The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is demanding documents from Sheriff Joe Arpaio related to a possible misappropriation of detention funds — and if he doesn’t comply, a county spokeswoman tells New Times, Arpaio could be found in contempt of court or even face arrest.The supervisors have been demanding the…
Doug Lingner finally quit his job as executive director of the Housing Authority of Maricopa County last Tuesday, not quite two years after he was hired — and not quite two months after he was put on leave following a New Times exposé detailing his mismanagement and penchant for nepotism…
Two years ago, Phoenix resident Isreal Correa was arrested on charges of false reporting and aggravated harassment — after police say he staged a home invasion and accused then-Justice of the Peace Carlos Mendoza of being its mastermind.The incident led to police rousting Mendoza from bed and cuffing him, before…
Newly appointed Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley has certainly enjoyed plenty of career high points — from his service as a Marine to his 16 years as the county’s top prosecutor.But that’s apparently not enough for the crackerjack news team at KTVK’s 3TV. In an otherwise unremarkable report about Romley’s…
We called that one.As New Times’ Paul Rubin predicted last week, former County Attorney Rick Romley got the nod from the Board of Supervisors today to replace Andrew Thomas in his old job. Thomas, of course, resigned earlier this month to run for attorney general; Romley, who held the post…
The State Bar of Arizona has found probable cause that attorney Mark Briggs — formerly a partner with Quarles & Briggs — violated a host of ethical rules in his dealings with a local novelist and her aborted film production.Mystery writer Sylvia Nobel had filed a complaint against Briggs almost…
Just about everybody who came into contact with Edward Ravenscroft in 2008 concluded that he needed some serious help. Thanks to a bad crack habit, Ravenscroft, then 47, had burned through more than $1 million in two short years — with little to show for it. As an heir to…
In a marathon meeting this afternoon that stretched close to four hours, commissioners for the Housing Authority of Maricopa County agreed to accept the resignation of executive director Doug Lingner, effective today.In exchange for agreeing to resign, and promising not to sue the board unless they sue him first, Lingner…
So who thinks they could be a better county attorney than Andrew Thomas, who resigned the post to run for Attorney General? Anyone? Anyone?Okay, that’s probably a bad way to phrase the question. Anyone clearly would be better. But “anyone” is not necessarily a licensed attorney … and not every…
As the longtime chief deputy to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, David Hendershott has long had a reputation as the sinister architect of Arpaio’s political machinations. But read Hendershott’s personnel file, and you’ll get a much different impression: one more akin to a bumbling Keystone Kop than the Lord of…
We’re beginning to sound like a broken record, but here’s the latest from Maricopa County Superior Court: Sheriff Joe Arpaio has lost another lawsuit.Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Robert Oberbillig today summarily dismissed Arpaio’s suit against the agency that provides healthcare in the county jail system. Arpaio had filed the…
It’s a bit ironic, but Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s number-two guy, Chief Deputy David Hendershott, could lose his home at a so-called sheriff’s sale June 4.County records show that Hendershott, who has been with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office since 1979, took out a $774,500 mortgage on his Peoria home in…
Earlier today, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced his resignation, declaring that he’ll quit the office to run for Arizona Attorney General. But the county’s general counsel, Wade Swanson, followed up on that announcement with a pointed letter suggesting that Thomas is hardly ready to be the state’s top law enforcement…
The Gila County Attorney’s Office is recommending that a Nebraska-based attorney prosecute cases against Maricopa County Supervisors Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox.The Gila County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on the appointment of Dennis McCarthy as special prosecutor at its meeting April 6, according to an agenda…
A conservative, we all know, is a liberal who’s been mugged. So what’s a conservative who’s been wrongly arrested? My answer: Don Stapley. Until recently, the longtime county supervisor had a reputation as a middle-of-the-road Arizona Republican — a Mormon with serious roots in the community (Stapley Drive got its…
Attorney Kathy Zatari, who served as administrator of the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council for 3 1/2 years, has filed a notice of claim against the state, alleging she was fired for reporting possible violations of state policy to her supervisors.Those violations, according to the claim, partially involve Zatari’s one-time employee, Jeri Auther. But,…
Last Thursday, the board of directors of the Housing Authority of Maricopa County voted to accept the resignation of its executive director, Doug Lingner. The only problem? There was no resignation for the board to accept — not on Thursday, anyway. The board was voting optimistically, in hopes that Lingner…
For the last two years, Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability have been on the outside looking in: The anti-Arpaio activists in the MCSA have been hassled, cut off, and even arrested at meetings of the county Board of Supervisors.Not today. Today the group had the floor for more than hour…
The Housing Authority of Maricopa County’s executive director, Doug Lingner, is rejecting a settlement agreement because he wants a chance to “defend” himself — oh, and six months’ salary, too.”The Release/Severance package which has been forwarded me for signature is a completely one-sided document,” Lingner wrote in a letter to…
Jack Rose, the man who put together the deal to bring the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds to Goodyear for spring training, only to be driven from the project under a cloud of suspicion, has been charged in a criminal complaint.The felony charges were filed by the Maricopa County Attorney’s…
It may be their shared Germanic roots — or their common Midwestern ubiquity. But for some reason, we’ve always associated burgers with beer and beer with burgers.But not anymore. Now we’re thinking burgers and wine, baby!The genesis of this happy change of heart? Sam Fox’s latest gift to Phoenix, Zinburger…
Doug Lingner, executive director of the Housing Authority of Maricopa County, will be resigning his position.Lingner, a former Phoenix city councilman, was the subject of a New Times cover story just five weeks ago. The story detailed his penchant for hiring family members and steering federal stimulus funds to supporters…
