They call it “fish candy” … by Sarah Fenske It was Jill’s birthday, and Mari’s birthday, and Kendall’s birthday — or, at least, it was a date close enough to all three to have a celebratory Girls Night Out. So we headed to the Malee’s Thai Bistro at Desert Ridge…
By Sarah Fenske The Arizona Supreme Court declined today to halt the State Bar of Arizona’s investigation into Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas. Facing an investigation into his handling of the New Times case, as well as his showdown with Judge Timothy Ryan last summer, Thomas had claimed that the…
By Sarah Fenske Expect more layoffs at the Arizona Republic in the next month. That’s the message the Republic’s publisher, John Zidich, sent employees in an email yesterday. The paper’s owner, Gannett, is reportedly laying off 600 employees at newspapers across the country. And even though the Republic has already…
This might be how light rail looks in Tempe, but in Phoenix . . . not yet. by Sarah Fenske I have to admit, I was pretty amused by this story in the Baltimore Sun. Reporter Laura Vozzella reveals that the city of Baltimore wants to give journalists and/or bloggers…
You won’t find this on a low-fat menu, anywhere. by Sarah Fenske Back east, Dunkin Donuts are ubiquitous — almost like Starbucks or Jack In the Box here in the Valley of Sun. Not so in Phoenix. So I was stunned when, on a trip back to New York last…
by Sarah Fenske The Phoenix Country Club continues to make headlines — this time for booting longtime member Rusty Brown. Brown’s crime? Daring to speak to the media about the ongoing civil rights imbroglio at the club. As we first reported last July, two longtime members filed a complaint with…
Sam Vagenas is one of the most interesting characters in recent Arizona political history. As a consultant, Vagenas made an absurd amount of money pushing the pot passions of lefty billionaires John Sperling, George Soros, and Peter B. Lewis in states around the country. With their financial backing, Vagenas helped…
Macaroni and cheese, plus the deep fat fryer … by Sarah Fenske Macaroni-and-cheese is one of God’s perfect foods. Whether it’s a high-end version with lobster over at The Capital Grille, the kind your mother made with potato chips on top, or even the kind you make just by adding…
by Sarah Fenske The Democratic candidates for Maricopa County Attorney squared off last night at Central High School. But what was a bit more interesting than the debate, I think, was the press conference that one candidate held before the event. Tim Nelson, who is Governor Janet Napolitano’s former general…
by Sarah Fenske I told you in this week’s column that, despite the Democratic Party’s assurances that state Representative Mark DeSimone would be quitting after his arrest for spousal abuse, DeSimone was still on the payroll a full month later. Looks like someone noticed our story. DeSimone turned in his…
Four weeks ago, Phoenix police arrested State Representative Mark DeSimone for hitting his wife. Allegedly. Records show she made a 911 call, then displayed a cut lip; police also had an eyewitness. Three weeks and six days ago, the Democratic Party announced that DeSimone was resigning, even though he contested…
It’s squidalicious! by Sarah Fenske I have the occasional good fortune to dine with a 15-year-old — and no, I’m not kidding when I call it “good fortune.” This kid is an adventurous eater with a knack for ordering. He’s introduced me to the world’s most amazing sea urchin, an…
By Sarah Fenske The family of a 46-year-old Mesa woman is suing Sheriff Joe Arpaio over the head-on collision that caused her death last June. Nanuma Lavulavu was killed when Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy Robin Kinnett lost control of his SUV and crashed into her car. As the lawsuit alleges,…
Rebecca Fay wasn’t supposed to talk or walk. Or learn. As an infant, a series of seizures left her with serious mental and physical disabilities. Doctors told her parents to put her in an institution and move on. They didn’t. And Rebecca learned to walk and talk. At a special…
By Sarah Fenske You can’t find anyone who’ll say a bad word about the National Center for Missing Adults. The Phoenix-based non-profit agency has been the adult version of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for more than a decade–serving as a national database and resource for families…
You say pakora, I say samosa — and this time, I’m right. by Sarah Fenske My dearest pal in the whole world is Indian — she grew up in Mumbai, only coming to the U.S. for college. So I know a bit more about Indian food than, say, Thai or…
Umm, not quite. By Sarah Fenske It was classic Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office goonery on Wednesday as deputies raided a South Phoenix recycling plant, looking for illegal immigrants in a hostage situation and stumbling onto a — gasp! — bomb. Naturally, the “explosive” was found just in time to make…
Two drivers stopped at a red light one night in April 2007. One driver was drunk — and not just a little drunk. Jonathan Hernandez was a convicted felon on probation, with enough alcohol in his blood to qualify for an extreme DUI. The other driver, 19-year-old Jacob Ritter-Clark, had…
By Sarah Fenske Six months ago, I wrote my first column about a Valley motorist who found his life turned upside down when he collided with a drunk driver. Bryant Wilkerson was arrested and charged with a host of felonies, including manslaughter, while the teenage girl he collided with –…
Mmm … good! by Sarah Fenske I’m starting to think I’ve got a problem. I was on a ship for seven days eating some of the best food known to man: wild Alaskan salmon, pecan-crusted trout in beurre blanc sauce, prime rib and giant prawns stuffed with crab. Every meal…
Hugh Hallman and Sandra Day O’Connor are dancing. It is not exactly elegant — not yet. This is only their first rehearsal, and song-and-dance routines do not come together without sweat. And both Hallman and O’Connor are clearly sweating this. It is not every day that a guy gets to…
Andrew Thomas is in trouble. Facing a series of probes from the State Bar of Arizona, the county attorney has resorted to fighting back by crying “conspiracy.” He’s got experts opining that the Bar is on a witch hunt; he’s managed to dupe the Arizona Republic into running editorials that…
