Wittmann News

Less than one month into his job as superintendent of the Continental School District, Jim Nelson is already feeling at home.

Response times, arrest rates, investigations and other routine police work throughout Maricopa County have suffered over the past two years as Sheriff Joe Arpaio turned his already short-handed and cash-strapped department into an immigration enforcement agency, a Tribune investigation found. Response times on life-threatening emergencies have slowed across the county, with residents on average waiting 10 minutes or more in most patrol districts. The County Board of Supervisors has set five minutes as the expected standard. Detectives' arrest rate on criminal investigations plunged, from 10 percent in 2005 to 3.5 percent last year. Arpaio and his top officials acknowledge the office has struggled with emergency response and a swelling caseload.

Winds could be a factor in a wildfire started by lightning Wednesday night. The fire started at about 7:15 p.m. near the town of Yarnell. It has grown to about 15 acres and the official said there is potential for the fire to grow if winds pick up Thursday.

The Sun City Environmental Task Force will meet next week to discuss a plan to study the connection between valley fever and mining operations, a study they say is being hindered by the mining companies. The task force tried to draft a recommendation for the study at its June 10 meeting, but a lack of participation from the mining representatives on the task force meant they were unable to vote it through. The task force wishes to recommend to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors that a study be done to find out if the Northwest Valley's unusually high rate of valley fever is related in any way to the dust and particulate matter created by mining. The Maricopa County Department of Public Health lists Sun City and Sun City West as having the highest rates of valley fever in the Phoenix metropolitan area; while the county average is 77 cases per 100,000 people, Sun City and Sun City West average 247 cases per 100,000 people.

A man killed his parents and younger brother at their Wittmann home Monday, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said.

A northwest Valley man may be charged with killing his parents and younger brother.

Virgil Togstad, 27, was taken into custody after his parents and younger brother were found murdered at home.

Meet Curtis McCandlish, Nadaburg Elementary School's new principal for the 2008-09 school year.

A 26-year-old man suspected of shooting his parents and younger brother Monday night has a long history of mental illness, substance abuse and brushes with the law, court documents state.

Jim Nelson described the past three years as an exciting ride. During his term as superintendent, Nelson brought the area's schools into the Nadaburg Unified School District.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Department say a man has been taken into custody after his parents and younger brother were slain at a home in Wittmann.

A mother, father and son were murdered at their Wittmann home Monday night in what Maricopa County Sheriff's Office detectives described as a 'gruesome scene'. Virgil M. Togstad III is in jail accused in the shootings. Authorities said someone called 9-1-1 to report a domestic violence situation at the home near Center Street and U.S. 60 early in the evening. When deputies arrived, they found two bodies outside the home and one inside. All had been shot with a handgun. Deputies said Togstad, 26, surrendered to authorities without incident.

The City of Surprise is picking up the tab for a third express bus route from its park and ride stop at Bullard Avenue and Tierra Buena to central Phoenix. There are currently two routes running but they are so crowded, some residents find themselves having to get to the stop 30 minutes early just to get a seat. High gas prices have more residents opting for public transportation. Stella White and Jennifer Nelson used to carpool. Just this week they decided even that was too expensive. “I have no choice,” said White, “It’s take the bus and be able to put food on the table.” Valley metro spokesperson Susan Tierney says she is not aware of any other Valley which funds it’s own routes. It costs about 70 thousand dollars a year. The new route will begin July 28th. It costs $3.50 for a daily pass.

News Report by Melissa Blasius - Jun. 20, 2008 10:34 PM 12 News....- Christine Halstead and her husband are particularly interested in the proposal to allow the public to attend CPS court hearings. Caseworkers started investigating Christine Halstead for sex abuse and removed two nieces from her house. The toddlers were placed in a foster home. The Halsteads deny the abuse allegation. Since then, the Halsteads say they've been shut out of CPS court hearings and most meetings about the girl's future. The Wittmann couple say they were told they were not "interested parties," even though they were the primary caretakers for the girls for more than a year. Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano will decide early next week whether to sign four bills designed to increase openness at Child Protective Services. Legislators who passed the bills say they could help some families feeling stonewalled by the system. ....by Melissa Blasius - Jun. 20, 2008 10:34 PM 12 News see website at link http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/

Planning can begin soon on a community of about 16,500 homes slated for the former DaimlerChrysler proving grounds in north Surprise, with development expected to start by 2010.

For the complete story on how New Laws will ID Bullys on line click on the the blue headline above.

This report is directed locally to residents of Wittmann, Arizona. (however information is used that would be beneficial to anyone in the United States or Canada, as research materials were obtained from sources in both countries)

If you have visited the forum section of the Topix.com/Wittmann page for discussion of issues regarding matters important to the Wittmann area residents and have been abused, threatened or have been distressed, by a user attacking your position on a topic in a demeaning and abusive nature...There are new ways for you to let your voice be heard without the stifling antics of what is know in Cyber Ville as a TROLL.

Finding those responsible and exposing their identity, as well as prosecuting them for Federal Offenses may soon be possible as new legislation is now being considered and a Bill pertaining to the problem is now before Congress and is expected to become law.

During the previous months the Wittmann News Editor - ELKC has monitored different discussion groups, sometimes participating. The examples from several people using "attack" methods on other users can easily be found by visiting just about any topic you select in the Wittmann, Arizona Topix/Forum sections.

Persuading voters to agree to a tax increase when the economy is wobbly and people are losing their homes and jobs may seem futile.

Work has begun on a five-week road-improvement project in Wittmann, a small community northwest of Surprise that straddles U.S. 60.

Improvements include the extension of the existing drainage pipes at the wash crossing north of Myers Avenue.

Arizona Public Service Co. has announced an informal open house to discuss a selected transmission-line route from north Peoria to north Buckeye.

Nadaburg Elementary School has reached a significant milestone: The Wittmann school was named a 2008 A+ School of Excellence.

Over a year since their last newsletter, the CLUI has now put up the latest edition.