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 July 19, 2007

  "Money for Nothing"

• 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!"

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

  "ICE Meltdown"

More

2010 Stories by Ray Stern

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  "Lone Wolf," Glendale Gun Store, Tops in Firearms Recovered at Mexico Crimes Scenes, Newspaper Reports

  published Dec 13, 2010

  rLone Wolf Trading Company, a Glendale gun store, leads a top-12 list by the Washington Post of traced crime-scene guns recovered in Mexico. The Post conducted its own Wikileaks-like expose, ... More >>

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Should be Qualifying Ailment for Medical Marijuana, Says Local Doctor

  published Dec 13, 2010

  r A local doctor of psychiatry and internal medicine plans to petition the state to allow post-traumatic-stress disorder as a qualifying ailment for marijuana under Proposition 203. In a draft pet... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Husband of Woman Killed in Wrong-Way Crash had been Concerned for Kids' Safety, DPS Says

  published Dec 10, 2010

  The husband of a woman killed in a wrong-way crash on the Loop 101 freeway on Thursday had been worried about the safety of her and their children just prior to the crash, officia... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Megan Griego, Fired Surprise Employee, Sues Over Claim That City Violated Her Right to Free Speech

  published Dec 10, 2010

  A woman who was fired by the city of Surprise after arguing against budget cuts in a public hearing is suing in federal court over the alleged violation of her free-speech rights. Mega... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  State Intends to Keep Mexican Media Mogul's Money, Despite Dropping Case Against Him

  published Dec 08, 2010

  You're free to go -- but we'll keep your money. That's the position of Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard on the failed case of Mario de la Fuente Manriquez, a Mexican media millionaire accu... More >>

• Terry Young, a Former Deputy Now at Surprise PD, Attended Meeting Concerning Plan to Charge Judge, Report Says

  published Dec 08, 2010

  A former deputy with the Maricopa County Sheriff's hired to shore up operations for Surprise police attended a meeting last year in which bogus charges against a judge were cooked up, an investigativ... More >>

• Lawyer Mark Goldman May Have Helped Launch Retaliatory Case Against County Supervisor Don Stapley, Report Says

  published Dec 08, 2010

  Andrew Thomas, Lisa Aubuchon and Rachel Alexander, all late of the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, were the key figures in a damning 76-page disciplinary report released yesterday. They'... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  State Case Against SCA & Joel Fox Appears Dead; No Indictments Coming on Goddard's Watch

  published Dec 07, 2010

    rState Attorney General Terry Goddard will leave office without resolving the case against Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Captain Joel Fox and the shady SCA fundraising group. And... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Mario de la Fuente Manriquez, Mexican Media Businessman, Wins Court Victory; State Moves to Dismiss Criminal Charges

  published Dec 06, 2010

  State prosecutors today moved to drop criminal charges against Mario de la Fuente Manriquez, former CEO of his father's Mexican media empire.The motion to dismiss charges of money laundering, assistin... More >>

• Lawyers Can Help Marijuana Businesses Without State Bar Penalty -- for Now

  published Dec 06, 2010

  For the next few months, Arizona lawyers can assist the needs of marijuana businesses without any repercussions from the State Bar. In a recent news release, the Bar noted that it hasn't taken any of... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Andrew Thomas and Lisa Aubuchon Should be Disbarred, State Investigator Finds

  published Dec 06, 2010

    rMaybe tailing the investigator for the Arizona State Supreme Court was a bad idea. A probable-cause panelist for the state high court, spurred by a report from investig... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox's Restaurant, El Portal, is Closed

  published Dec 06, 2010

  El Portal, the downtown Phoenix restaurant owned by Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and her husband, Earl, is apparently closed. We're still waiting for Supervisor Wilcox to return our c... More >>

• Gun-Wielding Bank Robber Sought by Mesa Police

  published Nov 24, 2010

  rSome people have it all together.   Like the guy who robbed a Wells Fargo bank today near Power and Broadway roads in Mesa. He keeps organized with a zip-up black binder. Yep, that's h... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Claudia Washburn, Mother of Escapee John McCluskey Pleads Guilty

  published Nov 24, 2010

    rClaudia Washburn will serve between six months and two-and-a-half years in prison for providing money to her infamous escapee son, John McCluskey. The sentencing range is part of the ... More >>

• FEATURED STORY

  Memphis Mayor Likes What PR Firm Arthesia Did for Phoenix's Image

  published Nov 24, 2010

  The mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, AC Wharton, declared yesterday that he wants to spend $200,000 to improve his city's image -- the same way Phoenix did. As part of an effort to boost the southern tow... More >>

• Camelback Mountain Bees Nail Rock Climbers on Hart Route -- Again

  published Nov 24, 2010

  Saturday's bee attack on Camelback Mountain occurred on Hart Route, the notorious spot where a climber died six years ago in a similar mishap, a fire department official confirmed today.Several news ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  County to Pursue 22-Year-Old, $7.5M Restitution Case Against Local Juice-and-Gold Mogul Sherman Unkefer

  published Nov 23, 2010

  The Maricopa County Attorney's Office will "definitely" still pursue a 22-year-old, $7.5 million restitution case against former gold mogul Sherman Unkefer, an official told us last week. Since our... More >>

• 

  COVER STORY

  Medical Marijuana: Prop 203's Passage Means a New Billion-Dollar Industry for Arizona

  published November 25, 2010

  In Arizona, you can ride a motorcycle without a helmet, conceal a handgun, and buy an AK-47. And soon, if you qualify, you'll be able to smoke... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Prop 203: Cities Preparing for Medical Marijuana Stores; Plus, We Remind Arpaio of What He Said in 1998

  published Nov 16, 2010

  r Gilbert could have up to five medical-marijuana dispensaries. Mesa expects as many as 10. Officials in both east Valley cities expect to vote on zoning guidelines next month that prepare for&nbs... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Prop 203: Legal Weed Will Be Available Within a Few Months; Rulemaking Process Begins Now

  published Nov 15, 2010

    rQualified patients probably will be buying legal marijuana in dispensaries by summer or fall of 2011, a state health official said today. Those who grow their ow... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Prop 203 Recap: From Distant Hope to Victory; Final Numbers Show Measure Won

  published Nov 13, 2010

  The passage of Proposition 203 will go down as one of the most memorable elections in state history.The final numbers are in, and Arizona's medical marijuana has won by 4, 341 votes. There's no turni... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Prop 203 Appears to Have Won; Remaining Ballots Unlikely to Reverse Trend

  published Nov 12, 2010

  Andrew Myers of the Marijuana Policy Project has been on edge since Election Day. Then came the 5:35 p.m. update of vote results. Observing the results from a small office in downtown Phoenix with ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Prop 203 Up by 4,200 Votes -- Looks Like It's Gonna Win

  published Nov 12, 2010

  rProposition 203 is now winning. Arizona's medical marijuana bill leads by 4,200 votes following counts of provisional votes today. Thousands of votes remain uncounted, but the new trend lo... More >>

• Prop 203 Spokesman: "We're Likely to Win" Based on Trend of Provisional Ballots

  published Nov 11, 2010

  Andrew Myers, the campaign manager for Proposition 203, tells New Times tonight that he's very hopeful the medical marijuana initiative will come out on top when all the votes are in. It seems like w... More >>

• Prop 203 Update: Closer, but No Cigar -- Yet

  published Nov 09, 2010

  Proposition 203's chances of passing rose a bit today, then fell some.With 89,000 early ballots and provisional ballots left to be counted, the game isn't over yet.But the "yes" votes just can't seem ... More >>