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…

McCain: Defund Planned Parenthood or Shut Down Federal Government

Arizona Senator John McCain was an outspoken critic of the 16-day October 2013 federal-government shutdown, vowing after it was over that it wouldn’t happen again. Seems he’s had a change of heart: he told NPR that he would support holding the 2016 federal-spending bill hostage over this funding issue. “I don’t…

Ducey-Care Only Makes It Harder for the Poor, Critics Say

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey formally unveiled his plan to “modernize” Arizona’s Medicaid System so it becomes a “bridge to independence” this week. A press release from his office states that the plan is all about “increasing personal responsibility, encouraging wellness, expanding health technology, protecting taxpayers, and promoting quality health care at an…

Why Aren’t Arizona Fourth-Graders Learning to Read?

Seventy-two percent of Arizona fourth-graders can’t read proficiently, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, nearly 10 percent less than the national average. Mastering reading by fourth grade is critical because at that age children begin reading to learn other subjects, such as social studies, science,…

Newspaper: Press Release Masquerading as Marijuana News Story Was “Oversight”

The Verde Independent, a 67-year-old newspaper based in Cottonwood, isn’t living up to its motto as the “trusted news leader” for Verde Valley communities. On Saturday, the online-and-print paper published what looked like a news article about a group of Valley residents busted in connection with a suspected illegal marijuana-growing…

Local Media Outlets Regurgitate Arpaio’s Press Releases

Like a Roman emperor of old, Sheriff Joe knows how to keep the mob entertained, with the help of his echo chamber — the local media — which too often takes its cues from Arpaio’s PR staff, lapping up whatever drivel that’s dis-engorged, then spewing it forth for the evening…

10 Reasons Donald Trump Is, Um, Cool…

Love him or hate him, you can’t deny that Donald Trump is killin’ it in national polls. With that in mind, here are 10 reasons we think Donald Trump should be — brace yourself — president. 10. He’d go down in history as the prez with the most unflattering and memorable…