
Analysts say ‘America First’ flap not likely to hurt Gosar in long run
WASHINGTON – Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar has tried to distance himself from reports he was backing a caucus that would defend “Anglo-Saxon political traditions,” but political analysts say the flap is unlikely to harm the conservative Republican’s re-election prospects. “If Gosar’s district looks like it does now, he should be fine,” said Kyle Kondik, managing.

Biden balks at first chance to raise refugee cap from Trump-era lows
WASHINGTON — Refugee advocates were “deeply disappointed and frustrated” by the Biden administration’s failure Friday to reverse historically low Trump-era refugee limits this year, something then-candidate Joe Biden had promised to do. The White House said Biden remains committed to raising the cap to 62,500, the number outlined in the administration’s budget request last week,.

Giffords, congressional Democrats call for action on gun reform bills
WASHINGTON – Backed by a field of flowers that represent the thousands killed by gun violence each year, former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said Wednesday that Congress can act on gun reform or “can let the shooting continue.” Giffords, who was severely wounded by a gunman in a 2011 mass shooting, joined congressional Democrats to.

5 gun bills – 3 from Democrats – are on different paths in the Arizona Legislature
Guns are ingrained in the Arizona psyche, from the legendary Shootout at the OK Corral that morphed into tourist-dependent Tombstone to the CNN broadcast of Donald Trump supporters casually carrying long guns during a protest in downtown Phoenix. Arizona has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the nation, built on a pioneer, conservative.

Buttigieg: Indian Country investment a priority of infrastructure plan
WASHINGTON – Indian Country infrastructure needs, for everything from water to housing to broadband, are a high priority of the Biden administration’s $2.2 trillion American Jobs Plan, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said this week. Buttigieg, in a call with reporters Monday to discuss the plan, said the need to improve 20th-century infrastructure on the lands.

Biden cites infrastructure needs in Arizona, other states, to push plan
WASHINGTON – The White House began its pitch Monday for President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure proposal by spelling out constructions needs in all 50 states, including Arizona which got a grade of C on a recent infrastructure report card. Biden unveiled his American Jobs Plan on March 31, to fund everything from roads and.

New restrictions on sex education advance to House
PHOENIX – State lawmakers are one step closer to passing a bill that would require parents to give written permission for children to discuss sex and gender identity in the classroom and ban any formal sex education – including AIDS instruction – before the fifth grade. The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, calls.

Advocates call on Biden to ‘tear down this wall,’ repair border damage
WASHINGTON – Advocates called on President Joe Biden to “tear down this wall” Tuesday and fulfill his campaign promise of stopping the border wall construction that he put on hold in January. The meeting of border-state lawmakers, advocates and tribal members came 70 days after Biden, in one of his first acts as president, halted.

Report: Arizona a ‘shining example’ for Democrats wooing Latino voters
WASHINGTON — Democrats looking to win the Latino vote should take their cues from Arizona, which was held up as a “shining example” of how it’s done by the author of an election post-mortem on the Latino vote. Nuestro PAC said months of advance grassroots work by organizations like LUCHA and Mi Familia Vota paved.

Ducey orders Arizona businesses to reopen, calls for end of local mask mandates
Citing 10 consecutive weeks of declining cases and rising vaccinations, Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday lifted COVID-19 restrictions on Arizona businesses and events through an executive order. The new order also prohibits the enforcement of county and city mask mandates on private entities but says “mask usage is still encouraged, especially in groups that are.

House OKs ERA bill, Violence Against Women Act in Women’s History Month
WASHINGTON — With Women’s History Month as a backdrop, the House last week voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and remove the 1982 deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution. House Democratic women dressed in suffragette white to commemorate the occasion and to usher through what they called.

House OKs bills easing path to citizenship for undocumented residents
WASHINGTON – The House passed a pair of bills Thursday that would provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers and legal status to undocumented farmworkers, potentially affecting millions in the U.S. and tens of thousands in Arizona. Republican critics derided the measures as little more than amnesty for people who came to this country illegally,.

Judge: Tape shows Chansley’s ‘detachment from reality’ in riot defense
WASHINGTON – An attorney for Arizona native Jacob Chansley, the face-painted “Q-Anon Shaman” charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, dismissed new government video showing his client as part of the mob that broke into the building and confronted police. The attorney, Albert Watkins, said two videos released this week are “one-dimensional snippets” that lack.

