Cochise County

Sam Pillsbury Answers the Question: Why Arizona Wine?

Why Arizona wine? In 2000 -- the year I planted my first vineyard at the end of a lonely, dusty road in Cochise County, 12 miles south of Willcox -- one of the 10 Best 'How to Lose Money' jokes on Saturday Night Live was: Plant a Vineyard In Arizona. Arizona is all Sonoran Desert, obviously suicid ... More >>

Ron Barber Currently Leading Martha McSally by a Grand Total of 654 Votes

Now a week after Election Day, counties across Arizona are still counting votes, and the winner of one congressional race is still undecided.Democratic Congressman Ron Barber currently leads Republican challenger Martha McSally by 654 votes, as of the time of this post.See also:-Ron Barber Now Leads ... More >>

Ken Bennett Says 277,011 Votes Left Statewide, 168,000 in Maricopa County

Maricopa County's long march toward a final vote count slogs on, with county Recorder Helen Purcell today announcing that by late this afternoon, 47,351 early ballots had been tabulated. Purcell's statement noted that "approximately 46,000 early ballots still remain to be processed for tabulation." ... More >>

Sheriff Larry Dever's Half-Empty Bottle of Schnapps -- and Lifeless Body -- in Pictures Published by Web Site

Pictures from Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever's fatal September 18 crash and published by a southern Arizona news site show open containers of liquor -- and Dever's lifeless body. Click here to see the report by the Cochise County Record. David Morgan, a semi-retired news blogger and political ... More >>

Was Larry Dever a Drinker? Deceased Sheriff's .29 BAC Suggests High Tolerance, Experts Say

The high blood-alcohol content found in Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever's body after his fatal crash last month suggests the sheriff had a strong tolerance for booze, experts say. In other words, Dever -- known by many as a Mormon who didn't drink -- may have been a problem drinker. If so, did hi ... More >>

Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever's Death Conjures Friendships that Were Strained or Non-Existent

Death has an odd way of manipulating memories. While the death of Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever is evoking standard heartfelt condolences to his surviving family members, reactions from two particular camps in neighboring Pinal County also are altering reality. See also: Sheriff Larry Dever ... More >>

Sheriff Larry Dever Lost Control of Truck on Dirt Road "For an Unknown Reason;" Popular Sheriff, 60, Killed When Truck Rolled

Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever lost control of his truck "for an unknown reason" on a dirt road, leading to the fatal rollover, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office says. Dever, 60, died at the scene following the one-vehicle crash at about 6:30 p.m. last night on Forest Road 109 about two mile ... More >>

Beckett's Table Makes Wine Spectator's World's Best Wine Lists

See also: Beckett's Table Resurrects the Grownups Table for Summer: Three Courses Wine for $39 Many may be familiar with chef Justin Beckett's seasonal American food at his restaurant, Beckett's Table, in east Phoenix, but fewer may know about the establishment's stellar wine selection -- until n ... More >>

Larry Dever Is a Real Arizona Sheriff

Arizona Sheriffs Call for Independent Investigation of "Fast and Furious" Gunwalking Scandal

Ten Arizona sheriffs -- five Democrat, five Republican -- gathered at the Arizona State Capitol on Friday to call for an independent investigation into the "Fast and Furious" gunwalking scandal. The sheriffs held a news conference in front of the Arizona Peace Officers Memorial, decrying the "blood ... More >>

Bottling Wine with Sam Pillsbury and Co.

Nicole Whittington and James Waldron​When I went up to the Verde Valley to bottle wine with winemakers Eric Glomski, Tim White and Sam Pillsubry, I kept hearing that "wine making isn't as romantic as everyone thinks." Maybe the guys were afraid that I would find the monotonous assembly of bottl ... More >>

Canada to Blame for Filling Valley With Smoke

​If you drove to work this morning thinking the Valley looks hazier than usual, you're right -- and Canada's to blame.Mark Shaffer, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, tells New Times the haze isn't the usual smog that often blocks the mountainous scenery during the ... More >>

Burgers on the Grill... What Wine Do I Serve?

With spring in the air and the near-perfect weather in Phoenix, it's time to fire up the grill and make some burgers. We asked Pavle Milic, FnB co-owner and wine director, to pair up Martha's best burgers with wines that make them shine.

