, I’ll take you inside the Maricopa murder house that, for years, no one even knew was there. So, there you have it. We’ve done our digging for the month. And while I’d like to say we left no stone unturned, there are simply too many stones, and too few of us. But, hey, if you need a free P.I., why don’t you give me a call? I know a guy for that.

❄

Photographers BRYAN MORDT

BRIAN PETERSHEIM JR. MONICA D. SPENCER

Designer CARL BEZUIDENHOUT

❅

MISSION Inform readers/viewers. Enrich advertisers.

❉

ELIAS WEISS MANAGING EDITOR Elias@inMaricopa.com

BELIEFS We believe in: • An informed citizenry. • Holding ourselves and others accountable. • The success of deserving businesses.

❆

CONTRIBUTORS

VALUES

• Integrity • Accountability

• Open, honest, real-time communication • Prosperity for clients, community, company

Volume 19, Issue 12 InMaricopa 44400 W. Honeycutt Road, Suite 101 Maricopa, AZ 85138

520-568-0040 Tel News@InMaricopa.com Advertising@InMaricopa.com

Published advertisements are not an endorsement of products or advertising claims by InMaricopa . No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without the prior written permission of InMaricopa . Copyright 2024.

CHERYL PURVIS Master gardener Cheryl prefers this seasonal succulent at Christmas to the overdone poinsettias of yesteryear.

BRIANNA REINHOLD Professional counselor Brianna tells us what she learned after a year of self-reflection.

CHRIS J. SCOGGIN Accountant Chris shares a dozen ways to pinch a penny on your tax bill before the year ends.

InMaricopa.com | December 2024

HISTORY

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Sing and Song New restaurants today are the talk of the town, and that’s putting it lightly. But few know restaurants have, in fact, always been this way. Even when Maricopa was a settlement of just a few dozen people. In the late 1800s, in the days of Maricopa Junction, one of the few restaurants in town was known as the Lunch Room. It sat near what was once the Hotel Williams and the iconic water tower, which still stands since circa 1800 near the Amtrak Station. The Lunch Room was a place rail passengers frequently patronized, passing time by sitting and watching the trains load and unload, according to the Maricopa Historical Society, which provided the photos. While details about the Lunch Room are little known, Sing Ching and Song, whose surname has been lost to history, were two of the Chinese-American chefs who worked there. They were some of the finest cooks in the Arizona territory, historians noted.

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY For these and other historical stories, visit InMaricopa.com.

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Kyrie Eve Sanders arrived a few days earlier than expected, sending her parents, Homestead North residents Jayden and Rachel Sanders, scrambling to get to a Mesa birthing center in the early morning of Christmas Eve. While on State Route 347, traffic jammed, and Rachel Sanders felt her daughter’s head. They pulled over and delivered Kyrie near the I-10 overpass.

Two Christmas Day tragedies in unincorporated Maricopa changed families’ lives forever. A double-wide trailer caught fire on Fresno Road in Thunderbird Farms, and when Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived it was already entirely engulfed. One unnamed man died. Eleven hours later, a pickup truck carrying three people rolled on Papago Road, just east of Pecan Woods Boulevard. Josiah Abbott, 15, and Morgan Martin, 14, died at the scene. The driver of the vehicle, William Gay, 23, of Phoenix, was treated at the scene for serious injuries and then transported to Chandler Regional Hospital. None wore seatbelts and were all ejected.

Maricopa Police Department served as the official honor guard for the Fiesta Bowl. “We’re happy to be given this opportunity,” said Sgt. Daniel Brown, the Honor Guard Unit Commander. “This department is not even three years old yet, so it is a great honor. We’ve done a lot of events that bring recognition to the city. We’re very pleased and very honored to do it. These are all a great bunch of guys.”

Acclaimed PGA Tour golfer John Daly visited Maricopa to help break ground at Southern Dunes Golf Club’s new clubhouse. He did it in style, arriving in a Hummer limousine. Daly took the opportunity to test out the greens and shot a 75.