Senate makes history with vote confirming Haaland as Interior secretary
WASHINGTON – The Senate Monday confirmed New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland as the next Interior secretary, a historic vote that makes her the first Native American to head a Cabinet agency. The confirmation came over the objection of Senate Republicans, particularly those representing Western states dependent on fossil fuels, who have called Haaland an environmental.

Biden insists border’s closed, unveils plan to halt migrants at source
WASHINGTON – The White House had a message Wednesday for migrants who are flocking to the southern border in hopes of getting into the U.S. – “this is not an invitation, the border is not open.” The message came as part of a multipoint plan of aid, diplomacy and policy that a Biden administration official.

Sinema faces blowback for minimum wage vote; long-term damage unclear
WASHINGTON – Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema said she still believes the Senate should take up a higher minimum wage, but that didn’t keep critics from lighting into her after her Friday vote to keep the higher wage out of the latest pandemic relief package. Sinema was one of seven Democrats who joined Republicans to reject.

Supreme Court hears Arizona voting law case with national implications
WASHINGTON – Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich told the Supreme Court Tuesday that voting laws struck down for reflecting the state’s “long and unhappy history of official discrimination” are really no more than “common-sense and commonplace” voting protections. But critics argue that Arizona laws banning ballot-collection and out-of-precinct voting impose substantial burdens on Black, Latino.

Zoom gives Arizonans a voice at Capitol, but getting to speak isn’t that simple
PHOENIX – In theory, it’s never been easier for Arizonans to have their say at the Legislature. Most committees in the state Senate and House of Representatives offer the option to testify virtually. It’s an effort to minimize large indoor gatherings, which are discouraged during the COVID-19 pandemic. In practice, however, a procedural hurdle is.

House passes LGBTQ rights bill; critics say it tramples religious rights
WASHINGTON – The House voted Thursday to expand civil rights protections to include sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy, a move supporters said will grant those groups “the full equality under the law they deserve.” But critics of the Equality Act blasted it as a measure that will trample on religious freedom and individual rights,.

Judge tells lawmakers Arizona federal courts are overloaded, overworked
WASHINGTON – The federal district court in Arizona has been struggling to keep pace with a staggering civil and criminal caseload in the growing state, and it needs more judges to keep up, a judge from the court told lawmakers Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa was joined by other judges and law professors who.

Senators press Capitol police on security breakdowns before Jan. 6 riot
WASHINGTON – Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema joined other senators asking police officials Tuesday how it is that an FBI report warning of the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol did not reach the right people before the attack. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee heard from five witnesses involved in Capitol security.

State of tribal nations ‘strong’ despite crises, but feds need to help
WASHINGTON – The state of Indian nations is strong, but the federal government still needs to “come to terms with the right of tribal Nations to chart their own course and their rightful place,” a tribal leader said Monday. National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp, in a wide-ranging State of Indian Nations address,.

Arizona efforts to boost electric cars get so-so grades in new reports
WASHINGTON – Arizona got middling scores in two new national reports on states’ efforts to boost the number of electric vehicles on the road, which advocates say is proof that the state has a long way to go. Arizona finished 24th and 25th, respectively, in the reports by the group Plug In America and by.

Three influential Arizonans share their goals and challenges – and their inspiration
February is Black History Month, and Arizona PBS is honoring the contributions and achievements of Black Americans. Meet three influential leaders who have made an impact on our state. Meet Cloves C. Campbell Jr., publisher of the Arizona Informant Cloves C. Campbell Jr. has dedicated his life to positively representing the Black community in print.

Masks off: Bill would allow Arizona businesses to ignore city, county mandates
PHOENIX – A House committee has passed a Republican sponsored bill that would allow Arizona business owners to decide whether to enforce mask mandates for employees and customers, a move supporters say promotes freedom and critics call a threat to health and safety. “It’s a simple bill – it restores the freedom and the liberties.

‘ESAs are merely a Band-Aid’: Arizona education advocates oppose bill to expand school vouchers
PHOENIX – Public education advocates and leaders of the Arizona School Boards Association’s Black Alliance and Hispanic-Native American Indian Caucus gathered Thursday at the state Capitol to protest a proposed voucher expansion initiative that they say would further defund public schools. Senate Bill 1452, proposed by Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, would allow all children attending.

Report: Arizona continues to trail other states in higher-ed support
WASHINGTON – Arizona continues to be one of the worst states in the nation when it comes to funding higher education, still reeling from deep budget cuts that were made during the recession, according to a new national report. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities studied state funds from the time of the Great.

