James King Governor, DPS Director Roger Vanderpool, and a whole lotta drugs. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer acted surprised Tuesday afternoon when she saw what was said to be more than $2 million worth of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana seized in a single bust by the Arizona Department of Public…
We asked for comment, we got comment — from the Sonoran Alliance blog, anyhow. Turns out Shane Wikfors (pictured), who runs the blog, considers church-mate Dan Saban a friend. Who knew? Wikfors slams the infamous attack ad on Saban as “disgusting.” And although the blog’s only unmasked cowboy (there’s also one unmasked cowgirl) doesn’t…
A cop who filed a complaint against Mesa Police Assistant Chief Mike Denney (pictured) last year apparently has a grudge to bear. Still, it’s hard to tell how deep the bad blood runs between Denney, named as a possible successor to departing George Gascon, and police Commander Fred Ruhland. When…
At his last news conference before heading out to lead the San Francisco Police Department, Mesa Police Chief George Gascon said today that “political pressures” made his time in Arizona more challenging. That’s sort of an understatement. In fact, the political realities in Maricopa County and Mesa may very well have spurred…
Bored with the outrage that our own government has offered in recent months, Greater Phoenix is going global and will be one of 50 sites across the planet that will protest the controversial elections in Iran last month. The hoopla stems from the June 12th election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and allegations that he stole…
We don’t know about you, but we often get our best sleep in the dark hours just before dawn. We’re pretty sure you heard what was going on at about 4:30 this morning if you live in the central Valley area. Brilliant flashes of light. Startling cracks of thunder…
What’s the best news for the Arizona Diamondbacks following last night’s 10-6 loss against the Colorado Rockies in Denver? They live to play another day. Or maybe that’s a bad thing, considering the way this sorry season has gone. Not sure what to say about Monday night’s laugher, which occurred…
The monsoons have finally arrived in the Valley. After a series of thunderstorms Monday night, the city saw more storms early this morning. Although temperatures in the Valley are expected to be around 108 the next several days, the Weather Service says the chance for thunderstorms will continue into next…
Fox 10 journo Sarah Acevedo filed a report Sunday night on the more than dozen cars hit with juvenile, neo-Nazi graffiti in Fountain Hills over the weekend. The crude swastikas, male genitalia and w.p.’s for “white power,” reminded me of the ransacked aftermath in Orlando Diaz’s house in north Phoenix, which I wrote about…
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: Janet Napolitano Blasted as “Law and Order Extremist” by 287(g) Expert Aarti Shahani Up on…
With the SCA scandal breaking wide open last week, we figured it was time to make another call to Bruce Ash, the Republican National Committeeman for Arizona. This time we got him on the phone, and as you’ll see, he helped clear up a couple of nagging questions we had…
It’s a sadder day for the fat kid in dodgeball. Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Tom Horne has announced that he wants the public’s help to try to slim down Arizona’s pudgy pupils and that he wants feedback on the new physical-education requirements that he and 18 health-education professionals…
Arizona Senator John McCain is getting credit from Merriam-Webster Inc. for the company’s inclusion of a new definition of “earmark” in the dictionary. The company recently added about 100 words to its dictionary, including “sock puppet,” “staycation,” and “zip line.” Arizona may have missed out on some of its own…
Tim Nelson Twelve attorneys and 17 support staff members at the Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard’s office will get pink slips, but not the three high-profile hires made this year by Goddard. Anne Hilby, Goddard’s spokeswoman, confirmed for New Times that among those who won’t be losing their jobs are:…
National Basketball Association. Come on, the Suns are in a rebuilding mode. From the looks of things so far, we predict they’ll be only slightly more competitive next season than the Arizona Diamondbacks have been this summer. Barring a major trade, look for the Suns to be a .500…
Arizona House Majority Leader John McComish (R-Ahwatukee) has found a polite way to tell freshman Representative Rae Waters (D-Ahwatukee) that her often loopy legislating could use a little work. Last week, McComish recommended Waters, who has an almost deer-in-the-headlights charm about her, participate in the Western Legislative Academy, a…
Ten years ago, a team of Canadian defense lawyers and diplomats pressed then-Maricopa County Attorney Richard Romley to spare the life of a man convicted of murdering an elderly Valley woman. Romley relented, deciding not to seek the death penalty against Paul Pilipow (pictured) and persuading the victim’s family to see…
Aarti Shahani talks 287(g) on GRITtv This video from Laura Flanders’ GRITtv is a must-watch for anyone concerned about Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano’s recent expansion of ICE’s 287(g) program — the program, which in Flanders’ words, “turns traffic cops into deportation agents.” The 10 minute clip features Aarti Shahani, co-author of the…
We just found a reason to support Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio’s proposal to regulate door-to-door salespeople: Jesse Lee Wise. As we reported Friday, Wise was arrested last week in Chesapeake, Virginia, and accused by police of taking a bus from the Valley to meet a 13-year-old chat-room buddy…
Here’s an update for those following the nomination of our intrepid algae-to-rocket fuel ASU inventors for the World Technology Award: Looks like scientists Qiang Hu and Milton Sommerfeld fell just short: The energy award was given on Friday to Zhengrong Shi from Suntech Power Holdings Co., for his work on…
Layoffs must be affecting judgment over at the Arizona Republic. What else can explain the poor journalistic decisions being made at the state’s largest, ever-shrinking daily newspaper? Greg Patterson of Espresso Pundit picked up on a couple of “What were they thinking?” snippets recently, including one over the weekend that nails the Repub…
As if it weren’t painfully obvious as they muddle through the 2009 season, the non-contending Arizona Diamondbacks are sellers, not buyers, on the trade market this July. So, after Sunday’s loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, the D-Backs shipped leadoff hitter and second baseman Felipe Lopez to the Cards’ division…