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InMaricopa.com | December 2024

GOVERNMENT

Paws for concern Pinal County is killing dogs for the first time in 6 years. Overfull and understaffed, it rejects a solution with 97% support BY KYLIE WERNER

at full capacity and that for the first time in six years it would start euthanizing for space. Many residents like Banford said they felt the solution to the issue was staring them in the face — a new shelter in Maricopa, the county’s most populous city where feral animals this year were declared a crisis. An October InMaricopa poll of 532 city residents found a head-turning 97% said an animal shelter was a “need” in the city. “Not only does the city need a shelter, it needs resources for these feral [cats] and for the pets,” Banford said. InMaricopa contacted city to ask if such resources could exist here. “Currently, the city of Maricopa partners with Pinal County to shelter rescued and stray animals, averaging just two to three animals per week,” said spokesperson Monica Williams. “Establishing a dedicated animal shelter would require a significant investment, potentially funded by taxpayers. Fortunately, our collaboration with the county allows us to meet our community’s needs while keeping costs minimal.” She said Ziccardi’s primary task is to educate pet owners about the importance of microchipping their animals for quick reunification if they become lost and encouraging the securing of doors, fencing and gates to prevent pets from escaping. Kelly Anderson, executive director of the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce, said she felt the current set up wasn’t working after conversations with residents in Thunderbird Farms and Hidden Valley and the owners of The Gud Ark animal sanctuary and Little Whiskers Rescue. “It’s a real problem here and with 70,000 people and our own animal control and animal management issues, now we have the Valley dumping more on us,” Anderson said. “Quite frankly, in my opinion, being the largest city in Pinal County, we’re really underserved when it comes to county resources.” Anderson emphasized the benefits of having a shelter in town. “When people lose their animals or somebody finds an animal, having one location, like an animal shelter, that can hold that pet for a day or whatever it takes to be reunited with the owner would be super helpful,” Anderson said. “I think if we had animal shelter here, it might assist our community with setting up and launching some sort of TNR [trap, neuter, release] program to also address our feral cat population.”

A Pinal County Animal Care and Control employee washes dog bowls in the shelter’s kitchen area.

McCarthy said owners who want to surrender their pets are meant to file paperwork with the rescue ahead of the surrender, but too many simply dump their animals without any documentation. Most recently, there was a box of 11 kittens dumped at Jennifer Ferguson’s house in May. Ferguson is one of the fosters for the rescue. McCarthy likened the feral cat situation to a zombie apocalypse. “They’re everywhere,” McCarthy said. “If you don’t think about them or know about them, you don’t really see them, but once you do you, you start seeing them everywhere. You’ll see them behind businesses, in sewers, subdivisions and front yards.” People don’t like seeing feral cats on their property, McCarthy said, “so they call us, yelling at us to remove them. We’re not animal control.” Ferguson said Ziccardi has only responded to calls for injured cats because he told her otherwise, “the calls would never stop coming.” “Welcome to our lives,” McCarthy said. According to data from the city, animal control calls have increased sharply over the past four years from 347 calls in 2021 to 966 this year. Of those calls in 2021, six were for vicious dogs and 59 were for barking dogs. It is projected

Local rescues left to pick up the pieces

An analysis of five large community Facebook groups in Maricopa this year alone found thousands of posts about loose and feral dogs. Even groups that had set rules against posting such notices averaged multiple per day. Banford claimed even when Maricopa Animal Control Officer Luke Ziccardi is on duty Monday through Thursday, he often is unable to take loose dogs to the Pinal County Animal Care and Control shelter, which is perpetually full. A rescue partner of PCACC, Home Is Where the Hound Is, recently announced the shelter was

ARICOPA IS A CITY THAT PUTS ITS rocks in cages but not its pets. “We moved to Maricopa almost five years ago from Washington State

A Pinal County Animal Care and Control employee walks a dog back to its kennel Oct. 30.

Little Whiskers is a volunteer-run rescue that has been helping TNR the feral cat population and tending stray cats, feral moms and their kittens since 2018. According to owner Brittney McCarthy, the rescue today has 61 cats between its nine foster houses. During its last fiscal year, which ended in August, the rescue had custody of 781 cats. “Most of them are going to be strays,” McCarthy said. “They’re either strays or they’re feral babies and feral mamas. I would say that about 30% are owner surrenders.”

and the amount of loose, dumped and unwanted animals out here is insane,” said Rancho El Dorado resident Shannon Slettvet Banford. “It gets progressively worse every year, especially since the pandemic. “Dumped dogs run through neighborhoods all the time, often on weekends, when there is no animal control officer on duty.”