No Charges Filed Against Tombstone Psycho Whose Mother's Skeleton Sat in Home for a Year

Timothy Fattig: the real life Norman Bates?​The Tombstone man arrested last week after revealing to police that he knew his mother's dead body had been sitting in her house for more than a year won't be charged with a crime, authorities in Cochise County announced yesterday.Timothy Fatt ... More >>

Rupert Murdoch and Koch Brothers "Piggish, Slippery Billionaires," Border Rancher Says

Last year, when we were reporting "Badlands" and "Rancher Down," two stories about life and death in Cochise County, on the southeastern border of Arizona and Mexico, we had the privilege of interviewing cattle rancher Rich Winkler. Billionaire brothers don't sit well with one pissed-off bord ... More >>

Changing Hands Bookstore to Host "Miracle Valley Shootout" Panel Tomorrow Afternoon

Believe it or not, back in the day (three decades or so ago), the big news at the U.S.-Mexico border down in Cochise County wasn't illegal immigration--it was a religious cult led by a charismatic woman preacher named Frances Thomas.   ​In 1979, Rev. Thomas moved her flock to a ... More >>

Sue Krentz--One of Our Favorites--Continues to Fight After Getting Hit by Drunk Driver

Quick note in the "If it wasn't for bad luck" department.​For obvious reasons, those of us who write tough stories for a living have to try to maintain a professional demeanor at all times.Earlier this year, we traveled down to Cochise County to conduct the first media interview of Mrs. Susan Kren ... More >>

Sierra Vista Mom Arrested After Giving Birth to Baby With Meth and Weed in System

Tamara Austin​If you ask us, doing meth probably isn't the best idea. Doing meth when you're pregnant, in our humble opinion, is just disgusting.A Sierra Vista woman might disagree.Police in Sierra Vista say a woman gave birth to a baby over the weekend, which would have been good news had doctors ... More >>

Undocumented Migrant Adds Insult to Injury After Burglarizing Home--Steals a Dude's Dog

We gathered a lot of material for our recent "Badlands" and "Cowboy Down" stories about life and death on the U.S.-Mexico border in southern Arizona that didn't make the final cut, and we're going to share a few gems in the coming weeks.   ​Here's one for you: Early on the evenin ... More >>

Cowboy Down: Rob Krentz's Family Talks About the Life and Death of the Murdered Arizona Rancher

Exclusive: Slain Arizona Rancher Rob Krentz's Widow Talks to New Times' Paul Rubin

Paul Rubin​In this week's print edition -- and in a story posted online today -- New Times staff writer Paul Rubin has an exclusive interview with Sue Krentz, who was widowed when her husband, Rob, was shot on the family's ranch near the U.S./Mexico border in March.Krentz's murder, which is ... More >>

Badlands: For Those Living in the Arizona County That's Ground Zero for Drug and Human Trafficking Along the Border, the Illegal Immigration Crisis Is Personal

Legal Immigrant or Just Plain Legal? Writing on Car Confuses Passersby

We were driving back from Cochise County yesterday afternoon when a funky old Nissan lumbered past and pulled back in front of us.   ​Someone had scribbled in large white letters on the trunk, "HONK AT ME. I'M LEGAL!" What the heck, we thought, flashing on the infamous Senate Bill ... More >>

Murdered Arizona Rancher Prompts GOP Lawmaker to Call for Congressional Hearing on Border Security

Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger​When your average citizen is murdered there typically isn't a Congressional hearing to sort out the details. However, when that citizen is assumed to have been murdered by an illegal immigrant, members of Congress tend to take notice -- even if police have no ... More >>

Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico, Deploys National Guard to Border in Wake of Arizona Rancher's Death; Jan Brewer Takes Verbal Shot at Obama

www.callum-mcdonald.com​ The murder of a prominent Arizona rancher has re-ignited calls for a stronger military presence at the U.S./ Mexico border, but Arizona isn't the only border state seeking to beef up security in wake of the tragedy -- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson says he will ... More >>

Hot Links: SRP Fire, Rancher Killed, and Cocaine Trafficking

​A huge fire early this morning at a Salt River Project substation sent a big smoke plume several miles to the west. The burning transformer, at the SRP substation near 121st Avenue and Broadway Road, hasn't caused any reported power outages so far. A dozen firefighters battled the blaze through t ... More >>

