Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 69

El Mirage Glendale Peoria Phoenix Sun City Sun City West Surprise jYoungtown Wickenburg Northwest THE PHOENIX GAZETTE THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Monday, August 20,1990 1N MMUNITY lEtECTIONI Legislative District 16 Bell Dirty air, crime, schools top list By Mike McCloy Special to Community Acoma District 15: Concerns, Page 7 District 16: Vital statistics, Page 7 NEXT WEEK: THE CANDIDATES Community takes your concerns to the candidates in your district and asks them to respond. 16 Olive man that Gov. Rose Mofford performed well in taking over from impeached Gov. Evan Mecham in 1988. Asked what they would be willing to spend an additional $25 in annual taxes on, 73 percent said education, 69 percent environmental programs, 68 percent programs to help the mentally ill and 67 percent crime-prevention programs.

Fifty-six percent were willing to pay more taxes to help the homeless, and 34 percent would subsi-See POLL, Page 7 Kay Oik, a computer operator and tailor, will tell you all you want to know about the third major concern in District 16. "They stole our truck on my birthday (Sept. 28) when my husband and I were getting ready to go out to dinner," she said. "It has not been recovered yet. I walked (five miles) to and from school (Glendale Community College) until January.

I felt very invaded." Oik said the score of D-plus given to state leaders by District 16 registered voters was "exactly" right. But she agreed with Cole Education, the environment and crime finished in a dead heat, scoring 4.5 out of 5 when residents 6f Legislative District 16 in the Glendale area were polled last month about their concerns. "The Washington School District is excellent," said Brenda Coleman, who has lived at 43rd Avenue and Thunderbird for three years. "My daughter has -been student of the month, the-parents are and the teachers are highly motivated." i The environment is one of Coleman's top concerns. "I really don't think they do enough in Phoenix," she said.

"The air is bad, and if you don't get bottled water the water out of the faucet doesn't taste very good and it's bad for you." 5 Bethany iany Home 5 Community DPS clears police in arrest case No excessive force uncovered By Diana Balazs Staff writer PEORIA Allegations that Peoria police officers used excessive force in arresting a drunken driving suspect earlier this year could not be substantiated, an investigation by the state Department of Public Safety has The investigation determined that Rudy Reyna of Peoria "was not abused nor was he the victim of excessive force." The DPS reached the same conclusions as the Peoria Police Department did in an internal probe of the Feb. 22 arrest, in which witnesses claimed officers used excessive force in subduing Reyna. The witnesses alleged that Reyna was struck and kicked by officers. Police said Reyna kicked an officer twice and then continued to resist arrest and tried to butt the officers. In May, city manager Dennis Frederickson requested that DPS conduct its own investigation.

The DPS delivered its findings to the city Wednesday. In a prepared statement issued Thursday, Frederickson concluded that the Police Department "acted in a fashion which was appropriate for DUI (driving under the influence) cases and used accepted police methods and techniques for detaining individuals involved in DUI incidents." He said the effort involved 530 hours of "intense investigation" on the part of DPS. He also said that in any future cases in which police misconduct is alleged, the city intends to use the Police Department's existing internal investigation procedure. He said the procedure "has been found by DPS to be a valid See DPS, Page 8 1 1 1 ft '-3' i 7 A 3 1 v5; Community Teacher Sherl Belcher recently questioned future klndergartner Melissa LeClalr, 5, as part of a screening of children before their entry to Ira Murphy Elementary School at 7231 W. North Lane in Peoria.

Some school districts allow 4-year-olds to enter kindergarten upon successfully passing screening tests. ii ffM mm 1 turf lit )' kM "gj" LI.HMiiM-lllA.J Johnson wants to be candidate Peter Schwepker Staff photographer Success on kids quiz can put 4-year-olds in kindergarten By Susan Felt Staff writer PHOENIX Washington Elementary School District Board president Jan Johnson has asked to be a candidate for the district superintendent's job. Johnson's announcement came Wednesday evening during a spe By Susan Felt Staff writer Deer Valley Unified School District. "Students should not enter school orthwest Valley schools are screening 4-year-olds whose parents think that the youngsters are earlier than what the state allows, We find research tells cial meeting of the board and on the heels of a movement by some parents to draft her as an llth-hour candidate for the post. Board menv bers did not re- cnnnrl fn school.