InMaricopa.com | December 2024

December 2024 | InMaricopa.com

GOVERNMENT

But then what are you going to do with them?” she questioned. “You can’t just say we’re going to have a shelter and then load up the shelter with animals that you have no outcome for.” PCACC is overfull and amid a remodel. When InMaricopa interviewed Michael, the shelter had custody of 270 dogs and three dozen cats, and more than 50 dogs in foster homes — but only 118 kennels due to the ongoing construction that began in February. When the remodel is completed, the shelter will have 149 kennels. Michael noted the remodel does not include the addition of any new kennels. Because, she predicted, a new kennel block was “going to be full within a day.” “Then you need more staff; you need more supplies and you need more resources. So, we didn’t really want to add more kennels,” she said. The remodel moves the meet-and-greet areas inside, adds new office space for staff and play yards with shade structures, astroturf, kennels and a wide walking path. The cats at the shelter will also be moved to the front in the lobby so people who come in will see them right away. According to Michael, PCACC took in 2,496 stray cats and dogs from Jan. 1 to Oct. 24 — an average of 10 a day — but she said a normal year sees some 5,000 animals. This year, 65 cats and 89 dogs came from incorporated Maricopa. When fully staffed, the shelter has 43 employees, but today there are only 36 on the payroll. Not only is the shelter overfull, it is understaffed. The Maricopa County Animal Shelter, which serves 4 million people, takes in 60,000 animals a year and has custody of 900 animals at any given time in a building that only has 300 kennels. As such, some animals arrive in Casa Grande from north of the county line, and Michael smells a similar problem if Maricopa opened a municipal shelter. “If a shelter opens in Maricopa, people from unincorporated Maricopa will try to bring the animals to you, which is in itself a nightmare,” she predicted. “People want to help but they don’t understand jurisdictions, so it causes a little chaos which is not fair to the citizens or to both shelters.” She said even if the city council and mayor agreed to build a shelter, it would still take a long time to become operational. “If they want to do that, that’s great, but it’s going to take some money and planning,” Michael said. “We’ve been going through a remodel that got approved four years ago but only got started this last February.”

Pinal County Animal Care and Control Director Audra Michael sits at her desk with a dog nearby.

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SHOULD MARICOPA HAVE AN ANIMAL SHELTER?

“Imagine putting that money into your city,” McCarthy said. “Putting a shelter here that’s not an hour away.” Her rescue, its vets and its volunteers have offered to help get the shelter up and running if the city were to invest in one. Ferguson said a local shelter would collaborate with rescues and rescuers in the city. “Few things are more agonizing than watching something innocent suffer and not being able to help,” Ferguson said. “It all boils down to the love of pets and some people consider their pets to be major parts of the family. That’s why we rescue for love. Our blood — actual blood like from a bite or scratch — sweat from catching kittens in the summer and tears when one dies go into caring for the kittens and cats of Maricopa. They’d get more help if we had an animal shelter.” The harsh reality of a local shelter PCACC Director Audra Michael said she understood why some 97% of Maricopa residents wanted an animal shelter but questioned if they grasped the gravity it would entail. “When we impound an animal, we have to give them a vaccine. Vaccines cost money. We have to give them flea and tick treatments, that costs money. Before we adopt them out, we have to get them spayed and neutered,” Michael said, among other costs. “You have to go into it thinking how are we going to help the community — not just get a bunch of stay animals off the street.” Michael worried if McCarthy’s proposal was thought through fully. “You want to have a shelter for picking up all the stray dogs that are running down the street.