J.D. Hayworth Uses Death of Murdered Rancher to Question John McCain's Stance on Illegal Immigration

www.tpm.com​Senator John McCain's GOP primary opponent, J.D. Hayworth, is using the killing of a prominent Cochise County rancher to question McCain's stance on immigration, despite there being no confirmation that an illegal immigrant had anything to do with the murder.Robert Krentz was fou ... More >>

Andy Thomas Wins Minor Victory Over Defense Attorneys Who Want Him and His Office Tossed Off Cases

A Superior Court judge has ruled against several criminal defendants who wanted him to disqualify the Maricopa County Attorney's Office from prosecuting their cases.  ​Judge Wallace Hoggatt is the Cochise County jurist assigned to the sweeping case by a "special master" who is overseeing ... More >>

Hot Links: Cop Accused of Shoplifting, MVD, and the Penis Tree

​A Mesa police officer is accused of shoplifting at Sportsman's Warehouse in east Mesa. Officer Mark Cormier was cited this week for stealing an item from the store and has been placed on administrative reassignment while an internal investigation is conducted. A security manager for the store say ... More >>

Shootout at the MV Corral

Panel discussion focuses on the Wild Wild West, circa 1982

Katherine Benton-Cohen

Saturday: Locavore AZ Dinner at Superstition Farm

Tapino's Locavore dinners started off as special events at the restaurant, always featuring locally grown produce, ingredients from local purveyors, and Arizona wines. Inevitably, the events would sell out, and they'd have to add new dates. Lately, Tapino has taken things to the next level by going ... More >>

Pistachio Growers in Arizona Bracing for Impact of Salmonella Warning

  Arizona pistachio farmers are hoping the government soon lifts a blanket warning against eating the nuts, which was issued after a California batch tested positive for salmonella. So far, there's no indication the illness-causing bacteria infects any Arizona products, but ... More >>

AZ Stronghold Gets Props from Wine Spectator

Jamie Peachey89! I hear this is the best score ever given to an Arizona wine (Callaghan's 2001 Syrah scored the same). Not bad for a debut label, huh? Wine Spectator rated Arizona Stronghold's Nachise in a recent Super Bowl feature where the editors rounded up 22 top wines (a la 22 players o ... More >>

Dems Push Into Corporation Commission; Congressional Incumbents to Retain Seats

Paul Newman, Corporation Commission Candidate, Reportedly Toked Up in '04

Arizona Republic Buyouts: 28 experienced edit staffers agree to quit

Burn, Baby, Burn!

Butch-lesbian nativist Laine Lawless loves incinerating Mexico's flag. Is she a dangerous wacko or a proud patriot?

Killer Candidate

Would-be legislator Dan Coleman wants to talk issues. But his past is just so much more interesting

Sour Grapes

Flashes

We Know Amparano, "Freak Show" Review, Is Janet Moonlighting?, Do Tell

Methology - Part II

Arizona is awash in crystal methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant that makes the weak strong, the lazy motivated, the fat thin, the trivial profound. Abuse it enough, and it can also make you psychotic.

It's My Courtroom, and I'll Try Like I Want To

His daughter is a gubernatorial confidante. His appointment raised questions of cronyism. But it was Judge Ramon Alvarez's strange behavior in the courtroom that made him a target of misconduct allegations.

Not Mining His Own Business

Wild Bill Mahoney owns Wyatt Earp's patented mining claim in Tombstone. All that prevents him from turning it into a tourist attraction are the dozens of people living on it.

THE MISSING PIECE

A hotheaded Border Patrol agent is the only suspect in a double slaying. One of his guns has vanished, and he's still got his job.

HOW COME A JUDGE?ON PAPER, SYMINGTON'S APPOINTEE LOOKS MORE LIKE A CRONY THAN THE BEST-QUALIFIED JURIST

A RIVER RAN THROUGH ITA TANGLED DEBATE SURROUNDS THE SAN PEDRO RIVER, ARIZONA'S ECOLOGICAL STOREHOUSE

SIEGE, SIEGE, SENOR

REMOTE BORDER AREA IS TERRORIZED BY ROBBIN' HOODS

SHOWDOWN IN CATTLE COUNTRY

THE KLUMPS HAVE RUN COWS ON PUBLIC LAND FOR DECADES. NOW THEY'RE TELLING THE GOVERNMENT THEY OWN IT.

The Biggest Drug Bust Yet

A gun-pointing raid in Cochise County nets only a morsel of dope