InMaricopa’s most-read stories of 2016

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  1. 2 dead in Alterra standoff

Two men were shot to death March 19 in an Alterra neighborhood when a murder turned into a five-hour standoff and a suicide.

 

  1. Fifth-grade ‘kill list’ alarms Maricopa Legacy parents

A purported “kill list” found March 31 naming eight fifth graders at Legacy Traditional School upset parents in more ways than the obvious.

 

  1. 5 people were killed in three accidents within 1 week in SR 347

Two head-on crashes and one health-related traffic accident resulted in the death of five people in April.

 

  1. Missing woman found murdered

A Maricopa family’s fear that their missing daughter had met with foul play was sadly born out when Angela Russo’s body was discovered in Maricopa County May 25.

 

  1. Shooting death reported in Rancho El Dorado

Maricopa Police Department investigated the homicide of Michael Agerter, 31, shot in his garage in Rancho El Dorado Dec. 16.

[quote_box_right]Editor’s Choice of Top Stories
1. Election 2016 – If the presidential election was divisive (and it was), 2016 brought particularly bitter battles locally, from races for Pinal County sheriff and supervisor to seats on Maricopa City Council. Perhaps the biggest sea change brought about by the election was the victory of Maricopa Unified School District’s long-sought override.
2. A top-10 story for years, the progress toward building an overpass on John Wayne Parkway across the Union Pacific Railroad tracks was clear in 2016. Funding fell into place, design work advanced and ADOT put property owners on notice.
3. Maricopa saw the opening of storefronts Dickey’s Barbecue Pit and Big 5, along with several home-based business, and the announcements for Culver’s restaurant, APEX and Burger King.
4. While new businesses were opening or preparing to come to Maricopa, there was still frustration among residents over continued bare fields that will be Edison Pointe (for retail) south of Fry’s Marketplace and Estrella Gin Business Park (for industrial) at the west end of Edison Road. Both projects made important steps forward in 2016.
5. Permits for new houses sky-rocketed in the early summer after a slow climb out of the recession and jumped dramatically again at the end of the year.
Honorable mention: Maricopa loves to draw attention to itself in a positive way and did so again with a third straight (and final) win in Battle of the Burbs, an annual contest from radio station Mix 96.9.[/quote_box_right]

  1. MPD, SWAT serve warrants at Heritage residences

Arizona State Troopers helped Maricopa Police Department serve search warrants on residences in the Heritage District in a coordinated raid Sept. 28.

 

  1. ‘Hit list’ at MHS not tied to bomb threat

A 15-year-old was in trouble at Maricopa High School for allegedly writing a “hit list” Sept. 21, a day after the school received a bomb threat.

 

  1. Naked man arrested after home break-in

A Maricopa man was arrested Sept. 18 after accusations he broke into a Maricopa Meadows home while naked and reportedly on spice.

 

  1. Murder charged in death of Maricopa woman

A Maricopa man has been charged with killing his wife, Olivia Cecelia Julian Figueroa, with a sword Dec. 12. Miguel Figueroa, 45, was booked on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and misconduct involving a weapon.

 

  1. ADOT wants SR 347 overpass on fast-forward timeline

Among ADOT’s March 11 suggestions to move forward on a quicker timeline is the State Route 347 railroad overpass project in Maricopa.