Readers’ favorite stories in 2012

Here are the top 25 stories of 2012 on InMaricopa.com by the number of page views, starting with the highest number of views.

Palin sells Maricopa home

Bristol Palin, daughter of former Alaska governor and TV personality Sarah Palin, is no longer a homeowner in Maricopa. Click here for full story.

Entertainment center offers moving seats, jobs

The Ak-Chin Indian Community Entertainment Center has moving seats and available jobs. Click here for full story.

Papa John's, McDonald's in works near Walmart

A 13,000-square-foot retail center is under construction in front of the Walmart on Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and there are preliminary plans for a McDonald’s next to the new retail shops. Click here for full story.

All-day barricade situation comes to end; no injuries

More than 11 hours after a man barricaded himself in a house on Rhea Street after an apparent domestic violence incident, police took 21-year-old Kel Avena into custody. Click here for full story.

Construction begins on 90-store upscale outlet center

Simon Property Group Inc. – a corporation that has expanded in a few decades from a handful of shopping malls in Indianapolis to 230 retail centers across the globe – joined the Gila River Indian Community Tuesday to break ground on the Phoenix Premium Outlets. Click here for full story.

UltraStar multi-tainment center opens noon Thursday

All amenities of the Ak-Chin UltraStar Multi-tainment center but the amphitheater will open noon Thursday. Click here for full story.

PCSO: Man who threatened deputy with knife shot at Great Wall

A man brandishing a knife last night at the Great Wall Chinese Cuisine was shot and killed by Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies after he refused to surrender to officers, said a spokesman for the Pinal County Sheriff's office. Click here for full story.

Vandalism, graffiti close MHS Tuesday

Maricopa High School students were sent home Tuesday before school ever began after staff discovered vandalism and widespread graffiti and tagging on campus. Click here for full story.

Ak-Chin breaks ground on entertainment complex

A year from now, the largest entertainment center in Arizona is expected to open adjacent to Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Resort on Ak-Chin Indian Community land. Click here for full story.

Gun-toting suspect demands drugs from CVS

CVS Pharmacy at Smith Enke Road was robbed Tuesday by a man with a gun just hours after a female suspect robbed Great Western Bank. Click here for full story.

2 new retail stores expected near Big 0

A developer with plans to build two retail stores and put in sidewalk improvements near Big O Tires said construction of the first one, Aaron’s, a lease-to-own store, should begin in the fall. Click here for full story.

New Mexican restaurant opened this week

A family-owned Mexican restaurant, Cilantro’s Mexican Cocina, opened this week in Maricopa Fiesta shopping center. Click here for full story.

Update: 2 arrested in early morning burglary

Two men, including one who just turned 18 Wednesday, have been arrested for breaking into Chitwood Feed & Hardware after being seen leaving with a cash register and bags of dog food. Click here for full story.

Multi-tainment center offers job fair, more

The Ak-Chin Indian Community UltraStar multitainment center scheduled to open Nov. 15 will offer more than just a place to grab dinner and movie or a place to play laser tag or bowl. Click here for the full story.

Man found dead in Rancho El Dorado

A 29-year-old man was found dead in his home in Rancho El Dorado about 3 a.m. Friday, said Sgt. Hal Koozer, public information officer for the Maricopa Police Department. Click here for full story.

Arrests made in high school break-in

The Maricopa Police Department has arrested two adults and referred two juveniles to the Pinal County Attorney’s Office in connection with the March 6 vandalism and graffiti at Maricopa High School. Click here for full story.

MHS teacher arrested on drug charges

A Maricopa High School teacher was arrested May 15 in Maricopa County for marijuana possession and use and drug paraphernalia possession and use. Click here for full story.

***ADVERTISEMENT***Home-invasion robbery suspects sought

Maricopa police are looking for three male suspects accused of breaking into a home, assaulting the owner and stealing items from the house. Click here for full story.

Update: 5 adults, 1 child involved in school bus crash

A school bus was involved in a wreck with a GMC minivan and a Nissan truck around noon Friday at North John Wayne Parkway and Edison Road injuring five adults and one child, according to the Maricopa Fire Department. Click here for full story.

Voting starts for Father of the Year

Nearly 60 dads have been nominated in the 2012 InMaricopa Father of the Year contest sponsored by Maricopa Ace Hardware. Click here for full story.

Southern cooking comes to Maricopa

Stokley and Eboni Chaffee started out the New Year dishing up chicken, catfish, shrimp, oysters, greens, fried okra, red beans and rice, and yams. Click here for full story.

Man apparently shot, killed early Tuesday

Maricopa police officers found a man dead from what appeared to be gunshot wounds early Tuesday at Arizona Grain, 38501 Cowtown Road near the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. Click here for full story.

Voting starts for Mother of the Year

The nominations are in, and now it’s time to vote in the 2012 InMaricopa Mother of the Year contest sponsored by Bashas’. Click here for full story.

Police have suspects in MHS vandalism incident

The Maricopa Police Department has suspects in the vandalism and graffiti incident that closed Maricopa High School on Tuesday, sending about 1,600 students home before classes even began. Click here for full story.

PTO treasurer embezzled $6,000

Zulema Andrews, treasurer of the Saddleback Elementary Parent Teacher Organization, has admitted embezzling an estimated $6,084.63 of the Saddleback PTO’s funds, according to a police report obtained by InMaricopa.com. Click here for full story.