Sinema, Kelly vote to convict, as Senate acquits Trump of incitement
WASHINGTON – Arizona’s senators joined all Democrats and a handful of Republicans Saturday in an unsuccessful attempt to convict former President Donald Trump in a historic second impeachment of the same president. The 57-43 vote to convict Trump of incitement to insurrection in the deadly Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

Court: Holiday did not give Arizona voter an extra day to register
WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court Thursday rejected a Maricopa County man’s claim that he was denied the right to vote in 2016 because the last day to register fell on a holiday, and he registered a day later. State election officials rejected ballots from David Isabel and about 2,000 others who registered on the.

1 in 4 Arizonans still insist Trump won, as second impeachment begins
WASHINGTON – As the Senate began debate Tuesday on a historic second impeachment of former President Donald Trump, a recent poll shows that more than half of Arizona Republicans believe Trump was the rightful winner of the November election. The poll, taken by OH Predictive Insights shortly before President Joe Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration, found.

The realism of imitation firearms: Who benefits and who suffers?
Tempe police responded to a 911 call on Jan. 15, 2019, about a suspected burglary in an alley. Officer Joseph Jaen arrived to find Antonio Arce, sitting in a truck with a handgun. Jaen called to Arce, 14, who turned and ran. “Let me see your hands!” Jaen yelled, but Arce continued running, and Jaen.

Arizona gets grades from failing to ‘OK-ish’ for anti-tobacco efforts
WASHINGTON – Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. but two recent reports say Arizona needs to do more to help people break free from using tobacco products. “We certainly need a lot more resources here in Arizona to help people quit smoking,” said JoAnna Strother, senior director of advocacy.

Hobbs, other state officials discuss 2020 election ‘conspiracy circus’
WASHINGTON – Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs told a national panel Thursday that the best way to combat election misinformation is with truth, even if “there are some folks who are never going to believe anything I say.” Her comments came during a call with election officials from the battleground states of Ohio, Michigan.

Supreme Court halts hearings on Trump border cases after Biden reversals
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court postponed upcoming hearings on two Trump administration immigration policies Wednesday, after both had been reversed on the first day of President Joe Biden’s term. The court was scheduled to hear arguments in the coming weeks challenging then-President Donald Trump’s ability to divert Defense Department funds to border wall construction and.

Arizona mayors join plea for $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill with city aid
WASHINGTON – Six Arizona mayors were among hundreds who urged Congress to pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic-relief bill that includes $350 billion in aid for state and local governments who say they are on the front lines of the crisis. Republicans in the House and Senate have said they want to approve COVID-19 relief but.

Hobbs calls for expanded voting rights, blasts GOP election proposals
WASHINGTON – Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said the 2020 elections “challenged our democracy in ways we’ve never seen before” but that officials still managed to deliver a safe, secure election with record-breaking turnout in the midst of a pandemic. Hobbs, speaking as part of a panel of election officials Tuesday, also blasted what.

Arizonans prepare for a March for Life with no marching, more surfing
WASHINGTON – In any other year, scores of Arizonans would be heading to Washington about now to take part in the National March for Life, an annual anti-abortion event that typically draws tens of thousands. But this year’s event will include very little marching, and a lot more surfing. The march, like so many other.

Advocates, lawmakers hail Biden pledge to respect tribal sovereignty
WASHINGTON – Native American policy experts and Arizona lawmakers welcomed President Joe Biden’s order calling for stronger relations with tribal governments, with one saying it “goes right along with what Indian country has been asking for.” The memorandum, signed Tuesday, largely restores earlier executive orders set under the Clinton and Obama administrations that aimed to.

Dreamers in Arizona have mixed feelings about Biden’s immigration plan
PHOENIX – On his first day in office, President Joe Biden sent to Congress his plan to reform the U.S. immigration system. The bill includes preserving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, and outlines a path to permanent residence and citizenship for its recipients. That includes Reyna Montoya, an activist in Phoenix.

Border wall foes hail order halting project, but say it’s only first step
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden made good on a campaign promise within hours of his swearing-in this week, ordering a pause in construction of the border wall and a plan for how to redirect wall funding. Opponents of the wall called the executive order “a huge win.” But they also said it is not the.

