Ignored CPS Cases: More Than 100 Required an Immediate Response

The head of the team tasked with watching and helping Child Protective Services process more than 6,500 ignored cases says 119 cases that were previously sitting on the shelf actually necessitated an “immediate response.”Charles Flanagan, the director of Arizona’s juvenile corrections, who’s been assigned by the governor to run a…

Top 10 Joe Arpaio Stories of 2013

2013 hasn’t been the greatest year for Sheriff Joe Arpaio.From getting roughed up by a sidewalk to being on the losing end of a huge civil-rights lawsuit, check out our top-10 Arpaio stories of the year:…

Yarnell Hill Fire Interviews Describe Widespread Confusion at the Scene

Newly released documents from the investigation released by the Arizona State Forestry Division describe widespread confusion among those at the scene of the deadly Yarnell Hill Fire.Although the report itself has been widely discounted for investigators’ refusal to assess any blame for the events that led up to the deaths…

Top 10 Arizona Marijuana News Stories of 2013

This year was an important year for marijuana-related issues in Arizona.Some of the most important battles of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act were fought this year, and there appears to be a future for legalization. Check out the top 10 marijuana stories from New Times this year:…

10 Worst Local Media Moments of 2013

News production isn’t a perfect science, as evidenced by some of our fellow Fourth Estate-ers of Phoenix.From an accidental C-bomb, to racial insensitivity, to slow news days, to a guy who’s just makin’ it up, and more, we bring you the 10 worst local media moments of 2013:…

Maricopa County Mugshots of the Week: Outtakes

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, it looks like we got the…

Top 10 ASU Stories of 2013

Arizona State University was in the news often in 2013.Outside of academic achievements, ASU was highlighted for its battle against the party-school reputation, its renovations and expansions, as well as some athletic success. Check out our picks of the top 10 ASU stories of 2013:…

CPS Memo: Ignored Investigations a Clear Attempt to Reduce Caseloads

The police detective who helped reveal the thousands of ignored Child Protective Services hotline calls revealed the apparent reasoning for the shelving of the cases in a month-old memo to Governor Jan Brewer.Gregory McKay, a Phoenix police detective who’s currently overseeing CPS’ Office Child Welfare Investigations, said CPS administrators’ designation…

Joe Arpaio’s New Inmate-Visitation Policy: $12.95 Per Visit

Last week, we told you about how Sheriff Joe Arpaio was cutting back on inmate visitation at the county jails, just in time for the holidays, so a new video-visitation system could be installed.It turns out that the new video-visitation system will be the only way to visit with inmates…

Obamacare Enrollment in Arizona Up by More Than 2,800 in Second Month

More than 2,800 Arizonans picked out a health insurance plan last month through the federal marketplace established by Obamacare.In October, the first month the marketplace became available, just 739 Arizonans picked a plan, although well-publicized troubles with the healthcare.gov website kept people from completing the entire process…