Time was, when Rick Renzi was an up-and-comer in Arizona’s (even national) Republican circles, a staunch conservative from Flagstaff who first won election to Congress in 2002. These days, however, Renzi is just another schlub facing a big-time criminal corruption rap, in his case that he (among other charges) tried…
As predicted, former state Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s not the only Democrat with her eye on Arizona’s new Congressional seat — this morning, state Senate Minority Leader David Schapira announced that he, too, will run in Arizona’s newly formed 9th Congressional district.Schapira’s announcement isn’t exactly a surprise to those familiar with…
There’s good news and bad news…The good news: the Scott Bundgaard freeway fight fiasco is finally over. The bad news: he might be replaced by state Representative Judy Burges — one of the first sponsors of Arizona’s humiliating “Birther Bill,” and the author of the “I didn’t pay enough fund”…
Roger Garfield, the former antiques dealer who shot and killed an unarmed homeless man in 2006, has been released from prison and granted a new trial based on a change in self-defense laws. As we explained in our March 11, 2010 article, Shoot to Kill, the prosecution of Garfield for…
It’s baaaaack!Remember last year when the Arizona Legislature passed the infamous “Birther Bill?” And then Governor Jan Brewer — in a rare moment of sanity — vetoed it? Well, an amended version of the bill is heading to the Legislature — compliments of Republican state Representative Carl Seel.In case you…
As a result of the four-game skid, Planet Orange is lingering near the bottom of the Pacific Division and Western Conference standings with a 4-8 record. The first loss of the weekend came on Thursday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers came to US Airways Center on conquered Phoenix 101-90. While…
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio — at 79 years old — has made it clear that despite being youthfully challenged, he plans to run for another four-year term as sheriff.The good news is he already has two potential opponents: Scottsdale Lieutenant Mike Stauffer, who’s been actively campaigning for Arpaio’s job…
Why are non-loony Republicans always on the outs in the county and state GOP, with the insaniac Mexican-haters firmly in control?In her blog on Sunday, moderate Republican Paula Pennypacker described one of the main tactics of GOP county chairman Rob Haney’s nativist cult: The gaming of the proxy system, which…
When I saw the headline in the Arizona Republic, “Democrats plan to introduce legislation to repeal SB 1070,” let’s just say I smelled a fish, and fresh it was not.The only Democrat I know of down at the state Legislature with the huevos to do something so bold as to…
Good news, Valley Fever-ers: You can “like” us now.Valley Fever has officially joined the 21st century with the addition of its own Facebook page.New Times already has a Facebook page for the publication as a whole. However, if all you’re after is news, our new “Bastard Fever” Facebook page will…
To quote Clark W. Griswold, if we woke up tomorrow with our heads sewn to the carpet, we wouldn’t be more surprised than we were when we got a Christmas note from America’s self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff” applauding us for all the great work we do. Granted, we just got it…
Carl Mosher, a former physical education teacher at St. Gregory’s Catholic school in Phoenix, was in Maricopa County Superior Court this morning where he was sentenced to 27 years in prison for having sex with a 14-year-old student…in his office…at the school.Additionally, Judge Daniel Martin sentenced Mosher to lifetime probation.Mosher…
Arizona’s GOP presidential primary, like New Hampshire’s, will likely be another race for second place — according to a recently released poll, former Massachusetts Governor (and one-time Joe Arpaio butt-smoocher) Mitt Romney has a double-digit lead over each of his opponents in the “Colt Single-Action Army Revolver” state.The poll, conducted…
State Representative Kimberly Yee wants to add possessing a bong to the list of things kids in Arizona aren’t allowed to do.Yee introduced House Bill 2034, which would make it illegal for kids under 18 to possess a hookah, bong, water pipe, and anything else that’s intended for “tobacco use…
A convicted child molester — who once was “mentored” by Republican state Representative Jim Weiers — was in Maricopa County Superior Court this morning, where he was sentenced to some pretty serious prison time.Judge Peter Reinstein sentenced Arthur Vitasek to 559 years in prison after he was convicted of multiple…
Arizona State’s men’s basketball team played well most of the way last night against a pretty tough Oregon team, but ended up on the short end of a 67-58 loss. The Sun Devils hung tough until the last few minutes of their first Pac-12 home game, but simply didn’t have…
Democratic state Senator Steve Gallardo plans this week to introduce a bill into the Arizona Legislature that would repeal SB 1070, Arizona’s controversial immigration law.To quote our colleague Stephen Lemons, the Arizona Legislature repealing SB 1070 is “about as likely as me running a 5K.”The Legislature’s biggest bigot got the…
If you’re dumb enough to fork over cash to a scalawag like Sheriff Joe Arpaio, you’re dumb enough to buy any line of bull the most-sued sheriff in the country wants to sell you.Like the malarkey that the recent U.S. Department of Justice report on Arpaio’s racial-profiling ways is “unsubstantiated”…
The Mesa Police Department tells New Times that no charges will be filed against a 7-year-old boy who accidentally fired a loaded gun on a school bus full of children last week — and there’s a reason: he’s only friggin’ seven!In case you missed it, the boy brought a loaded…
Say what you will about 25-year-old Taylor Thornberry and his extensive collection of kiddie-porn, but at least he’s organized — his tens-of-thousands of images and videos of (ahem) child erotica are organized into three categories: “good,” “better,” and “the best.”How do we know this? Well, he was arrested Tuesday after…
About two weeks after being sworn in as Phoenix’s newest mayor, Greg Stanton announced today members of his Mayor’s Office staff, which includes some of the same individuals who worked for him while he was a city councilman or with him at the Attorney General’s Office. As we already know,…
There could be a new horse in the race to become the next sheriff of Maricopa County — retired Phoenix Sergeant/Nancy Grace suck-up Paul Penzone has filed paperwork with the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office to set up an exploratory committee for a potential run to unseat Sheriff Joe Arpaio.Arpaio –…