Flurry of Biden orders on COVID-19 raise some doubts, but more hopes
WASHINGTON – Almost half of the 24 executive orders President Joe Biden has signed in his first two days in office have dealt with COVID-19, which White House officials cite as proof that fighting the pandemic is the top priority for his administration. “The first order I’m going to be signing here … relates to.

Biden’s path to citizenship for immigrants could face an uphill battle
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden unveiled a sweeping immigration reform bill Wednesday that would create a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, preserve DACA and end the ban on travel from Muslim-majority countries, among other changes. The proposal, released on the first day of his presidency, is a sharp reversal from former President.

Trump pardons former Rep. Rick Renzi for fraud, extortion convictions
WASHINGTON – In one of his last acts as president, Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned two Arizonans, including former Rep. Rick Renzi who was convicted of extortion, racketeering and other charges while representing the 1st District in Congress. The pardons – including one for Scott Connor Crosby, a one-time bank robber who supporters say has.

Distant but devoted, Biden supporters gear up for virtual inauguration
WASHINGTON – In any other year, Ak-Chin Chairman Robert Miguel would have headed to Washington to be part of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. But Miguel will instead be watching the swearing-in from home, one of the thousands who would normally have flooded Washington this week but were told.

Washington in unprecedented lockdown days before Biden’s inauguration
WASHINGTON – Four years ago, President Donald Trump claimed the crowd attending his inauguration was the largest in history, a claim widely ridiculed in the face of photos showing a half-empty National Mall. But when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in Wednesday, it’s safe to say he will have one of the smallest crowds ever..

Officials prep for possible inauguration protests at Arizona Capitol
WASHINGTON – The Arizona Capitol is surrounded by two rows of chain-link fence and police presence has been increased, as authorities brace for possible violence in response to the inauguration next week of President-elect Joe Biden. The preparations come amid reports that the FBI has warned of possible armed protests at all 50 state capitals.

Arizona lawmakers split as Trump impeached by House for a second time
WASHINGTON – No Arizona lawmakers broke party ranks as the House Wednesday impeached President Donald Trump on a mostly party-line vote, just one week after a deadly mob attack on the Capitol that critics said was incited by the president. The 232-197 vote also comes 13 months after Trump was first impeached by the House,.

House votes on removing, possibly impeaching Trump after mob attacks
WASHINGTON – Arizona lawmakers split along party lines late Tuesday as the House passed a resolution urging Vice President Mike Pence to remove President Trump from office – or face the threat of a second impeachment. The 223-205 vote came a week after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a deadly attack that critics say.

Arizona lawmakers split on party lines over challenges to electoral votes
Hours after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, lawmakers returned to complete the democratic process of certifying Joseph Biden as 46th president. But the vote came only after debate over challenges filed against Electoral College results in Arizona and Pennsylvania. Arizona lawmakers voted mostly along party lines, according to the Washington Post: Republicans supported.

Trump makes way in at least one part of Washington – souvenir shops
WASHINGTON – For two months since the election, President Donald Trump has challenged the election of President-elect Joe Biden, but there is no question that in some parts of Washington it will soon be time for Trump to go. The Trump key chains, that is. And Trump mugs. And T-shirts and posters and finger puppets.

Not the ‘blue wave’ they hoped for, but Democrats made gains in 2020
WASHINGTON – For years, Democrats have argued that Arizona was about to turn blue, and this year they came closer than they had in decades, winning the presidential race and unseating an incumbent Republican senator. Close, but not the “blue wave” Democrats had been hoping for. While they grabbed the top two races on the.

Democrats pass independents, can’t overtake GOP in voter registration
WASHINGTON – Arizona Democrats registered more new voters in the last election cycle than any other party, moving ahead of independents in registration for the first time in 10 years – but still failing to overtake Republicans. Democrats registered 226,579 new voters from 2018 to 2020 to reach 1.38 million voters, or 32.2% of the.

After years of lowered refugee admissions, Biden plans sharp reversal
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – After years of steadily slashing the number of refugees it will accept, the U.S. can expect to see an increase under the incoming Biden administration. An eight-fold increase and then some. President-elect Joe Biden has said.

Biden firm on uranium-mining ban around ‘jewel’ of the Grand Canyon
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – For four years, the Trump administration took steps to boost uranium mining for what it called national security reasons, a move environmentalists saw as an attempt to open the door to mining near the Grand Canyon..

Tribal leaders optimistic about Biden; Haaland nomination a good start
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – The federal government may not have a stellar track record when it comes to keeping promises with Native Americans, but tribal leaders in Arizona said they think President-elect Joe Biden could be the exception. Their hopes.