that in 2024 there will be 58 vicious dog calls and 214 barking dog calls. McCarthy said not only is Little Whiskers inundated with calls from residents, but the rescue has been called on by Maricopa police and fire departments to pick up feral cats they had encountered. One recent example was a cat left in a car when the owner was arrested. The rescue foots all the vet bills and TNR costs. McCarthy noted the city used to pay for five cats a week to undergo TNR but a year ago, suddenly, it stopped and gave no reason. “The rescue is always in debt,” McCarthy said. “That’s never going to change ... We’ve all talked about it, closing our doors because financially it’s insane.” McCarthy has been in conversation with Maricopa Mayor Nancy Smith and City Councilmember Eric Goettl about options to improve the feral cat problem. She envisions a “nice structured mobile home” with land for cats and dogs to roam. Inside, she sees adoptable cats, intakes, a sick quarantine and vet’s clinic. McCarthy’s retained veterinarian, The Mobile MASH Unit, has pledged weekly visits to Maricopa if such a property was developed. Goettl said a satellite shelter should be funded by the county. “Our residents here in the city already pay county taxes that are supposed to provide for animal control services,” said the councilman. “The onus really does lie with the county in building some type of satellite facility out here on the western side of Pinal. As a city, we’re working to see if we can influence the county to consider that; it’s been a long process.” Goettl said the hope was that once Pinal County Supervisor-elect Rich Vitiello, who

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lives in Maricopa, is sworn in next month, the city might have new leverage to divert resources toward Maricopa. McCarthy said the likelihood of PCACC building a satellite building in Maricopa was low, noting the department is looking to build one in San Tan Valley instead and advocates a city-run shelter in Maricopa. “Stop putting rocks in cages. Stop beautifying things that don’t need to be beautiful. Build a shelter,” McCarthy demanded. “You can make a shelter a nonprofit which means you get donations, you get help, you get grants and it’s a huge part of it. But a lot of grants are not available in Pinal County for foster rescues. They want the brick-and-mortar.” The city pays per animal taken to the county shelter in Casa Grande and again for each day on intake, stray or medical hold.

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InMaricopa.com | December 2024

December 2024 | InMaricopa.com

GOVERNMENT

LITTLE WHISKERS BY THE NUMBERS 9 FOSTER HOMES 61 CATS CURRENTLY IN THE RESCUE 781 CATS RESCUED IN LAST FISCAL YEAR

Source: Little Whiskers Rescue

A volunteer for Little Whiskers holds foster kitten Shock Nov. 5.

A call to action Even if a shelter is never built in Maricopa, there are other things that can be done to quell the city’s feral pet problem — like educating the public, volunteering or donating to local rescues like Little Whiskers. “I know times are tough and sometimes it’s not always inexpensive to get a dog spayed or neutered, but the consequences of not doing that or not keeping your pet indoors can be catastrophic for the city,” Goettl said. “That

“People think that they’re going to get in trouble, which is not true. They think it’s going to be too much money, which is also not true,” she said. The question is this: Will a shelter ever be built in the city? A lot of residents are holding out hope for one. Said Banford: “We need a shelter in town that the lost and dumped pets can go to so we can help control this epidemic of animals being dumped out here.”

would be my plea to our residents.” PCACC offers vouchers for such surgeries with the purchase of a license for your pet. Keeping track of pets, whether through the county’s pet licensing program or a microchip, is important to keep shelter numbers down, Michael said — only 1 in 10 incoming pets is ever reunited with its owner. Michael said people holding onto animals they find for a couple days would be helpful as well.

COMPARING COUNTIES

ANIMAL CONTROL CALLS IN MARICOPA

60,000

966

60,000

871

1,000

689

4,000,000

750

4,000,000

347

500

45,000

250

3,000,000

2021

2022 2023 2024

30,000

Table 1 BARKING, VICIOUS DOG PROBLEM ON THE RISE

2,000,000

300

2021 2022 2023 2024

347

214

196

225

689

871

15,000

130

966

1,000,000

150

5,000

450,000

Barking Dog Calls Viciousg Dog Calls

900

300

270

149

Citizens served

Dogs at a time Kennels Animals per year

Source: City of Maricopa

*Projected

Source: Pinal County Animal Care and Control

InMaricopa.com | December 2024

December 2024 | InMaricopa.com

Table 1

2021

GOVERNMENT

Cover-up at Copper Sky A 14-year-old was assaulted on a basketball court. Someone tried to hide it

