The reported shunning of an 8-year-old rape victim by her Liberian parents is “not a manifestation of our culture,” the Liberian ambassador to the United States tells New Times. Some media coverage of the July 16 rape quotes experts saying this kind of thing is the norm in Liberia, a country…
When writing an article about the country’s most famous newsman (not to mention the namesake of ASU’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication) you’d think a New York Times reporter would double-check all of the facts, if for nothing other than a bit of post-mortem respect. Guess not. Take a…
The Department of Public Safety reports this afternoon that Interstate 10 is closed to traffic in both directions after the crash of a hazardous materials truck sparked an intense fire. The wreck happened just after 9 a.m. this morning when a semi-truck pulling two trailers cruised off the roadway, overturned…
In what will probably be described sarcastically as a “dream come true,” by fathers of 10-year-old girls across the Valley, the Jonas Brothers are scheduled to play in a public kickball game in Peoria in August. The pop-tarts — who vehemently campaign for chastity, clean living, and just about everything else the rest of us…
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano plans to give a major public speech about terrorism and other security issues next week in New York City, a tipster told Foreign Policy magazine. According to an article on the magazine’s Web site, Napolitano give the speech at the corporation-rich, pro-amnesty-for-illegal-immigrants Council on Foreign…
Looks like our recent criticism of Terry Goddard’s boring, old Twitter account made an impact, (though we’re pretty sure we weren’t the only ones suggesting he liven things up). The state Attorney General began a new, more personalized Twitter account this week, to the accolades of some of his followers. Instead…
A local group’s taking its plea for the Arizona Republic’s survival to the same “new media” that’s taking a huge toll on the daily’s business. The group on Facebook has set sights on bringing new business to the publication that recently suffered another round of layoffs. “Rescue the Republic” is comprised of about 1,200 ex-reporters, journalism…
“Pork” fighters Jon Kyl, John McCain and Jeff Flake don’t bring home the bacon for Arizona, and they aren’t very successful at bumping other senators or congressmen from the trough, either. Flake, a Republican, just lost a battle to stop $250,000 in an appropriations bill from going to a planned…
We will admit to being a glutton for the sort of details that most people (wisely?) dismiss as boring. And so, while reporting this week’s feature on the SCA campaign finance scandal now plaguing the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, we literally spent two days studying Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s campaign finance…
In a way, it was a sad night for Arizona Diamondbacks fans, because the team’s 11-4 shellacking of the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field demonstrated how good this team could be. If the offense showed up more than once out of every two or three games. If the bullpen showed up…
52 people will become new U.S. citizens today in a naturalization ceremony in Phoenix. The soon-to-be citizens range in age from 20 to 75, and come from countries including Lebanon, the Philipines, and Mexico. As part of the ceremony, which takes place this afternoon at Burton Barr Central Library, Valley…
In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times’ blogs. Today’s entries: Feathered Bastard: Bill Maher Interview of Janet Napolitano Focus of Demo by Immigration Activists Barack Obama, Hypocrite…
You don’t have to be a Harvard prof to note the smiling hypocrisy of President Barack Obama’s comments last night on racial profiling. Just hours after Obama defended his Cambridge pal Henry Louis Gates, Jr. in a presidential press conference, and spanked the Cambridge cops for acting “stupidly” in arresting the…
Speaking of light rail, Tempe police plan a one-day crackdown on motorists who play games with light-rail trains. On Wednesday, July 29, cops will be swarming near light-rail crossings, busting drivers who fail to stop for red lights, make “hazardous u-turns in front of the trains,” stop on…
Two New Times writers will participate in a panel called “Publishing and Getting Paid in the Digital Age” at Changing Hands Bookstore tonight. The panel will be hosted by KJZZ’s Rene Gutel (who is also a frequent contributor to our dining blog Chow Bella). Also in attendance will be New Times staff writer…
The Arizona Disability Advocacy Coalition, which has numerous Valley organizations as members, is giving Metro Light Rail and Valley metro an award for helping the disabled. Valley Metro runs the Valley’s buses and oversees the light rail system. The public transportation agencies were chosen for the group’s American Disabilities Act…
Cigarettes are bad for you and can cause cancer — even if they’re electronic, according to an FDA report released earlier today. The study analyzed the chemicals contained in the electronic nicotine cartridges from Smoking Everywhere Inc., and NJOY, a Scottsdale-based company. “These tests indicate that these products contained detectable…
The National Day Laborer Organizing Network has announced a demonstration outside the studios where Bill Maher will be interviewing Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano for Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher. I blogged about Napolitano’s appearance yesterday, and hoped that Maher would question Napolitano about creating a national immigration…
The Securities and Exchange Commission is breaking new ground by trying to force the former CEO of a corrupt company to pay back $4.1 million in bonuses — even though he had nothing to do with the corruption. Maynard Jenkins, 66, who lives in Scottsdale and also has an address in Sedona, collected the…
Where is Governor Jan Brewer these days? Well, we know where she’s not, and that’s participating in budget talks with the Arizona Legislature. On Wednesday, members from both sides of the aisle met for the third time this week to try to hash out a plan to pay for this years…
Five blog posts over 10 days led up to Sarah Fenske’s cover analysis this week on the SCA (Sheriff’s Command Association) scandal. A 2007 cover story on the smear of Arpaio opponent Dan Saban was an omen of what was to come — state Republican Party ads further smearing Saban financed by the SCA. A Fenske…
He’s baaaaaaaaack!Four months after a Superior Court judge unceremoniously tossed a libel suit filed by an unhappy U.S. Airways pilot, we’ve gotten word that the pilot, Ed Gannon, will be appealing the decision.Can’t this guy take a hint already?As we first reported in January, Gannon sued three of his company’s…