After four years of tumult, businesses hopeful for Biden trade policy
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump entered office pledging to blow up trade deals, and he later imposed tariffs on trading partners around the world – but the biggest threat to Arizona-Mexico trade over the past four years appears.

Biden’s work cut out for him in plan to undo Trump immigration policy
One of five stories in the series, “Hello, Joe: How Biden policies may be felt in Arizona.” WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden has promised to roll back many of the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies when he takes office next month. He’s got his work cut out for him. While President Donald Trump’s signature –.

6 Arizonans discuss the impact Ruth Bader Ginsburg had on their lives
PHOENIX – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a towering figure in the fight against discrimination based on gender, and her death Sept. 18 was a blow to many women who reverently refer to her as the Notorious RBG. On the three-month anniversary of Ginsburg’s death, women across the state continue to remember her legacy. Cronkite.

High-stakes races sparked high-dollar giving by Arizona voters in 2020
WASHINGTON – Arizonans were heavily invested in this fall’s elections in more ways than one, donating a total of at least $110 million to support candidates and high-profile ballot initiatives. That was a sharp increase from the $60 million that state voters donated just four years ago. And the increases this year were seen across.

As legal challenges continue to fall, Biden electors set to meet, vote
WASHINGTON – Add one more thing to the list of normal activities that have been upended in 2020 – the job of the state’s presidential electors. What is normally a mundane and largely ceremonial task, often handed out as a reward for loyal party service, has been thrust into the spotlight this year by ongoing.

Three Arizona tribal leaders on diverse slate of 11 electoral voters
WASHINGTON – In what a former Arizona elector called “a sweet irony,” the slate of 11 Democratic presidential electors who will cast Arizona’s Electoral College votes Monday includes three tribal leaders. Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris Jr. will join eight.

House calls: Arizona lawmakers land in COVID-19 quarantine more often
WASHINGTON – Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, said it can be hard to be socially distant when a large part of your job requires being social. From interacting with constituents, to boarding planes between D.C. and Arizona, to voting on the House floor, Lesko said it’s challenging for members of Congress to limit possible exposure to.

Pandemic, Trump and racism drive voter turnout in some tribal communities
PHOENIX – Enthusiasm across Arizona was higher this election than in the 2016 presidential contest, and final results show the contrast was even more stark in Indian Country, where voters said they were especially motivated because of the COVID-19 pandemic and issues of race. A census analysis of 2018 data found American Indians were at.

What to know about open carry gun laws in Arizona
PHOENIX – Arizona has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the U.S., one of three countries that consider gun ownership a constitutional right. Consider this data: Americans own more than 390 million guns – with 120.5 civilian firearms per 100 people, according to a study by the World Population Review. In February, Arizona.

Kelly takes oath, casts first vote as Arizona’s newest senator
WASHINGTON – Mark Kelly can drop “senator-elect” from his title. Less than a month after Election Day, Kelly was sworn in as the junior senator from Arizona on Wednesday and will serve the remaining two years of the late Sen. John McCain’s term. Kelly, who ran on a promise to be a bipartisan voice in.

52% of young adults now live at home – the highest rate in 80 years
PHOENIX – More than half of young adults 18 to 29 now live at home – the highest rate since the end of the Great Depression 80 years ago – and researchers say many were motivated by the pandemic. Many families already were multigenerational before the pandemic began in March, causing widespread job losses and.

State leaders deride daylong rehash of rejected voting irregularities
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s attorneys presented hours of rehashed claims of previously rejected voting irregularities during a daylong meeting Monday that legislative leaders called an “illegitimate” exercise meant to undermine confidence in the elections. The meeting came as state officials certified the results of the election that awarded Arizona’s 11 electoral votes to President-elect.

Census: Not sure it can exclude migrants, but wants to be left to try
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration said it does not know how many immigrants might be excluded from the Census under a 2019 presidential order, but it still urged the Supreme Court on Monday to overturn lower courts that blocked the proposal. That was one of the arguments raised Monday as the court considered President Donald.

Proposition 207: What happens before recreational marijuana becomes legal in Arizona?
PHOENIX – Recreational use of marijuana will soon be legal in Arizona, thanks to Proposition 207’s easy passage, but economic and logistical hurdles remain before Arizonans will feel the effects. The measure – approved by more than 60% of voters in unofficial results from Nov. 3 – decriminalizes recreational marijuana use and possession for those.