For the first time this year, Glendale Elementary has drawn the line at Sept. 1, no exceptions. "We were saying to people, 'Let's do some screening if your child is born later in September or October. And if they can function like a child born in August, we'll let them said Austin Mathis, director of student evaluation and federal programs for the Glendale Elementary District. However, letting children enter even a month or two ahead of schedule often did not work out well, Mathis said.

tracked these students, and 85 percent, if they don't have difficulties in the first year, have difficulties in the See KINDER, Page 2 reading at 4, and that is not particularly a predictor of long-term school achieve ment," Heath said. Deer Valley and five other northwest Valley school districts make provisions for 4-year-olds who pass the various screening tests to enroll in kindergarten. "We have a screening device that weeds out kids and only accepts those who are what we feel in a sense definitely ready for school You have to consider the fact that there may be some students out there who are ready for school, and it would probably be harmful to deprive them," Sauter said. But the Glendale and Pendergast elementary school districts have decided that the number is too few to warrant allowing younger children to enroll in you that when students enter school too early, at some point in time it catches up with them," Sauter said. Deer Valley has about 100 children screened each year for early admission, school psychologist ready for kindergarten.

But procedures, philosophies and policies about early admission to kindergarten vary from district to district. Many districts report more and more parents wanting their preschoolers whose birthdays just miss the state age limit of 5 by Sept. 1 to be screened for early admission. "We have parents who say, 'My child knows the alphabet and can count and is already reading, and you're telling me they're not said Bob Sauter, director of curriculum and instruction at IJOHNSON 1990-91 School year Chuck Heath said. Of those, about 17 are admitted.

"Children can be quite bright and even Hospital wedding sees groom wearing white gown By Lori Baker Staff writer son's request, but they did meet in executive session for about 90 minutes after her announcement. Johnson, who had directed the superintendent's search until Wednesday, said she would disassociate herself from all action involving the search even if the board decided not to consider her as a candidate. Subsequently, board clerk Nancy Hill was appointed acting president during public and executive session meetings involving the task of finding a replacement for Jerry Olson, who announced his retirement in the spring. Board members rescheduled interviews with two of the three finalists upon the advice of board attorney Cynthia Jewett, who said that wording of the public notice advertising the private interview sessions was too vague. The rescheduled interviews were to have taken place Sunday.

Hill, responding to a request by the Community section, also announced the finalists. They are: Washington Elementary assistant superintendent for academic services Jim Ritchie; Isaac School District superintend-See SEARCH, Page 8 serve as best man. His daughter, Cindy Anderson, videotaped the ceremony while his grandchildren, Henry and Sylvester Anderson, watched. "I'm so glad I could be part of this. We may have just met a couple days ago but we're both ex-Marines, so I feel like we have something in common," Newell said.

Tina and Frank Wilbur's 18-month-old son, Francis, also attended the ceremony along with his 6-year-old sister, Lynnette, and two girls who Tina Wilbur babysits. For their honeymoon, the Wilburs plan to take their children to Texas to visit his mother and brothers. "I'm just sorry I have to go home to an empty bed after getting married." It was the appendicitis attack that convinced Wilbur it was time to tie the knot. Wilbur was admitted to the hospital Aug. 12.

His mother, Diane Turnage a Pentecostal minister arrived from Dallas on Tuesday to be with him during his first stay in the hospital since he was born. "The timing seemed right. We were planning to get married in Texas by my mother. This way she came to us," said the 32-year-old tow truck driver. The.

Wilburs have known each other about four years. When Newell found out about the nuptial plans, he offered to PHOENIX The groom and the best man didn't stand up for the bride, but it didn't bother her a bit. While she said her vows, Tina Marie Welsh stood between them as they lay in their beds, wearing the standard-issue cotton gowns at Maryvale Samaritan Hospital, 5102 W.Campbell Ave. The groom, Frank Wilbur, was recovering from an emergency, appendix operation. The best man, Howard Newell, whom the groom only recently met, was recuperating from a heart attack.

"This unique. Definitely unusual," said the new Mrs. Wilbur after her wedding Thursday. Peter Schwepker Staff photographer Frank Wilbur Is married In his hospital bed to Tina Marie Welsh (right). The minister is Wilbur's mother, Diane Turnage..