Raul Castro, the first and only Hispanic to serve as Arizona’s governor, has died at age 98. In a Facebook message last year in support of David Garcia as state Superintendent of Public Instruction that it was “hard to believe” that since being elected 40 years ago, “no other Latino…
At the end of the week, we bring you a roundup of visitors to the desert’s own Fourth Avenue Jail. To be considered for our Maricopa County mugshots of the week, get arrested, strike a pose, and we’ll take care of the rest. This week, we look for the folks…
The trial of ex-Minuteman leader Chris Simcox on allegations that he molested two young girls in 2013 was put on hold Thursday by an Arizona Supreme Court Justice, at least till the end of this month. At issue is whether the 54 year-old Simcox, who is representing himself, will be…
Videos released by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office show a jail inmate beating up multiple detention officers and the foul interior of a Wittman hoarder’s home. Both are newsworthy and, well, just darned interesting to watch. In the first, shot two weeks ago by a surveillance video in the Lower…
A U.S. District Judge has ruled that the uranium mining company, Energy Fuels Inc., can resume operations at Canyon Mine in Northern Arizona. The decision comes after environmental groups and the Havasupai tribe filed a lawsuit in March 2013 to stop the company from completing construction of the mine and…
A hiker shot at South Mountain Park in February had been on a maintained trail just south of a public shooting range, the man’s lawyer says. The bullet passed through the right leg of Thomas Sawyer, 35, and lodged in his left thigh. He’s recovering. But his lawyer, Garvey Biggers,…
Maricopa County will pay $3.5 million for one of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s mishandled rape investigations. The county Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Wednesday to approve the settlement for a Valley family who sued in Superior Court over the botched case. The case of Sabrina Morrison was one of hundreds…
Within a week, Governor Doug Ducey is expected to say yay or nay to a proposal that would block the state from cooperating with the Affordable Care Act. Among other things, House Bill 2643 would prohibit Arizona from building a state-run healthcare exchange — a move that some say could…
I’m a 23-year-old Latina attending a Texas university. I’m taking a class that is centered around Latino culture and history. I’m a first generation Tex-Mex kid, and lately all of the documentaries and other course work have been making me “feel some type of way” angry/sad and overall confused, for…
Three Valley strip clubs are being sued by exotic dancers with the help of a Texas law firm over alleged unpaid tips and wages. The various plaintiffs in the cases are being represented by Kennedy Hodges LLP of Houston, which is engaged in dozens of similar cases across the United…
Don’t expect any apology from Stewart Ferrin. The former Arizona State University police officer regrets nothing about the way he handled the arrest last year of assistant professor Ersula Ore. Not the way he threatened to slam her into his patrol car or how he arrested her for what many…
Governor Doug Ducey has until the end of April 15 to decide the fate of four important bills. Though each is different in its specific intention and scope, when taken together, they depict a Legislature determined to control — and often make money off — every parcel of federal land…
The chances of a successful marijuana-legalization initiative in Arizona for 2016 appear to have diminished due to fighting among two competing political groups. As we reported on March 27, the Marijuana Policy Project of Arizona was surprised by the sudden launch of a competing 2016 campaign by their chairperson, Dr…
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in two cases today that prosecutors can’t ban people on parole or probation from using medical marijuana. Because medical marijuana is a medicine when used under the state’s voter-authorized program, the court stated in its opinions, patients should be allowed to use it — even…
Federal Judge G. Murray Snow recently told Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio that he wanted the sheriff to have some “skin in the game” in regards to an upcoming civil contempt trial of Arpaio and four other current and former MCSO honchos set for April 21-24. But when it comes…
U.S. Senator John McCain will run again for the position he’s held since 1987, telling a local newspaper he has “a lot more to do” for Arizona and the country. Sure he does. And the 78-year-old will likely be reelected, too — in 2010, he kicked Democrat Rodney Glassman’s butt…
A three-judge panel of the Arizona Court of Appeals has declined to halt a pending trial, where accused child molester and ex-Minuteman leader Chris Simcox will be allowed to cross-examine his alleged child victims. After a telephonic hearing held Monday, Judges Margaret Downie, Patricia Norris and Randall Howe refused to…
A new website launched two weeks ago by disgraced Arizona politician Andrew Thomas about the “threat” of ISIS appears to be defunct. Thomas, ignominiously disbarred in April of 2012 after abusing his power as Maricopa County Attorney, last year wasted $750,000 in Clean Elections cash for his failed bid for…
A new reward is being offered in the 1995 case of an Amtrak train that derailed in the desert south of Phoenix, killing one person and injuring 100 more. The FBI and Amtrak announced today that up to $310,000 will be handed out for information leading to the arrest and…
For years, Eric Antuan James has used his life story of going from Missouri gang member to Arizona school principal to motivate kids. Now he’s teaching kids about hypocrisy and betrayal. Last week, James agreed to plead guilty to stealing from an impoverished Indian community school and using the funds…
There’s been no shortage of police brutality videos in Arizona over the years. We’ve compiled some of the most memorable police brutality videos below:…
A new law requiring doctors to tell women that medication-induced abortions can be reversed — a premise most of the health care community refutes — could be in violation of the First Amendment, experts say. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1992, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, ruled that, in the…