IRECTOR-LEVEL OF Maricopa employees conspired to cover up the assault of a middle school-aged boy at the Copper Sky CITY

Recreation Complex, allege the child’s parents, multiple witnesses and employees at the gym. An InMaricopa investigation dating back to July found at least two of the city employees presented false information about the assault and the investigation could spur criminal charges against a third man, the 43-year-old aggressor, the Maricopa police chief now indicates. Levi Donohue, 14, was playing pickup basketball on the facility’s indoor court July 16 with a mixed group of teen boys and adult men, including Anson Smith, who witnesses described as becoming livid when Donohue blocked his shot. “Out of anger,” said recreation specialist Alicia Ryles, “Anson pushed Levi to the ground.” Donohue, tall for his age but thin as a rail, weighed at least 100 pounds less than Smith, said his father, Dr. John Donohue, 60. “He knocked the breath out of him — he couldn’t breathe,” said John Donohue, who lives in Thunderbird Farms. “He slammed him to the ground. My son flew 10 feet.” These details are corroborated in a July 22 report undersigned by Recreation

BY ELIAS WEISS

Levi Donohue (left) is at the center of a controversy involving top city officials.

Superintendent David McLeish, which was leaked to InMaricopa by whistleblowers who work at Copper Sky after the city’s records administrator said no such report existed. ‘They can’t keep getting away with this’ In October, InMaricopa submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for “any and all incident reports, photographs and/or video footage originating from Copper Sky Recreational Complex involving Levi Donohue in 2024.” The records clerk, Andy Juarez, on Oct. 7

He slammed him to the ground. My son flew 10 feet.” DR. JOHN DONOHUE, LEVI’S FATHER

said: “The City of Maricopa does not have any incident reports, photographs and/or video footage of the individual in question.” But McLeish, who was contacted by Juarez in response to the FOIA request, verifiably had access to incident reports and video footage tagged with Levi Donohue’s name. A report with City of Maricopa letterhead described the incident as “serious.” “Alicia Ryles reviewed the camera footage ... you can see where Anson pushed Levi to the ground,” read one of the supposedly nonexistent reports signed by McLeish. Maricopa Police Department Officer Sonja Hoffmann also confirmed the existence of the video footage. Another recreation specialist who agreed to an interview under anonymity for fear of losing his job in retaliation said he believed the leaders in his department had made concerted efforts to shield the incident from the public gaze. “An old man did that to a little kid, and then came the cover-up,” the staffer said. “You can’t hide that. That’s breaking a federal law — you can’t lie to the press. You just can’t.” Smith, who is a construction site manager at Gehan Homes, according to his LinkedIn

Dr. John (right) and May McCarthy Donohue (left) photographed at Maricopa Kids Day.

InMaricopa.com | December 2024

December 2024 | InMaricopa.com

GOVERNMENT

report from July 16, when officers responded to Copper Sky, and were told by MPD no such report existed. Worse still, although the director McLeish said Smith was “suspended from the facility for one week,” he checked in to the gym just one day later, according to two Copper Sky employees with access to check-in records. John Donohue had inquired about this. The response: No comment. “They say they can’t tell us what they did to the guy,” he said. “But everyone knows what he did to my son.” MPD Chief Mark Goodman confirmed his officers responded to the reported assault that Tuesday afternoon in July. While he did not offer what police work had been done on the case in the four months since the officers gathered witness statements and CCTV footage, he maintained he hadn’t closed the case — perhaps in response to mounting pressure from the media and the victim’s family. “We did respond, and we are reviewing it,” Goodman said. “There’s a possibility that criminal charges will be filed against that person.”

profile, was contacted by phone Nov. 11. He did not return requests seeking comment for this story. The Hidden Valley Estates resident has no criminal record, though perhaps not for much longer. Assault against a child under age 15 is an aggravating factor in Arizona, and police say they are considering filing charges. “If they’re hiding this, they’re hiding other things,” the Copper Sky employee said. “They can’t keep getting away with this. This does not coincide with the law.” The employee said he believes Smith and McLeish attend the same church and are friends. Criminal charges ‘a possibility’ In June, InMaricopa reported Copper Sky leaders waited more than a year to ban an adult member, Robert White, who had on many occasions sexually harassed teenage girls on city property. Dr. John and his wife May McCarthy Donohue, 59, have long organized the annual Maricopa Kids Day and are vocal champions of child welfare in the community.

