Email Author Ray Stern

Awards

• 2011 - Arizona Press Club Awards, published July 8, 2010

  "Gold Rush"

• 2011 - Arizona Press Club Awards, published November 25, 2010

  "Chronic Future"

• 2010 - Arizona Press Club Awards, published October 15, 2009

  "Concrete Bungle"

• 2010 - Arizona Press Club Awards

  SCA Scandal

• 2010 - Arizona Press Club Awards

  Valley Fever

• 2008 - Maggies: The Magazine Awards of Western Publishing, published May 31, 2007

  "What Happened in Vegas..."

• 2008 - Arizona Press Club Awards, published May 31, 2007

  "What Happened in Vegas..."

• 2008 - Arizona Press Club Awards, published February 8, 2007

  "Gotcha!"

• 2008 - Maggies: The Magazine Awards of Western Publishing, published July 19, 2007

  "Money for Nothing"

• 2007 - Arizona Press Club Awards, published November 16, 2006

  "ICE Meltdown"

More

2009 Stories by Ray Stern

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Blogging Data and E-Mails From County Attorney Sought by County Manager in Latest Flap

  published Oct 27, 2009

  Maricopa County Manager David Smith wants to know whether certain employees at the County Attorney's Office are writing anonymous blog posts and comments. Smith sent a letter today to C... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Harper College Fan Sues Over Punch in Face by Phoenix College Football Player

  published Oct 27, 2009

  A Harper College fan who was punched in the face by a Phoenix College football player after a December game is suing the player and the Maricopa County Community College District. Jimmy... More >>

• County Attorney's Office Flubs Response to County on Special Prosecutors Sought in Stapley Case

  published Oct 26, 2009

  r You don't have to be a lawyer to see that the Maricopa County Attorney's Office messed up part of its response to county management over the issue of hiring special prosecutors in the case a... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Joel Fox to County: Forget Criminal Investigation on SCA -- Pay Me $75,000!

  published Oct 26, 2009

    rCaptain Joel Fox of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office filed a $75,000 claim against the county last week for the "emotional distress" of being forced to divulge the names of secre... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Colorado City Schools Set to be Returned to Local Control; AG's Office Sits on Fraud Investigation

  published Oct 26, 2009

  r The Arizona Board of Education is set to return the Colorado City Unified School District to local control -- that control being by a bunch of polygamist inbreds. The corruption and finan... More >>

• LifeLock's Fraud-Alert Service Banned Forever in Settlement With Experian

  published Oct 23, 2009

  rLifeLock, the ethics-bending, Tempe-based firm covered in two 2007 New Times feature articles, has been permanently banned from performing what used to be its most basic service.Under a lawsuit... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Foreclosure Next Step for Centerpoint Condo Towers in Tempe; Fate of Project Still Uncertain

  published Oct 22, 2009

    rForeclosure will be the next step for the unfinished Centerpoint Condominium towers in Tempe, but what happens after that is anybody's guess. At a hearing in Tucson tod... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Illegal-Immigration Opponent Russell Pearce Could be Appointed Head of DPS, News Outlets Say

  published Oct 22, 2009

    r Here's one from the rumor mill: Russell Pearce (above), the state senator from Mesa who's led the charge against illegal immigration in Arizona, could be appointed head of the sta... More >>

• Wilcox: No Conflict in Voting on Special Prosecutors Issue; Longtime County Supervisor is Under Investigation

  published Oct 21, 2009

  r The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted today to publicly release a legal analysis that explains why County Attorney Andrew Thomas' request to hire special prosecutors wasn't being... More >>

• Selective Prosecution: Andrew Thomas Sits on Case Involving Sheriff While Demanding High-Paid Prosecutors for Stapley Case

  published Oct 21, 2009

  r It's been 50 days since the Maricopa County Elections and Recorders departments sent County Attorney Andrew Thomas notice of possible crimes by top officials at the Sheriff's Office.The t... More >>

