A complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix today alleging that several Kansas-based telemarketing firms have been ripping off suckers and the elderly in countless states including Arizona.The complaint says Landmark Publishing Group, Grant Writers Institute, Apex Holdings International and Real Estate Buyers Financial Network, would sell consumers a “federal grants…
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent Arizona Governor Jan Brewer a letter today, offering to rent space on the outside walls of the state capitol building and use it to advertise its veggie-driven agenda.PETA wants to pay the state to drop a giant banner down the front of the…
We’ve never laid eyes on Shelby Scharbach, and we’ve only spoken to her by phone a time or two. But we were happy to learn a few minutes ago that Maricopa County has promoted its finance director to a new position as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Honestly, we have…
A Liberian official came to Phoenix today to represent the Liberian government in talks between authorities and the families involved in the alleged rape of an 8-year-old girl last month.Edwin, Sele, Liberia’s deputy chief of missions in the United States, seems to be coming to the Valley to defend the…
Arizona state Senate Republicans are pulling out the big guns and taking aim at Senator Carolyn Allen to get the final vote needed to pass the 2010 budget.Allen is one of three Republicans who is still giving the GOP plan a no-go, but the leadership is confident that she will…
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office wants to charge a second teen attacker as an adult in the sexual assault of an 8-year-old Liberian girl.Last month, police say the 8-year-old was sexually assaulted by four Liberian boys — ages 9, 10, 13, and 14. After the assault, the girl was said…
If the Arizona Senate could vote on a budget as quickly as members vote on leadership positions, we might not still have a $3.4-billion budget gap.Senate Republicans named Steve Pierce acting majority whip Tuesday, just hours after former-Majority Whip Pamela Gorman bailed on the position because she couldn’t play nice with other…
Baseball loves a good old-fashioned turnaround, whether it’s the Tampa Bay Rays going from worst to first last season, or the Detroit Tigers’ surprising come-from-behind win over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday. Last night, Yusmeiro Petit became the sport’s latest comeback kid as he came damn close to pulling off…
Border Patrol agents seized nearly 1200 pounds of marijuana from a truck near Yuma. Agents say they spotted the vehicle using night vision equipment, and used deflation devices to cripple the truck’s tires. The driver and passenger fled on foot, leaving behind their haul, which has an estimated street value…
The July 30 episode of Horizonte featuring George Gascon If you caught the recent story about ex-Mesa Police Chief George Gascon inviting Sheriff Joe Arpaio to an Italian dinner in San Fran now that Gascon’s the top dog there, you might’ve been tempted to think Gascon had gone soft on…
In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times’ blogs. Today’s entries: Feathered Bastard: Sheriff Joe Arpaio Inspires Children’s Crusade Against Him This Friday, August 7 Up on the…
Picture young girls who just watched their mother slob around drunk for a day. Now, imagine them getting screamed at for not giving the drunken mom her car keys so she can go careening around the streets of Tempe smashed. After a few minutes of yelling, mom then pepper-sprays them…
We almost forgot about Warren Jeffs when he was thrown in prison to serve two consecutive five-to-life sentences. But his name’s bubbled up again. And, this time, it’s not connected to the rape or forced marriage of underage girls: Warren Jeffs has decided not to eat. Authorities say Jeffs has…
A California congressman has asked White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to answer to allegations that he attempted to bully our very own Governor Jan Brewer. In a scathing letter today, Congressman Darrell Issa accused Emanuel of “resorting to the playbook of the Chicago political machine” when he directed…
If you were an Arizona state senator, where would you go while the state faces one of the worst financial crisis of your lifetime? If your answer isn’t to go on a Caribbean cruise, you may want to tell that to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Gray. Gray whisked off to…
If you can’t beat em’, quit. That’s what one Arizona lawmaker chose to do today as the state budget battle wages on.Senate Majority Whip Pamela Gorman resigned her post in the Republican leadership in response to the party’s support of a 1-cent-sales-tax increase.”This tax increase issue is tearing our otherwise…
Who reads the AZ Republic? Apparently, the paper isn’t so sure anymore. Which is why the Republic invited a group of Arizona lawmakers to a “test group” two weeks ago hoping to learn whether the paper’s still relevant. According to one of the participating politicians (who would not go on…
We knew it!We’ve long been of the opinion that the disclosure forms mandated by the Arizona Secretary of State for public officials are confusing as hell. Every time we read these things, in fact, we find ourselves wondering how the doltish pols we typically deal with are able to sort…
Looking for love in all the wrong places? Here’s one more.The producers of ABC’s The Bachelor will be holding open casting calls this week, right here in the Valley.On Thursday at 5 p.m., single ladies can audition to win the heart of an undisclosed bachelor, and duke it out with…
Most of us have been drunk, but have you ever been “Drank”? Drank, a new beverage sold in Valley stores, is a concoction of herbal supplements that is said to cause a sensation similar to the high we get from marijuana. It’s been described by users as “weed in a can.” Says…
Check out Arizona Senator John McCain’s stated reasons for his pending no-vote against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. One word that comes to mind is hypocrisy. Here’s part of what the defeated 2008 presidential candidate (that’s him in the infamous debate photo) on the floor of the Senate yesterday: “Again and…
Federal investigators announced that a 2008 incident where two pilots for Go! Airlines, a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group, didn’t respond to air-traffic controlers for more than 15 minutes as their plane flew over Hawaii happened because both pilots fell asleep. Yikes! Air-traffic controlers tried to contact the snoozing aviators…
