Saying that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas illegally searched their offices and otherwise targeted them in an attempt to “retaliate against and humiliate” County Supervisor Don Stapley, East Valley developer Conley Wolfswinkel and his sons have filed a notice of claim with the county.The…
Last week, a biologist working for the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project admitted that, in February 2009, he illegally placed a jaguar scat in the Atascosa Mountains near Ruby and directed a woman to place jaguar scats at sites that were authorized to snare only mountain lions and bears. Those scats led…
The man who captured an endangered jaguar, whose controversial death sparked outrage from animal-rights groups, pleaded guilty in federal court today to prohibited “take” of an animal.Emil McCain, a biologist working for the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project, admitted that in February of 2009 he had illegally placed a jaguar scat…
Will the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors “contempt hearing” planned for May 24 really be the first step in the jailing of Sheriff Joe Arpaio? It’s hard to imagine that scenario will actually occur, but heck, the Arizona Republic says it might happen. Forget the possibility of a federal indictment…
An “upscale companion escort” beat a valet with her high-heeled shoe on Monday night at the Valley Ho in Scottsdale, leaving the man bloody and shaken, police said. Just after 10 p.m., Jennifer Thomas, 26, exited the lobby of the hotel at 6850 East Main Street, rambling to herself and screaming at…
Two Phoenix women invited a 14-year-old runaway to stay in their apartment, then tried to force the girl into prostitution, police say. After she was rescued on Sunday, the girl told police that the women had made her sleep in a closet. Savoya Mansfield, 18, and Mattique Johnson, 19, both arrested on suspicion of kidnapping…
The Peoria Police Department — like most cop shops — doesn’t want people driving drunk on Memorial Day, but if you’re hammered and dumb enough to hop behind the wheel of a car, the Peoria fuzz is being kind enough to tell you exactly where they’re gonna be.On Monday, May 31,…
Saying their request for information is “burdensome, overly broad, and intended to harass,” the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office told the Board of Supervisors today that it will not comply with a subpoena demanding financial records. The supervisors have been demanding the information since March — resorting to a subpoena two…
In October 2007, New Times reporter Ray Stern was cited with a criminal charge for supposedly raising his voice while in the office of a lawyer working for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office — and no one would say, even under oath, who’d actually decided on charging him with the…
The Arizona Department of Health Services today issued a warning for Arizona residents over an influx in rabies cases seen around the state, and the usual suspects are once again bats and bobcats.According to the ADHS, there were three bobcat attacks in Arizona in April alone, and in each case, the…
The Phoenix Police Department is asking the public’s help in tracking down victims of a pair of thieves, who police say targeted elderly victims across the Valley.Last month, police arrested 30-year-old George Gregg and 60-year-old David Gregg on several charges of theft and burglary, after the pair allegedly targeted old…
Arizona has had its share of letdowns over the past few weeks and now — on top of all the embarrassing shit the state Legislature’s been up to — it appears that one of Arizona’s architectural wonders, the Hover Dam, has been outdone by a bunch of beavers.This week, experts…
The Avondale Police Department — after a two week investigation — arrested the director of the Aqua Fria High School’s special-education program after a 15-year-old student with special needs told her mother that he raped and threatened her.Brian Willner, 35, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of sexual abuse and assault, after…
The Chandler Police Department is asking the public’s help in locating two men believed to be involved in the shooting of a Chandler man early yesterday morning.Chandler Police Detective Frank Mendoza tells New Times that at around 1:30 a.m. yesterday, a man called police to report that someone was trying…
Here’s a phrase designed to strike fear into the hearts of rational Arizonans of every political stripe: “Meet your law enforcement team.” As in, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has a new bestie! We’ve repeatedly argued that the biggest problem with Andrew Thomas’ tenure as county attorney was that he saw himself…
Bill Montgomery, the candidate for Maricopa County Attorney backed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, strongly questions Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s mental fitness and leadership ability in a secret tape made by county officials. New Times broke part of this story yesterday based on second-hand comments from the county official who made the recording, Don…
There’s a photo making the rounds in e-mail inboxes across the Valley of a rattlesnake den that was supposedly taken at South Mountain.If you’re not a snake person, the photo’s reminiscent of an Indiana Jones movie and is probably enough to make you wanna cry — check it out above.It…
The Arizona Legislature finally has tackled the super-cereal business of making sure that the likes of South Park’s infamous “ManBearPig” have no place in the Grand Canyon State.A ManBearPig — as described by “Al Gore” on the show — is half man, half bear, and half pig.While there may be a minor…
We had a momentary heart palpitation after reading this headline on the AzCentral site today: …
A building fire in a west Phoenix industrial building this morning led fire officials to discover a dead body, and police say the victim was murdered.About 4:45 a.m., the Phoenix Fire Department responded to a fire alarm that went off in the 1200 block of south 35th Avenue.When fire personnel responded,…
A bank robbery suspect turned a Chandler bank into a drag show yesterday, when he dressed like a woman while committing his heist. According to witnesses, the suspect — wearing a black cotton knee-length summer dress with a purple shirt underneath and a long, black curly wig tucked under a black and purple checkered…
Bill Montgomery, a potential candidate for Maricopa County Attorney backed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, disparaged the sheriff in an hour-long talk with County Supervisor Don Stapley, a county official says. The whole thing was caught on tape without Montgomery’s knowledge. County officials plan to release a digital version to the…
