A NEGATIVE IMPACT

Great articles on meth! As the director of Safe Schools and Alternative
Education for the Pendergast School District, I've been hearing the names
Bear and Psycho for a long time. [They are the murder suspects and meth
users mentioned in Paul Rubin's part of the New Times meth series, whom
Phoenix Police Department Detective Alex Femenia refers to as running the
"Ortega Crime Academy."]

The negative impact that these men have had on our young students is
astounding. The Ortegas' involvement with gang activity cannot
necessarily be separated from the meth epidemic facing this west
Phoenix neighborhood around North 87th Avenue.

Amy Perhamus

Phoenix