Sheila Polk: New Times Makes a “Target” of Her and MATFORCE

Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the anti-legalization group MATFORCE with a nice shout-out to the Phoenix New Times. In a Sunday article in Prescott’s Daily Courier newspaper, Polk tells reporter Scott Orr that New Times has made her and MATFORCE a “target” for their prohibitionist…

Arizona Inmate Pleads Guilty to Raping Prison Teacher

An inmate accused raping a teacher at an Arizona prison pleaded guilty Monday. Jacob Harvey, 21, did not take a plea agreement. Prison time for his crimes, rape, kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon, won’t begin until after he finishes he current term in 2041, according to the Pinal…

Arizona’s a Terrible Place for Underprivileged Kids, New Study Finds

A new study comparing the best and worst states for underprivileged children ranks Arizona 49th in the nation. Only Mississippi and the District of Columbia received worse scores. (In sub-categories, we ranked 50th out of 51 in early-foundations and economic well-being, 37th in health, and 48th in education.)  The study…

Phoenix Warns Hikers to Prepare for Heat After Recent Tragedies

A city of Phoenix effort to encourage safe hiking in mountain parks is expected to continue at least through the fall. The “Take a Hike, Do It Right” program was launched after several recent heat-related tragedies in Arizona, including the July 7 death of a British visitor last month on…

Top 10 Wacky Liberal Beliefs in Phoenix

Liberals in metro Phoenix, much like their counterparts on the right, have sacred cows ripe for slaughter. Here are 10 of them: 10. Private prisons are 100 percent evil. Never mind the death, rape, and mayhem in public prisons and jails. 9. The ultra-conservative Koch bothers rule the nation, even…

Phoenix’s Jon Ritzheimer Plans Global Anti-Islam Protest

Phoenix resident and de facto leader of the Arizona anti-Islam movement, Jon Ritzheimer, is planning another big “protest against radical Islam” — so big, he claims, that it’s going to span the globe. “I got contacts in Canada, Australia, and all across Europe – everybody’s on board,” he says in…

15 Arrested as Anti-Police Brutality Demonstration Turned Ugly

Twelve adults and three minors were arrested inside of a west Phoenix Walmart Friday night after approximately twenty protesters took their anti-police brutality message into the crowded store. The group entered the building around 8:30 p.m. while chanting “stop police brutality” and “cops, pigs, murderers,” and were followed by a…

No GOP Candidate Represents Us, Says Local Latino Group

About 40 men and women from the local Latino community gathered in the Mi Familia Vota Phoenix headquarters last night to watch the first Republican Presidential debate, concluding at the end of the night, as one young woman so succinctly put it, that “none of the candidates are ready to…

Five Places To Watch Tonight’s GOP Presidential Debate

Whether you’re a Jeb Bush supporter, a Donald Trump enthusiast, a die-hard Marco Rubio fan, or none of the above, tonight’s Republican presidential primary debate is bound to be full of surprises. Unlike in some election seasons, no one quite knows what to expect from the candidate lineup — will…

New Times Seeks a Social Media Editor

Phoenix New Times has an opening for a part-time social media editor. This 20-hour/week position combines journalism with social-media skills to increase the paper’s audience and serve as its public face. The social media editor manages New Times’ Facebook and Twitter accounts, among others, with the expectation of continued engagement…

On Eve of Big Debate Tonight, Campaign Dumps Arizona Trump Zealot

Last week, local resident Aaron Borders portrayed himself online and to the media as the Arizona State Director for the Donald J. Trump presidential campaign, and he said he was traveling to Cleveland to help the Trump crew with the first Republican presidential debate. But according to campaign officials and…

Phoenix Rally Planned for Michelle Cusseaux, Sandra Bland, and Michael Brown

Using the popular hashtags #SayHerName and #BlackLivesMatter, people across the country are expected to take to the streets this weekend and demand accountability for, and attention to, the all-to-frequent instances of police violence against black Americans. Rallies will be held in many cities all weekend as citizens demand a response…