Not only did Herbert Ridge fail in his attempt to siphon gas out of a truck in a Mesa neighborhood yesterday, he also managed to light himself on fire in the process.Based on the video-surveillance footage of Ridge going up in flames, it appears that he did not want to…
In a column today in the East Valley Tribune, former police officer Bill Richardson takes the Arizona Department of Public Safety to task for a baseball-ticket scandal and other possible signs of a failed agency. New Times broke the story last December of the investigation into the DPS’ former No…
A hoax video of President Obama’s birth in a Kenyan hospital, intended to make asses out of “birthers” like Sheriff Joe Arpaio once they bought into its legitimacy, failed miserably.The New York Observer, um, exposed the video as fake — a video we hadn’t even heard of until they called…
There should be some law of the political jungle that says if you call someone a liar, you at least have to say what the lie is. See also: -Liberal Democrats Tar Republican Jerry Lewis, Borrowing a Page From Extremists They Claim to Loathe -Russell Pearce’s Vanquisher Jerry Lewis Slimed…
Tempe resident Michael Tolley loves purses so much that he allegedly broke into 17 houses in his own neighborhood to steal them.Maybe its not the actual purses he loves, but the meth- and heroin-money he got from his alleged purse-stealing spree…
Yesterday, we told you about an online advertisement targeting Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Marc Victor, which says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid really wants Libertarians to vote for Victor.”Every morning, Harry Reid wakes up, eats his breakfast, and says a little prayer that Libertarians will vote for Marc Victor,” the…
After a year in Spain, I speak more-than-decent Spanish, and I want to get a job in the nonprofit field where I can put it to use and pursue social justice and all that. Thing is, my Spanish is pretty peninsular. I maintained my seseo, thank God, but I may…
Editor’s note: Michael Lacey is the former co-owner of Village Voice Media. He and his partner sold VVM to senior management registered as Voice Media Group. This is his first freelance article for New Times. At long last, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the celebrated mask of Mexican misery, was in a…
I have a little exercise for those familiar with the Teabagger tribe. Imagine that you have before you a Republican who supports the DREAM Act, has been vocal in his opposition to Arizona’s racist immigration legislation, Senate Bill 1070, and is in favor of the Utah Compact, which calls for…
You wouldn’t know it by watching the news or reading the paper, but America’s banks are on the largest crime spree the country has ever known. Let’s go to the highlight reel, shall we? In July, Wells Fargo paid a $175 million settlement after the feds caught its brokers systematically…
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors rejected the $3.25 million settlement for the family of diabetic Deborah Braillard, who died in 2005 after not getting medical treatment in MCSO jail.ABC 15, which has been closely tracking the Braillard case, reports that the vote ended in a tie after Supervisor Don Stapley…
For all the “build the dang fence” advocates, or people who like to laugh at idiots, here you go — someone tried to drive over the border fence near Yuma yesterday, and failed…
It’s a sad day when you find out that Republican Florida Congressman Allen West is trying to squeeze some bucks out of Arizona residents.West — for those not familiar with him — is the most outspoken member of Congress, a tea-party king who has a penchant for making things up…
A former doctoral student says in a federal lawsuit that she was harassed and forced to leave an Arizona State University criminal-justice program after a soured love affair with a married professor. Tasha Kunzi filed the suit yesterday against the Arizona Board of Regents, Professor Travis Pratt and the director…
One of the biggest “Super PACs” in the nation is focusing part of its cash on the U.S. Senate Race that will undoubtedly be won by Democrat Richard Carmona or Republican Jeff Flake.However, the Ending Spending Fund — which has spent $9 million in races this year, the 10th-most of…
How often do you see a politician pimping the website of his or her opponent? Well, if all candidates had a diversionary third-party in their race, intended to drain votes from their main competitor, stooge-pimping of the kind seen in the mailer above from Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s camp would be…
Attention Arizona State University President Michael Crow: You may have gotten a letter from Republican Congressional Candidate Vernon Parker, bashing his opponent Kyrsten Sinema for calling ASU a “party school.”Did Parker write that letter in his University of Southern California shirt?See also:-Vernon Parker Tattles on Kyrsten Sinema to ASU President…
After getting crushed on Monday Night Football by the San Francisco 49ers, the Arizona Cardinals have now lost four games in a row.That’s quite a difference from the start of the season, in which the Cardinals won their first four games.See also:-Arizona Cardinals Smoked by San Francisco 49ers on Monday…
As I mentioned in a blog item Monday, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne’s initial court date for the March fender-bender that took place at his presumed mistress Camen Chenal’s abode is this Friday morning. The Phoenix Police Department just released its report on the incident, along with these pics of…
Republican Congressional candidate Vernon Parker claims he actually sent a letter to Arizona State University President Michael Crow to tattle on his opponent, Kyrsten Sinema, for calling ASU a “party school.”Parker also tells Crow that Sinema must think the students are “stupid” in the most unintentionally hilarious piece of campaign…
Police believe Francisco Villalpando’s pickup truck didn’t even slow down before smashing into a motorcyclist waiting for a red light in a Tucson suburb on August 11. John Kostelny, a 62-year-old motorcycle instructor, was crushed when the force of impact sent him careening into two other vehicles, and he later…
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery put out a press release to tell foreigners to keep their distance from polling places on election day, consistent with state law.That friendly reminder is in response to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe sending observers to watch the election process here in…