• Lawsuit Funds Limited for County Agencies Under "Talk First, Sue Later" Plan Adopted Today

  published Oct 21, 2009

    rThe Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, tired of being sued by other elected officials, voted today to limit payment of legal fees in lawsuits between county departments. Nine... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  D.C. Lawyers Get the Boot as Special Prosecutors -- For Now: Supervisors Won't Put Issue on Agenda

  published Oct 20, 2009

  r The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors won't let County Attorney Andrew Thomas use hand-picked special prosecutors to target Don Stapley or other members of the board. Thomas' office ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Stapley Case Down Another Prosecutor; Local Lawyer Bows Out of Thomas' Dream Team

  published Oct 19, 2009

      rA local attorney who was supposed to serve as a special prosecutor in the case of Don Stapley along with two Washington-D.C. lawyers has already quit the job. ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Gotbaum Family Settles for Fraction of Original Demand; New Yorker Died in Police Custody

  published Oct 19, 2009

  r The family of Carol Gotbaum, who died two years ago in an airport security holding cell, will receive just $250,000 from the city of Phoenix under settlement terms awaiting court approval. Gotb... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Stapley Resisted Handcuffing (Mildly), Say Deputies; Reports Don't Back Up Chief Deputy's Claim of Attempted Interference

  published Oct 19, 2009

  r Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley didn't order anyone to interfere with his September 21 arrest in a county parking garage -- and that's according to the deputies who arrested him. If you'l... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Republican Party and Sheriff's Command Association Players Sued by Former Sheriff's Candidate Dan Saban

  published Oct 16, 2009

    rDan Saban, former candidate for sheriff of Maricopa County, has filed a lawsuit against the Arizona Republican Party and those involved with the shady SCA, a.k.a. Sheriff's Command Asso... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Joe Arpaio's Posse Vehicles May Retain Official Insignia; County Bends Over After Hail of E-Mails

  published Oct 15, 2009

  rYou'd best not mess with the posse, partner!Maricopa County leaders learned that Wild-West lesson this week when they were forced to rescind a demand to the Sheriff's Office that posse vehicl... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Mexicans Swear 20 Times a Day, Survey Says

  published Oct 14, 2009

  Ay, chinga! Our Mexican neighbors south of the border use curse words an average of 20 times a day, according to the polling firm, Consulta Mitofsky. No word on whether an equal rate of swearing ca... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Suspect in Baseball-Bat Killing of Two Boys Found Incompetent to Stand Trial; New Hearing May Take Months

  published Oct 14, 2009

    rThe man accused of a random, fatal baseball-bat attack on two little boys playing in a park in December has been found incompetent to stand trial -- for now. Joe Sauceda Gallego... More >>

• Twenty Dead Cats Found in Canal Near Metrocenter -- Would It be Worse if They Were Dogsr

  published Oct 13, 2009

    rThis looked like a more serious story at first, with an initial e-mail coming from Phoenix police about 20 dead dogs in a canal near 29th Avenue and Dunlap. But, whew! Tu... More >>

• Concrete Bungle: Tempe’s Twin-Towers Condo Project Collapses Financially, Leaving Investors in the Rubble

  published October 15, 2009

  The lofty Centerpoint Condominium towers broke ground in 2005 and were supposed to give downtown Tempe its own slice of Manhattan. Four... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  New Stapley Case to be Handled by Special Prosecutors From D.C. and Phoenix; Travel Time to be Reimbursed

  published Oct 05, 2009

  Maricopa County Andrew Thomas has authorized three special prosecutors -- two from Washington D.C. and a Phoenix attorney -- to handle criminal allegations against County Superivor Don Stapley. The ... More >>

• Adult Diapers Find New Market in Drug Cartels; Convenience Wins Out Among Mess-Phobic Killers

  published Oct 02, 2009

  r A short series earlier this week in the Arizona Republic about the murder of a police informant contained an exquisitely horrifying detail mentioned prominently in all three stories: a brutal ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Don Stapley Arrest Audio Recording Released; Talk of Charges "Filed" and Handcuffing Etiquette

  published Sep 28, 2009

    r Talk of handcuffing and charges "filed" can be heard on an audio recording made during last week's arrest of Don Stapley, one of five members of the Maricopa ... More >>

• Phoenix Officer Who Shot Homeowner Didn't Violate Policy, Police Board Says

  published Sep 25, 2009

    rPhoenix police officer Brian Lilly did not break any department rules in the shooting of homeowner Tony Arambula, the Phoenix Use of Force board decided today. Any other decision might ha... More >>