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28 RESIDENTIAL SOLAR 12 RESIDENTIAL SWIMMING POOLS 86 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES 5 TEMPORARY SIGNS Permits Issued

The Donohues frequently rub elbows with top city officials, like Mayor Nancy Smith, who recently asked the couple to accept a formal proclamation honoring Maricopa Kids Day, May Donohue said. “That’s kind of interesting,” she said of the offer, sarcastically, “when what happened to my son was covered up.” As of Nov. 8, four months had elapsed and no one from MPD had called Levi Donohue’s parents back since they made the initial call to dispatch, they said. The parents also requested a copy of the police department’s incident There’s a possibility that criminal charges will be filed against that person.” MARK GOODMAN, MPD CHIEF

COMMERCIAL Apex Motor Sports tenant improvement permit for two garage condos valued at $475,000. Diamond Communications $15,000 cell tower modification permit for an AT&T tower at 45330 W. McDavid Road. Home at Maricopa shade structure permits valued at $780,000. Reinsman Commons swimming pool permit for $145,000 at 43990 W. Honeycutt Ave. Sorrento Phase 2 commercial shade structure permit for dog park valued at $3,500.

RESIDENTIAL Beazer Homes Holdings to construct 2 homes in Rancho Mirage. Gehan Homes to construct 2 homes in The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado. K. Hovnanian Homes to construct 1 home in Rancho Mirage. KB Home to construct 2 homes in Tortosa and 1 in Desert Passage. Meritage Homes to construct 9 homes in Rancho Mirage and 9 in Province. Pulte Home Company to construct 30 homes at El Rancho Santa Rosa. Richmond American Homes to construct 30 homes in The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado.

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$ 25 OFF Jiffy Lube Signature Service ® Oil Change Service includes up to 5 quarts of Pennzoil Motor Oil and multi point inspection. Most vehicles. Shop fees apply. Not valid with any other offer or discount. Coupon required. Valid at all Phoenix Metro Valley locations. Exp. 12/31/2024 CODE: CG25PZL

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InMaricopa.com | December 2024

December 2024 | InMaricopa.com

FREE OIL CHANGE IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2024 Includes up to 5 quarts of oil, new oil filter, and disposal. (5 quarts synthetic blend 5W30 or 5W20; or full synthetic 0W20, 5W20 and 5W30) Some oil filters may have an additional cost. Most cars & light trucks. Please show birthdate ID. One oil change per person.

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California than any other place, she wouldn’t be shocked if they brought dog fighting with them. She said there was “a big dog fighting ring” somewhere south of Maricopa. Rou reported the man’s White GMC Sierra with a California license plate to law enforcement. Then, in August, the same pickup truck was tied to another incident involving the rescue of a bait dog. January Harrison was driving near Hartman and Honeycutt Roads Aug. 26 when she saw a man in a truck with the same California license plate pull over and grab what she thought was a bag of trash. He proceeded to drop-kick it, but it didn’t go very far — that was when Harrison realized it was actually a live dog. The man picked the dog up again by his tail and whirled him around in a circle before kicking him again. Harrison called out to the man, who jumped into his truck and sped off. “And this sweet little dog just crawled right into my truck,” Harrison said, describing how petrified he was laying on her driver’s side floor, refusing to move. Harrison took the dog to veterinarian Steve Waldo at Tempe Pet Clinic who agreed to treat the dog pro bono and told her the dog was a “bait dog” used in dog fighting. The dog — she calls him Phoenix Blue — had scars covering his neck, a ripped ear, was severely emaciated and his tail had been broken an estimated three to five times. Phoenix Blue’s lab tests showed no major diseases, but he was struggling with refeeding syndrome and gastrointestinal symptoms due to prolonged starvation. Harrison said she created a GoFundMe online fundraising campaign to raise money for a reward for any information that leads to the alleged abuser’s arrest and the dismantling of the dog fighting ring. At the time of publication, she had raised $1,950. “I turned to the community for help, and tips started pouring into my inbox from local citizens and local veterinarians about a man and truck that matched who I saw in my encounter,” Harrison said. “This man is known, and it is alleged he runs a dog fighting ring right here in our community. Many people have information and have witnessed the abuse.” She said she provided all the information she had collected to Maricopa Police Department and Animal Control, and “they are on the lookout.” ‘I’m sure it happens around here’ MPD spokesperson Monica Williams said detectives were following up with the case