Kelly already playing part of senator ahead of next week’s swearing-in
WASHINGTON – He won’t be Arizona’s next U.S. senator for another couple of days, but Sen.-elect Mark Kelly is already acting the part. Just days after Election Day, the Democrat was on Capitol Hill for new member orientation and conversations with sitting senators from both sides of the aisle, including Republicans Mitt Romney of Utah,.

That’s awkward: Trump touts Arizona election review that won’t happen
WASHINGTON – When the Trump campaign announced Tuesday that the Arizona Legislature would hold a public meeting next week to review this year’s elections, there was just one problem. Nobody told state lawmakers. “There is no legitimacy to that claim and there are no hearings being held on that issue on Monday or any other.

After weeks of fighting, ballot counting may be near finish in Arizona
WASHINGTON – All 15 Arizona counties had submitted official election results by Monday to the secretary of state, who will certify them in the next week or sooner – ending a contentious weeks-long battle over a normally routine process. That included GOP lawsuits challenging the election, angry rallies outside the Maricopa County Ballot Tabulation Center.

Another judge dismisses another GOP suit over election, ballot count
PHOENIX – Arizona Republicans suffered another blow Thursday to their legal challenges to the election when a Maricopa County judge dismissed a suit claiming that county officials’ audit of ballots was in technical violation of state law. The ruling by Superior Court Judge John Hannah marked the second time in less than a week that.

Judge promises quick decision in latest Arizona GOP attack on election
PHOENIX – A Maricopa County judge said he would decide by Thursday morning whether to let the Arizona Republican Party proceed with its challenge to Maricopa County’s audit of ballots from this month’s election, an audit the party claims violated state law. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah Jr. appeared skeptical of GOP arguments.

In emotional Senate farewell, McSally thanks voters, wishes Kelly well
WASHINGTON – A sometimes emotional Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, gave her farewell address on the Senate floor Wednesday, saying that “serving and fighting for Arizona as a U.S. senator has been the opportunity of a lifetime.” McSally also wished “all the best” to Sen.-elect Mark Kelly, the Democrat who unseated her in this month’s elections.

Ducey acts to reduce COVID risks from Thanksgiving travelers and winter visitors
PHOENIX – With Thanksgiving and the arrival of winter visitors drawing near, Gov. Doug Ducey announced new efforts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 from travelers and assist Arizonans most affected by the disease. “I know many in our state are asking: When will it end? The answer is: That’s not on the horizon..

Ballot count complete, but Republicans press ahead with challenges
WASHINGTON – Arizona elections officials finished counting the last of more than 3.4 million ballots over the weekend and are vowing to certify the results in the next two weeks, despite ongoing challenges from state Republicans. In the final unofficial count, President Donald Trump narrowed the gap with President-elect Joe Biden, but still trailed by.

Trump backers take their turn, crowding Washington streets in protest
WASHINGTON – Tens of thousands of people turned the streets of Washington into a sea of flags and banners Saturday, marching and chanting in support of an embattled President Donald Trump as his election chances falter. The march went under a number of different names – Million MAGA March, Stop the Steal and March for.

As it drops one challenge, GOP files new suit over election returns
WASHINGTON – The Arizona Republican Party filed a second legal challenge Thursday to Maricopa County’s election returns, even as attorneys for the party were conceding that an earlier suit would not make a difference in the presidential results. With just 1,700 ballots left to count in Arizona as of Friday evening, President Donald Trump trailed.

McSally concedes to Kelly, capping costly and high-profile Senate race
WASHINGTON – Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, conceded Friday to Democratic challenger Mark Kelly, whose heavily funded campaign ousted the sitting Republican to give the state two Democratic senators for the first time in almost 70 years. McSally’s concession came 10 days after polls closed, ending the most expensive race in state history, when it became.

Youth advocacy groups kept voters safe and informed on Election Day
LOS ANGELES – Young people stepped up on two fronts this Election Day: volunteering to replace older poll workers who feared exposure to COVID-19 and pushing for more of their peers – an age group with historically low turnout – to register and vote. Across the Southwest, such organizations as Future Leaders of America, California.

Trump’s voting irregularity claims get cold reception in court hearing
WASHINGTON – Trump campaign lawyers dropped claims of voter fraud Thursday, telling a Maricopa County Superior Court judge instead that they were in court to point out “good faith errors” by election officials that could have affected the vote count. “We are not alleging fraud in this lawsuit,” said Kory Langhofer, an attorney for the.

