Like any bloodless coup, this one takes place within the palace, beyond the purview of prying eyes. It’s an inside job spearheaded by the ultimate of inside players, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. He’s a former Obama fundraiser, cable lobbyist, and head of the cable trade association, chosen by the president…
A pair of pro-choice groups say states with the most restrictive laws on abortion, like Arizona, have generally poorer health conditions and less supportive policies for women and children. Abortion restrictions in Arizona and in state legislatures across the country are often billed as measures to protect the health and…
Maricopa County’s jails continue to provide inadequate medical and mental-health care to pretrial detainees, a federal judge found yesterday. Judge Neil Wake, who placed the jails under supervision years ago after determining that they neglected detainees, ruled that Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s jails must remain under court supervision. “Those in charge…
A debate last night between the two candidates for Arizona attorney general got heated quickly. Democratic candidate Felecia Rotellini hammered away at Republican Mark Brnovich from the get-go, repeatedly labeling him an “ideologue.” “I want to take politics out of the attorney general’s office,” Rotellini said of the office currently…
Maricopa County will appeal a jury award in the case of a lawyer fired for speaking to the press, ignoring a judge’s harsh criticism of the county’s actions. Maria Brandon, who worked for the county as a lawyer for more than 30 years, was fired in June 2011 after she…
Now four debates deep in the race for Arizona governor between Republican Doug Ducey and Democrat Fred DuVal, the candidates have stuck to their bread-and-butter subjects. For Ducey, everything is centered on promoting business growth in the state, and for DuVal, everything circles back to education. In last night’s debate…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Ducey recently has downplayed his relationship with Cathi Herrod, the Christian Right lobbyist who serves as one of Ducey’s top policy advisers on his campaign. Ducey’s been questioned about her role in the campaign in the aftermath of Arizona’s SB 1062, a product of Herrod and…
Yet another storm in the Phoenix area this weekend caused more damage, including flooding, downed power lines, fires, and more. “We were extremely busy [on Saturday],” Phoenix Fire Captain Ruben Saavedra tells New Times…
Since Phoenix is in a desert, it’s a little difficult to tell that Fall arrived last week. Given this difficulty, we have compiled the 10 tell-tale signs that it’s Fall in Phoenix:…
The Arizona Diamondbacks have fired Manager Kirk Gibson and Bench Coach Alan Trammell. “Kirk has done an admirable job under difficult circumstances and we are grateful for his professionalism and his dedicated service to the organization over the past eight years,” D-backs Chief Baseball Officer Tony La Russa says in…
APS and local activist Reverend Jarrett Maupin are at something of an impasse over diversity statistics the reverend is demanding out of Arizona’s biggest power company. Maupin is following in the footsteps of Jesse Jackson, who successfully demanded workforce diversity statistics from Silcon Valley tech companies in a bid to…
Ruben Gallego, who’s likely to be CD7’s next U.S. Congressman, has received an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association, according to the latest grades released by the gun-lobbying group. Although Gallego, a former Marine, previously had a B+ rating, he’s now considered a “true enemy” of gun rights. Ha…
A Seattle hiker whose disappearance on Camelback Mountain in June launched a tepid, three-day search died of heat-related complications, officials say. The body of Eric Fernandes, 23, was found on June 3 by a hiker who, along with some friends, had taken it upon themselves to keep searching after authorities…
After ducking out on participating in more than a dozen political debates or public forums, Diane Douglas, the Republican candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, was forced out of hiding. Because she’s running as a Clean Elections candidate, she was mandated to participate in a debate sponsored by the…
A Border Patrol agent has been charged with aggravated assault against a minor in custody in Nogales, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency says. Aldo Arteaga, who has been with the agency since February of 2005, allegedly attacked a 15-year-old Mexican boy in January, a CBP press officer says…
As I mentioned in my column this week, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery’s Islamaphobic “expert,” disgraced ex-FBI agent John Guandolo, recently accused Channel 12’s Brahm Resnik and Fox 10’s Mia Garcia of being “media collaborators,” who “defend stealth jihadis.” This, because of their coverage of Guandolo’s coming to town on…
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, we read some facial expressions…
The first member of the U.S. House of Representatives who publicly admits to “dabbing” could be Arizona Democrat Mikel Weisser. The odds may be slim of this occurring since Weisser’s facing off against incumbent Republican Paul Gosar in expansive and conservative Congressional District 4, which includes Kingman, Prescott and part…
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed the first lawsuit over an arrest stemming from Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070. The ACLU’s description of Maria Cortes’ arrest by Pinal County sheriff’s deputies in 2012 sounds just like what 1070 opponents feared would take place under Arizona’s immigrant-hunting law: A “cracked windshield”…
The court-appointed monitor of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office shared results from his team’s first quarterly assessment of the MCSO last night at a community meeting in Guadalupe. But tensions ran high, especially given Arpaio’s contentious history with the town. Chief Robert Warshaw and his team have been charged with…
Do you love telling visual stories? Can’t get enough of the happenings around the Valley? Want to show off your inner Cecil B. DeMille? New Times is expanding our crew of freelance videographers, and we’d love for you to join the team…
Once upon a time, there was a city. It was not the largest city, or the smallest. It was not the richest or the poorest. But this city had a reputation, nonetheless. It was known throughout the land as dry and inhospitable — heated to unimaginable temperatures for several months…
