Mary Menacker, site director for the Phoenix Catholic Social Services center, seemed kind of surprised to find out her organization was reportedly detaining 14 immigrants for the government. “We don’t detain people,” Menacker tells New Times. “We’re not part of the legal system.” The information about the detainees came from…
Happy New Year, Phoenix. Here’s one last look at 2008 with the top five blogs as determined by the sheer number of eyes that read them. Catch the top three slots after the jump. 5 – Is dead CEO’s mortgage empire crumbling? Mortgages Ltd. CEO Scott Coles, 48, was found…
Protesters against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio welcomed the new chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Max Wilson, in the hopes of getting some quality time with the board at a public meeting. Harry Mitchell doesn’t need no stinkin’ raise, and he doesn’t want others in Congress to…
We understand that in the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times’ blogs. Today’s entries: Valley Fever: From the Rumor Mill: Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas to…
A couple driving north toward Tucson the day after Christmas was caught with nearly 200 pounds of marijuana disguised like holiday presents. The Nogales, Arizona, couple were stopped on Interstate 19 for a traffic violation, according to an Arizona Department of Public Safety news release: Inside of their vehicle, concealed neatly in…
As rumors go — and this one comes to us from sources inside the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office — it’s a doozy. Yet it’s not implausible. We’re hearing that ambitious County Attorney Andrew Thomas (seen here canoodling with an elderly supporter) is thinking about resigning from office in the next several months…
A feature article in a Hamas Web site for children hosted by a local domain seller has a Palestinian boy lamenting that he must “kill the Israeli occupation and break the siege of Gaza,” according to an American expert on the Middle East. The most recent update on the children’s site…
Another day, another accused athlete. The last few days have seen local sports celebs Charles Barkley, Cardinals player Larry Fitzgerald, and Indy 500 driver Danica Patrick in the news for various incidents. This week it’s Phoenix Suns player Jason Richardson, who — like Barkley — was busted on New Year’s Eve…
It’s easy to admire the entrepreneurial spirit: Four laid-off East Valley Tribune workers — three writers and an editor — have started their own Web-based news site to cover the happenings at the Arizona Legislature. Their product, The Arizona Guardian, launched today with a handful of passable political stories. Interestingly, another laid-off Tribber,…
MCSA’s rally following the short BOS meeting today… Aside from the tragicomic funeral for the “Death of Democracy” that was held outside by members of ACORN and Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability, today’s Board of Supervisors meeting was relatively uneventful, civil even. There were no arrests, for applauding or anything…
We’ve been having fun ribbing our in-the-closet blogging buds at Sonoran Alliance for their habitual use of anonymous writers, but today the cyber-conservatives are getting flak from their own kind. The faceless cowpokes took on Republican lobbyist Farrell Quinlan (right) in a recent blog post, slamming him for accusing state Republican…
The game was clinched on a third-and-16, 23-yard pass from Captain Kurt to Mr. Spach. It was logical. Most teams would’ve kept it on the ground and probably had to punt, giving their opponent another chance to score and win the game. But most teams don’t have Arizona’s passing attack…
What drought? Last year will go down as one of the wettest years on record in Phoenix. In weather-related incidents, an ATV rider up north and two hikers in the Superstition Mountains go missing. And the nastier-than-normal weather hasn’t been so kind on the homeless in the last few weeks,…
I’m on the run this a.m., but I would be remiss if I did not point your attention to this excellent article by David Carr in Sunday’s New York Times online concerning our clown of a sheriff, “A Star Turn for a Sheriff on Fox TV.” Unlike a lot of…
We understand that in the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times’ blogs. Today’s entries: Valley Fever: Phoenix Library Card Blasts Off; Designed by Local Artist Kiyomi…
There’s a new sheriff in Pinal County, and he’s ridin’ Redflex out on a hot rail… CameraFraud.com’s reporting that Pinal County’s newly elected Sheriff Paul Babeu has ended Pinal’s photo enforcement contract with Redflex, the Australian firm responsible for so many of those mechanical Orwellian shutterbugs plaguing motorists throughout the…
“Charmed” seems an odd descriptor for the 2008-09 Arizona Cardinals, who lost — no, were crushed in — four of their last six regular-season games. Yet here they sit, all warm and snuggly at 9-7, hosting a first-round playoff game at home in the Red Zone. Meanwhile, a couple of…
The New Year’s Eve news exclusive from sleazy entertainment Web site TMZ.com about Arizona Cardinals player Larry Fitzgerald alleged domestic abuse incident was the “kind of momentary headline that can damage a good name,” writes Funny thing is, the incident never rated a headline — or any other kind of…
Joe and the nativists, the love that never dies… You judge a man, sometimes, by the company he keeps. So what does it say of Sheriff Joe that he recently spoke at the Arizona American Italian Club to a group of notorious nativists, including minuteman honcho Chris Simcox, and alleged…
Clippers’ rising star Eric Gordon A reserve suspended for violating the NBA drug policy. A star player talking openly about trade desires. Injuries and multiple losing streaks. Yep, things are most definitely topsy-turvy in Los Angeles Clippers Land. Or, based on the franchise’s underwhelming past, things are exactly the way…
It’s a parent’s ultimate nightmare: A child snatched from the street in mere seconds by an unknown kidnapper, never to be seen or heard from again. Ten years ago in Mesa, it happened to the family of Mikelle Biggs. Forecast for tomorrow morning calls for possible heavy meteor showers. The…
Dear Mexican: How do Mexicans get such ridiculous nicknames from seemingly normal names? For instance, José becomes Chepe, Eduardo is Lalo, Gabriel becomes Gabi, and Guillermo devolves into Memo. It’s Marcela, Not Chela Dear Mexican: I want to know why Mexicans have such incongruous nicknames. In English, people have nicknames…
