Hot Links: Light Rail Riders Out in Force; Former State Football Star Danny Villa Faces Charges; Oil Prices Rise

Light rail riders came, they rode, and they conquered the Valley during the historic opening weekend of the new 20-mile train line. Today will be the first test of the tracks for commuters. If you make minimum wage, you're about to get a decent raise. Damning allegation: Danny Villa, the...

By Ray Stern

December 29, 2008

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Light rail riders came, they rode, and they conquered the Valley during the historic opening weekend of the new 20-mile train line. Today will be the first test of the tracks for commuters. If you make minimum wage, you're about to get a decent raise. Damning allegation: Danny Villa, the former Arizona State University football star and Cardinals player, is being held in Tucson by authorities on charges that he had sex with a child over 14 in Massachusetts. Now that Republicans are in charge in Arizona, anti-abortion laws appear likely. Police arrest seven would-be bandits during the botched robbery of a dollar store after the getaway car rams a police cruiser. When gas prices start going up again soon, you can thank Israel and Hamas.

Light rail opening weekend attracts 150,000

Minimum wage goes to $7.25 on Thursday

Former ASU and Cardinals player Danny Villa faces child rape charges in Massachusetts

Anti-abortion legislation likely to return soon

Seven arrested in Phoenix after botched dollar-store armed robbery

Oil prices rise on Middle East violence

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Ray Stern is the former news editor of Phoenix New Times. He worked as a newspaper reporter in Arizona for more than two decades. He's won numerous awards for his reporting, including the Arizona Press Club's Don Bolles Award for Investigative Journalism.