As of Thursday, all that’s standing between Arizona’s beloved Salt River horses and state protection is the governor’s signature. After months of negotiation, the House of Representatives voted 53 to 3 (with 4 representatives not voting) to pass an amended version of House Bill 2340, which makes it illegal to…
Tucson police enforcing the controversial “show me your papers” section of Arizona’s SB 1070 are routinely prolonging traffic stops in order to investigate a person’s immigration status, according to a new American Civil Liberties Union investigation. The U.S. Supreme Court specifically warned against such action in 2012 when it allowed…
Voters this year may be asked not only to decide whether Arizona should raise the minimum wage, but also by how much. Two groups on opposite sides of the issue are pushing November ballot measures to address the issue: the workers’-rights organization Arizonans for Fair Wages and Healthy Families; and…
Incensed by a group of protesters who blocked a road in an attempt to shut down a Donald Trump rally in Fountain Hills last month, a right-wing Arizona senator is pushing to increase the penalty for political protesters who interfere with traffic. Already, protesters who block traffic can be charged…
Harkins Theatres has canceled a planned screening of film alleging a connection between autism and the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine amid complaints from pediatricians. Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Catastrophe will complete its week-long run at Harkins single-screen Valley Art theater in Tempe this evening. But Harkins has pulled the film…
The argument was getting heated so police allege that 28-year-old Rafael Arredondo decided to set his girlfriend on fire. Well, first, Arredondo, who lived with his girlfriend near 21st Avenue and Indian School Road in Phoenix, allegedly bound and gagged her with clear packing tape. Then, he doused her shorts…
An Arizona State University autism researcher is encouraging parents to see a controversial film alleging a connection between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and the neurological disorder — despite widespread consensus that the premise is scientifically flawed. James Adams, director of ASU’s Autism/Asperger’s Research Program initially posted an advertisement…
Gilbert Police have filed aggravated-assault charges against a veteran who announced intentions in March to sue the department for using excessive force while attempting to calm him down during a post-traumatic stress disorder breakdown. Police are accusing Kyle Cardenas, seeking $20 million to settle his lawsuit, of “intentionally, knowingly, or…
The Arizona Senate approved a bill Monday that would make it a state crime to take, harass, kill, or otherwise interfere with a herd of horses that runs free along the Salt River. The bill passed 27-2, with one senator not voting. House Bill 2340 already prevailed in the House…
High above the bustle of Phoenix traffic, atop the Maricopa County Administration Building, a female peregrine falcon guards a pile of new eggs. Her partner has soared off (presumably to hunt) so she’s alone in the nest, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she surveys the city with…
When the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a permanent injunction last week blocking former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s executive order denying driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants with work permits, it started to feel like deja vu. As Congress continues to stall on comprehensive reform, more and more states…
The Arizona Board of Regents voted to raise tuition and fees at Arizona State University. International and out-of-state undergraduate students will pay $1,000 more, bringing their annual bills up to $26,470. In-state undergraduate students will pay $10,640, which is a $200 increase over last year. Arizona Board of Regents Chair…
Attorneys representing the state of Arizona called on a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the way the state carries out the death penalty. If U.S. District Judge Neil Wake rules in its favor, the Arizona Department of Corrections would be free to resume lethal injections, which were put…
“Allahu Akbar,” called the imam at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe. “God is the greatest.” In unison, several dozen men raised both hands up to their ears, palms facing toward Mecca, the birthplace of Islam. “Audhu billahi min ashshayta nirrajeem,” he said. “I seek God’s shelter from Satan, the…
The Tempe Police Department has a new horse, and it wants the Internet to help name it. The horse, a 3-year-old Tobiano paint, joined the force in January after a short career in therapeutic riding. He joins six other horses: Officers Titan, Moose, Rex, Rio, Stryer, and Thor. If history…
A veteran plans to sue the Gilbert Police Department after, lawyers say, officers Tased him until his heart stopped while in the midst of a psychotic episode caused by post-traumatic stress disorder. Kyle Cardenas’s mother, recognizing that her son was exhibiting symptoms of PTSD, called a crisis hotline operated by…
Nicole Galvan has to feed her greyhound June by hand, one kibble at a time, because she only has one tooth. The nonprofit that rescued the dog from a commercial breeding facility where she was kept in a cage just six inches longer than her body had to remove all…
Several hundred people, rallying under cries to “boycott racism” and “stand on the side of love,” descended on the Arizona State Capitol to protest a string of legislative proposals they’ve dubbed “anti-immigrant.” Carlos Garcia, director of the migrant rights group Puente Arizona, said he organized the protest, along with a…
The city of Surprise will pay $40,000 to a battered woman who was pushed out of her home for calling 911 too many times, according to a settlement agreemen. City officials also agreed to repeal the ordinance that nearly got Nancy Markham, a single mother of two, evicted in August…
Arizona State University president Michael Crow has proposed a $200 increase in undergraduate tuition for resident students and a $1,000 hike for non-resident students. Under Crow’s tuition plan, which must be approved by the state Board of Regents, students also would be required to pay a $270 surcharge to compensate…
Each time Bernie Sanders steps in front of a crowd in Arizona, the line between political rally and rock concert gets a bit fuzzier. We didn’t think things could any more electric after the crowd, freaking out like Justin Bieber fan girls, nearly brought down the risers where the Bernie…
Simone Netherlands’ voice is shaking. She’s naturally a nervous public speaker so it’s almost imperceptible. But she’s angry as she takes the lectern in hearing room 5 of the Arizona House of Representatives, neat and elegant in a gray blazer, blonde hair swept back to showcase her high cheekbones. Just…
