A Maricopa County employee welfare program known as the “take-home vehicle” may be coming to an end.Due to the economic crisis, the county is ordering the use of its 2,500 vehicles to be scrutinized with an eye toward saving money. One of the first things officials want to look at…
A few citations have already been handed out to freeloaders trying to ride the light rail without paying the fare, says Valley Metro spokesman Hillary Foose. She expects to provide the number to media outlets next week. “The number of people who have been fare-evading has been extremely minimal, and…
Contrary to speculation in several media outlets, including ABC-15 News (KNXV) and the Arizona Republic, the driver of a bus that hit a light rail train yesterday did not have a green light, police said. The Orbit bus driver received a citation today for running a red light at Lemon…
The racial profiling case launched on behalf of several Valley residents by the American Civil Liberties Union against Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office has been allowed to proceed by a federal judge. In her ruling yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Mary Murguia rejected a call by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office…
Gerald Richard, former director of the Phoenix Police Department and unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Maricopa County Attorney, has taken a job as state Attorney General Terry Goddard’s “special policy advisor.” His new job is already receiving criticism from one of the closeted bloggers over at the right-wing Sonoran Alliance site, the indignant “Chewie:” Employees…
Deputies catch dozens of undocumented workers in the immigrant round-up du jour at a maintenance facility at 19th Avenue and Lower Buckeye that contracts with the county. You knew they’d get around to it: Republican lawmakers craft an anti-abortion bill that’s expected to fare better if it lands on the governor’s desk…
news release about the victory: “Luke is a $2 billion recession-proof economic engine.” Key to keeping that engine humming, boosters believe, would be to convince the Air Force to make Luke one of the main training sites for the F-35, a cool-looking craft with both stealth and vertical-take-off-and-landing features. The…
The new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition out today features local Phoenix Suns dancer Kayla Oberg and Indy-Car-Queen Danica Patrick of Scottsdale.That’s Oberg on the right. Her bio on the site says she’s a 22-year-old make-up artist from Gilbert — dispelling any notion the town is just a boring Mormonville.This is…
Lucero, a captured American jaguar, made his debut at the Phoenix Zoo over the weekend — his first public appearance since two local dentists fixed his teeth. Picture: Courtesy of Phoenix Zoo…
As the big day of the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix draws closer, game officials are telling fans to buy only the good stuff.As in, officially licensed NBA merchandise.We’ve included an example of a counterfeit 2009 All-Star logo to help customers know what to look for in faux memorabilia. …
Snow party: The state Department of Public Safety calls yesterday’s snowstorm in northern Arizona the worst it has ever faced. The feds are building 53 miles of “virtual fence” along the border with Mexico that virtually works. Phoenix is No. 1! (In hotel vacancies — not good). Peoria police are…
Call it an unexcused absence. Maricopa County Andrew Thomas skipped a county Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday despite having been pointedly — and publicly — asked to show up and give advice on Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s plan to segregate illegal immigrant jail inmates. The diss of the supervisors by Thomas served only to ramp up the public…
This probably isn’t the deal you’ve been waiting for, but the price of the Phoenix mansion formerly owned by John McCain has dropped by $2 million. You can now buy this piece of Arizona history — (imagine the dinner party conversations: “Yeah, the guy who Obama beat lived here,”) — for a…
The Arizona Guardian online news outfit that we told you about after its launch last month has gone to a sort of pay-per-view format and now wants up to $150 a month from subscribers. For that lofty price, four former East Valley Tribune staffers (with help from their sponsor, Democratic consultant Bob Grossfeld) will…
Thomas says he’s coming to a county meeting on Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s inmate segregation policy, which makes sense if he’s planning to run for state Attorney General next year. Governor Jan Brewer’s love-hate dilemma on photo enforcement: She hates it, but the state loves the money. Coming to a hacker…
[jump] Joel Fox says: While I’m sure you all know much more about the facts of this case than I do, I wouldn’t mind addressing some of your points. I am not at all worried about the media’s portrayal of Joe Arpaio. The Sheriff can, and does deal with the…
Teasers strip club at Grand Avenue and U.S. 60, according to its Web site, is like a neighborhood bar, kind of like Cheers but with lots of tits. That is, it’s a real friendly place — except when some dirtbag comes in with a gun and ends up murdering one of the…
First, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors strips County Attorney Andrew Thomas of the right to handle civil litigation for the county, causing Thomas to sue the board. Now, the five-member board wants to bring Thomas in to a special meeting on Monday to get his advice on — you…
[jump] The problems begin with the bike ride to the platform at 3rd Street and Mill Avenue. Though that part of the commute only took six minutes, the prep work involved can’t be underestimated. Even a short bike ride requires a few steps: Backpack, shoes (to replace biking cleated shoes…
The sexual misconduct trial of former Catholic priest Dale Fushek is “cut off at the knees” after a judge rules he has the right to five separate trials for his six charges. Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley reportedly will leave to coach the Kansas City Chiefs — that could be…
Hate to tease you like that, but a last-minute switcheroo in the courtroom today means that the hearing on the case between Maricopa County Andrew Thomas and Maricopa County has been put off. Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio — the two politicians who are suing the county — didn’t show up (they…
