With the current recorder, Laura Dean-Lytle, planning to retire from her seat at the end of the election cycle, the Pinal County position will go to either Republican Virginia Ross or Democrat Barbara Kelly after the No­vember vote.

The county recorder’s office is tasked with making and preserving copies of valuable records. These records primarily consist of those having to do with property such as deeds and insurance records.

Ronald LeDuc of Gold Canyon is the current appointed Constable for the Apache Junction Justice Court (JP #7).

LeDuc is seeking the position that was left vacant by Sheriff’s candidate Jack McClaren’s resignation from the Office in late May 2012.

GOP candidate Mitt Romney put a good end to a bad week Saturday -- winning the Maine caucuses hours after placing first in a closely watched straw poll of conservative leaders and activists....

A poll shows that Mitt Romney is leading other Republican candidates in the race for Arizona's GOP presidential primary.

Independent Newspapers The Aug. 28 Pinal County primary elec­tion has determined that assessor candi­dates Randy Robbins and Douglas Wolf will be two of the candidates in the general election this November.

The job of assessor is to determine the value of property in Pinal County.

“Within hours of United States Supreme Court Justices upholding the main portion of Arizona’s SB1070 law, President Obama and Janet Napolitano with a wave of their hands have made what was illegal one day, legal the next. They can't pass their dream act, so they change enforcement  policies, which undermines the rule of law” stated Sheriff Paul Babeu.

Recently the current county attorney released two separate articles.  One article stated that the County Attorney’s office desires to “step it up in 2012”.  The second article admits that the County Attorney’s office is “in a planning stage this year”, and they requested 10-12 Victims Advocates.  Pinal County Attorney Candidate, Lando Voyles, in a race to unseat his opponent Jim Walsh, replied, “After 5 years on the job, it appears that due to political pressure, my opponent is stepping it up in 2012.”  Lando stated, “Despite the reason, stepping it up from the past 5 years is important.  This is law enforcement and there should not be a left or right, just a right or wrong.  We need to keep our families and neighborhoods safe, nothing less.”  Lando acknowledged, however, “This gesture is way too little and way too late to risk leaving our families’ and neighbors’ safety in the hands of this career politician,” referring to Mr. Walsh.

Although ballot tabulations are not yet final, Republican candidates staged a near sweep of county and state offices in Pinal County last week, indicating the face of county politics has changed drastically in the last few years.

For the first time, the Pinal County Board of Supervisors will be controlled by a Republican majority; four of five county supervisors winning seats on the newly expanded board in last week’s election are Republicans. 

Paul Messigner, president of the San Tan Republican Club announced recently that Will Cardon will be the guest speaker at the next meeting of the San Tan Republican Club.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Thursday, May 17. The meeting will be held at the sheriff’s substation meeting room at the intersection of Gantzel and Combs roads.

You have the rest of this week to vote in the primaries!

Any registered voter can vote early until August 24.  Contact your County Recorder’s Office (520-866-6830) to find an early voting location in your community. You just have to be in line by 5:00 on Friday.

Babeu refuses to turn over county computers to feds for inquiry into on-the-job politicking

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel is investigating Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and several of his top aides for their possible involvement in unlawful political activity. The federal agency has issued two subpoenas after the Sheriff’s Office refused to turn over two laptop computers.

Records show the subpoenas were issued April 10 during an investigation of possible violations of the Hatch Act.

The following profiles were provided by each candidate to the AJ News.  Profiles included are for both the Democrat Primary and the Republican Primary.

There are two (2) candidates on the Democrat ticket - Glenn Millsaps & Kevin Taylor.

There are four (4) candidates on the Republican ticket - Derek Arnson, Paul Babeu, Tom Bearup and Jack McClaren.

Also leads with $240,664 banked in Quarter 4

San Tan Valley - Despite a 68 day exploratory committee without a final district, Sheriff Paul Babeu led all Arizona House candidates in fundraising as well as money netted in Quarter 4.

Two officers file suit, say Sheriff’s administration “swept case under the rug”

Two Arizona law enforcement officers filed a lawsuit last week against Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, saying his administration pulled strings to release and clear the record of a man who assaulted and injured the officers.

Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Officer Hugh Grant, one of the officers filing suit, says the sheriff’s department’s administration was “going to sweep this case under the rug from day one.”

Babeu Leads While Gosar Misleads

Sheriff Paul Babeu announced over the weekend that he raised just over $144,000 in the first quarter of 2012 for his campaign for Congress, putting him well ahead of his nearest opponent. Since announcing his candidacy last October, Babeu has never trailed in fundraising.

Scott and Cara Prior, residents of Apache Junction, are both running for the Arizona State Legislature.

Democrat Scott Prior has been in the LD16 Senate Race since January of 2012, and Cara Prior, also a Democrat, is now a Write In Candidate for the LD16 House of Representatives. Mrs. Prior decided to run as a write in candidate, as there are two Representative seats available and only one Democratic candidate, Matthew Cerra.  

Last week, our government proved without a doubt that it is dysfunctional. When few disgruntled legislators can strike fear in the hearts of their own colleagues, we are rapidly moving towards anarchy.

When George H. W. Bush banded together a coalition of the willing to stand up to Iraq when they attacked Kuwait, his argument was, we must respect and follow the “Rule of Law”.  

Saturday afternoon on March 3rd, thirty-five migrant rights activists converged on Sheriff Paul Babeu's Pinal County Jail in Florence, Arizona. This was the fifth monthly vigil meeting at the jail to bring attention to the conditions under which immigration detainees are being held.

Members of the Arizona Detention Working Group (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arizona-Detention-Working-Group/280858511963997) are calling for the cancellation of the contract the Pinal County Jail has with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“The Supreme Court’s decision today on SB1070 illustrates that we, as a nation, still have a long road ahead in resolving the issue of immigration.

But in Arizona, we must take the opportunity to create legislation that is progressive in a humanitarian approach and deals specifically with the economic needs of our state.