Arizona Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne says the state faces teacher layoffs on a large scale next year because of the state's budget woes. Horne said the situation is "much grimmer" than Arizona residents realize...The male graduate student who committed suicide in a professor's office at ASU yesterday has been identified as 59 year-old David Solnick. The professor was identified as Mookesh Patel. Police say they won't release the details of the conversation between the student and the professor until the investigation is complete...Queen Creek Councilman Gail Barney resigned his post Monday to run for mayor of the town. Current Mayor Art Sanders announced he will not seek re-election, saying "I've finally found someone I'd rather vote for than myself."...
The Phoenix Suns gained the rights to center Jarron Collins yesterday. The 6-foot-11 veteran played eight seasons with Utah. The Suns' only other true center, Robin Lopez, will be out with a fractured foot for about a month...Illegal immigrant Noe Mendoza-Tapia was sentenced to 27 years in prison for the kidnapping of a man from the parking lot of a Phoenix grocery store. Prosecutors say Mendoza-Tapia and his accomplices held the victim hostage in October 27, demanding $100,000 from his wife...Phoenix Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes has agreed to sell the team to the National Hockey League for $140 million. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said if the deal goes through, the league will look to sell the team to a new owner who will keep it in Arizona. Former Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky, a part owner, had not agreed to the deal.