Our Comprehensive Services for Landlords • Leasing & Rent-Up: Full-service leasing, from market analysis to advertising and tenant applications. • Tenant Screening: Thorough background checks, including credit, employ- ment, and landlord references to ensure reliable tenants. • Lease Agreements: We handle all lease preparation, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and compliance with local regulations. Property Administration Services • Rent Collection: We ensure timely rental collection, with clear procedures for late fees. • Expense Management: We manage routine property expenses, paid directly from your rental income. • Owner Liaison: We communicate with property owners for approvals on extraordinary expenses and manage on-site staff. • Lease Administration: Full management of lease enforcement, security deposits, renewals, and more. Property Maintenance Services • Preventive Maintenance: Regularly scheduled maintenance to keep your property in prime condition. • On-Site Inspections: Regular inspections to catch issues early and ensure your property remains in excellent shape. • Emergency Support: 24/7 emergency maintenance for unexpected issues. • Specialized Maintenance: Tailored recommendations to address unique needs for your property. Exceptional Service for Landlords At Crest Premier Properties, weʼre dedicated to creating quality living spaces for exceptional tenants. By partnering with property owners who genuinely care about their homes and working with responsible tenants, we ensure a seamless experience for everyone involved. Itʼs a win-win!

The underdogs Has illegal dog fighting made its way back to Maricopa? BY KYLIE WERNER

Some loose dogs in Maricopa wind up at the shelter. Some are reunited with their owners. Others are left to wander the streets. But some, sources say, are trafficked into an illegal dog fighting ring. It wouldn’t be the first time such an enterprise was exposed in Maricopa. Desi Remmie is a “dog lover” who claims a local couple heads a dog fighting ring just south of city limits. She said her friend was invited to a “fighting event” in October and the two began investigating the property themselves. “The place where they train the dogs to fight is on the corner of Teel and Thunderbird [Roads] in the part of Maricopa known as Hidden Valley,” said Remmie, a Villages at Rancho El Dorado resident. “The dogs are trained using bait dogs they get for free, either by picking up dogs offered by owners giving their dogs away or picking up strays or lost pets.” She described the man as tall and skinny H

group with a lot to lose and they will do whatever they deem necessary to protect their profit margins.” The man in the white truck Remmie is not the only Maricopa resident who claims to be aware of this dog and cockfighting ring, and who says she has felt unsafe coming forward about it. In June, Rita Rou said she saw a man at Fry’s Marketplace on John Wayne Parkway wrangling two dogs. “One was a pit bull, and the other was a medium sized dog, not a pit bull, that was obviously being used as a bait dog for dog fighting,” Rou said. “The dog was severely injured with old and new wounds. ... We spotted him throwing peroxide on the dogs through the cages.” Rou, who is from California, said dog fighting was commonplace in her state and because more people move to Maricopa from

and the woman as short and fat, both white, also noting they have a child who is about 9 years old. She said the two are always on the lookout for free dogs and once the bait dogs are killed during training, they are fed to the fighting dogs. “They hold events where they fight dogs and roosters,” Remmie said. She claims Pinal County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the operation. However, PCSO spokesperson Lauren Reimer could not confirm any reports of that type. She encouraged people with information about dog fighting to call the department and help its investigation. “The Sheriff’s Department knows about the fighting ring but won’t remove the dogs or stop the practice unless they have video proof and are pressured to take action,” Remmie said. Remmie cautioned the couple is dangerous. “Be aware that they will move the operation if they feel they are being watched or outed,” Remmie said. “These people are criminals with no conscience so be careful. It is a dangerous

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