Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon is proposing a temporary sales-tax increase to prevent services and programs from being cut further. At a City Council meeting this week, Gordon said the city is facing an "economic emergency." The council has already cut $270 million from the general fund...Playwright James Garcia has written a play about Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. In the satirical play, titled, America Pastorella: The Saga of Sheriff Joe, Arpaio must prevent a family from Mexico from crossing the U.S. border, or the devil will take his life...A 14-year-old boy accidentally shot himself while playing with a gun. The teen, who was reportedly with other teenagers at the time, was taken to the hospital this morning and is reportedly in stable condition...
A toddler in Avondale was hit by an SUV while getting ice cream. The 2-year-old girl and her family were ordering frozen treats from an ice cream truck when the girl wandered off and was hit. She was knocked unconscious, but is reportedly okay. Sheriff's deputies say the SUV driver will not be charged...George Overturf, 61, was convicted of second-degree murder yesterday. Overturf was convicted in the shooting death of Kevin Collins, who managed a homeless shelter...For the first time in its history, Arizona State University has topped $300 million in research expenditures. With a total of $307 million in such spending, ASU is in circles with top research universities.
