Hot Links: Powell Junior High, Sears Point, and Landfill Parks

Former Phoenix police Officer Carl Ramirez, fired after testing positive for steroids in November, is appealing his termination. Ramirez tested with one-tenth of a nanogram over the allowed limit of nandrolone, a popular steroid among athletes. Experts say nandrolone naturally occurs in the body…Powell Junior High School in Mesa will close in May, after being open for 38 years. Students will be moved to other high schools in the area, and Powell will reopen in the fall as a community learning center…The body of a woman was found Tuesday morning outside a Phoenix church. The victim is an African-American female, and police say they’re treating the case as a homicide, but do not have any suspect information at this point…Someone vandalized the Sears Point archaeological site in Yuma County. The site includes petroglyphs, some of which were fractured, and large rocks, some of which were rolled. Authorities are offering a reward of up to $1,500 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of a suspect…

A bee infestation at a Mesa apartment complex has forced one resident to move. Yvonne Gaines says a pest-control service told her there were bee hives in the walls. Gaines is considering a lawsuit against the complex, which has not been named…A Chandler landfill has become a popular public park since it opened in late December. Now known as Paseo Vista Recreation Area, the former landfill was transformed with the help of $12 million in voter-approved bonds. The park covers 64 acres and includes an archery range and dog park.