The system for disciplining corrupt Border Patrol agents is so “broken” that it has become a “national security threat,” according to an independent task force commissioned by the federal government to investigate the agency’s approach to criminal misconduct in its ranks. In a 49-page report delivered to Homeland Security Secretary…
After Bernie Sanders’ wife took a tour of Maricopa County’s Tent City Jail with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, critics today accused her of acting as a “prop” in the spread of racist propaganda. Among the naysayers was U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego, who, in a Facebook post, advised Jane Sanders “to take…
Jane Sanders, wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, dropped by Maricopa County’s infamous Tent City Jail on Monday with lots of questions. But even though Sheriff Joe Arpaio himself came down to run the tour (he wouldn’t miss an opportunity to parade in front of TV cameras), the only…
Ryan Miller was a strong math student in high school. So when it came time to pick electives for his economics degree at Arizona State University, he felt pretty confident signing up for physics. It was hard. He got a bad grade. He wishes someone had warned him. So he,…
A Cave Creek horse-rescue organization is drowning in adoption applications after a Facebook post soliciting homes for 20 adorably fluffy miniature donkeys was shared more than 86,000 times. In response to the high interest, Michele Schafer, community outreach director for the all-volunteer-run Triple R Horse Rescue, said the group agreed…
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office released gritty body-camera footage showing a deputy shooting and killing a dog. Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who’s made public-relations hay over the years with his animal-protection antics, told reporters that the video proves the shooting was “justified.” The dog was “in the wrong place at the wrong…
The people of Scottsdale are the hardest working in Arizona and the sixth-hardest working in the United States, according to a new report. To calculate the ranking, the data crunchers at Wallethub analyzed the average number of hours worked per week, the labor force participation rate, and average leisure time per…
So you’re “feeling the Bern”? Now, thanks to a new dating website that connects fans of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, you can also find love. Arizona State University political science major Colten Caudle created the website, called Berniesingles.com, to make sure, he writes, “the 1% aren’t the only ones getting…
The Arizona Senate Federalism and States’ Rights Committee voted unanimously today to move forward a proposal to make it illegal to take, harass, kill, or otherwise interfere with a herd of horses that runs free along the Salt River. House Bill 2340, which has already passed in the House of…
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been aware for years that poor medical care in its detention centers is contributing to in-custody deaths, but has systematically overlooked it, according to a new report by a coalition of advocacy groups. The American Civil Liberties Union, Detention Watch Network, and the National…
Six former and current Arizona State University police employees have filed a lawsuit accusing the university of falsifying crime statistics and retaliating against employees who objected. In the civil suit, filed this month in Maricopa County Superior Court, four police officers and two police aides, one of whom is still…
In some Arizona cities, calling 911 several times a month may be grounds for eviction. City policymakers push such policies, often called nuisance ordinances, hoping to promote crime-free neighborhoods. But state Representative Celeste Plumlee (D-Tempe) argues they have an “unacceptable” side effect: They discourage victims of domestic violence and sexual…
One of Arizona’s most prominent Latino-rights organizations has thrown its support behind Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. It is the first time Living United for Change in Arizona, or LUCHA as it is more commonly known, has publicly backed any politician since its’ 2009 founding, said Tomas Robles, the nonprofit’s…
Arizona State University recently released more than 4,500 photos chronicling the Phoenix area’s development from a cowtown in 1884 to an emerging metropolis in 1947. The collection, available for perusal and download online, is one of largest collections of Phoenix photography documenting this time period. Some of the photos, recovered…
Citing concern about terrorism, an Arizona House of Representatives committee passed two bills Wednesday attempting to encumber federal efforts to resettle refugees in Arizona. The first, House Bill 2370, sponsored by Representative Bob Thorpe (R-Flagstaff), prohibits the state from using resources to enforce, administer, or cooperate with federal efforts to…
A controversial proposal to give the Arizona Department of Agriculture authority over a herd of horses that runs free along the Salt River will be debated on the legislature floor, it was decided today. The Federalism and States’ Rights Committee voted 5-2 to move House Bill 2340 on to the…
The other day, Tiffany Diba’s 5-month-old dog, Colby, followed her command to “sit” and “stay” in a busy store for the first time. The curly-haired shepherd-labrador-retriever mix perked up his ears as she slowly backed away — 5 feet, 10 feet, 15 feet. He squirmed with the urge to bound…
After a drug overdose, minutes matter. But, often, witnesses hesitate to call for paramedics because they, too, are hopped up and are afraid of arrest. State Representative Randall Friese wants to change that so he’s proposed a bill that would prohibit authorities from pressing drug use or possession charges against…
Standing up on her hind legs, tail languidly snaking back and forth, Tuna the cat flips the page on a pink easel, revealing a sign that reads in bold block letters: “Welcome to the show.” The audience squeals in delight, then bursts into laughter when she bats down the next…
A former priest suspected of killing a second-grade school teacher in 1960 has been arrested in Scottsdale and officially charged with murder. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department’s Criminal Apprehension and Surveillance Team, coordinating with two Texas agencies, the Texas Rangers and the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office, detained John Feit…
The legislators behind a proposal to allow guns at Arizona universities argue it will make students safer. But the bill has many who live, study, and work on campus feeling fearful. Since state Representative Sonny Borrelli (R-Bullhead City) filed House Bill 2072, which, if passed, would permit anyone who obtains…
At some Arizona schools, more than 30 percent of children haven’t been vaccinated against such dangerous infectious diseases as whooping cough and measles. Parents, state Representative Juan Mendez says, have a right to know which ones. The Arizona Department of Health lists vaccination rates for kindergarten and sixth-grade children online for…