Trump lawsuit targets Maricopa vote count, as gap with Biden narrows
WASHINGTON – The Trump campaign added Arizona this weekend to the list of states where it has gone to court to challenge the ballot count, charging that Maricopa County rejected ballots that should have been given a second review. The suit, filed Saturday in Maricopa County Superior Court, claims that those rejected ballots would “yield.

Biden claims ‘clear victory’ as Arizonans await final vote counts in razor-thin election
PHOENIX – Amid celebrations on one side and vows to keep fighting on the other, Arizonans on Sunday awaited final vote counts even as President-elect Joe Biden claimed a “clear victory, a convincing victory” and began making plans for the next four years. Biden and Kamala Harris, making history as the first woman and first.

Tipirneni concedes to Schweikert in District 6, as incumbents sweep
WASHINGTON – Democratic challenger Hiral Tipirneni conceded to Rep. David Schweikert, R-Fountain Hills, in the race for Arizona’s 6th District congressional seat Saturday, after days of counting saw her election night lead evaporate. The latest election results, released Saturday, showed Schweikert’s lead was continuing to grow, with the five-term Republican holding a 52.15% to 47.85%.

Schweikert takes, expands lead, but Tipirneni vows to continue fight
WASHINGTON – Several days of counting have flipped the outlook for the 6th District House race, with Rep. David Schweikert now leading Democratic challenger Hiral Tipirneni by just over 15,000 votes after trailing her on election night. The 51.9% to 48.1% margin for Schweikert, R-Fountain Hills, on Friday is almost a mirror of the 52-48.

Social media disinformation tactics that attempted to deceive Arizonans in the 2020 elections
As election results continue to trickle in, voters have taken to social media to share their confusion and anxiety, and they’ve often been met with lies and misinformation. The heightened spread of disinformation over social media can have negative consequences on America’s democracy, according to Scott Ruston, a research scientist with Arizona State University’s Knowledge.

Each Election Day, voters with disabilities combat barriers to cast ballots
PHOENIX – As the presidential election hangs in the balance, protests erupt at ballot counting stations and controversies swirl about getting every vote tallied, one group in particular faces significant challenges that can leave them out of the process. About 38 million people with disabilities, or one-sixth of the electorate, were eligible to vote this.

Arizona’s renewable energy future at play in Corporation Commission races
PHOENIX – Two Republicans and a Democrat were leading in the race to secure three of the five seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates publicly owned utilities in a state that faces growing challenges from the effects of climate change. Unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s Office on Friday morning showed Republican.

Vote counting anxiety rises as Trump-Biden race tightens in Arizona
PHOENIX – More than 100 supporters of President Donald Trump waved flags and chanted Wednesday night outside the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center, demanding that votes be counted. Inside the center, votes were, in fact, being counted. A second protest came Thursday morning, and others were planned for Thursday night and Friday by conservatives.

Some Maricopa County races narrow, flip as counting continues
PHOENIX – As ballots continue to be counted in Maricopa County, some of the races for countywide officials now hang in the balance. Elections officials on Thursday said they still have to process hundreds of thousands of ballots. The latest results show the early leads for some Democrats have disappeared. Republicans have overtaken Democrats in.

Hot races, new battleground status make Phoenix tops for political ads
PHOENIX – A slew of high-profile races and Arizona’s new status as a battleground state made Phoenix the top market in the country for television political advertising during this election season, according to a recent report. Those factors, along with the fact that the Phoenix market dominates Arizona as few other large cities do in.

Hobbs learns Sharpie ballot rumor, like marker’s ink, is hard to erase
WASHINGTON – Voter intimidation, Russian hacking, stolen ballots and, now, Sharpies. The popular marker has been cited in social media claims as part of a clever strategy to invalidate ballots by using Sharpies, because their ink reportedly cannot be detected by ballot scanning machines. That claim has since been picked up by at least two.

Is ‘wave’ permanent? That’s a political question, not a hairstyle
WASHINGTON – Democrats made impressive inroads in Arizona on Election Day, but experts say it may be too early to determine whether the voting was a “blue wave” – or just “blue-ish.” Early returns showed narrow wins in Arizona for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Senate hopeful Mark Kelly, House challenger Hiral Tipirneni and numerous.

‘Long time coming’: Latino voters help flip Arizona, tighten key races
PHOENIX – Latino voters fueled by the Trump administration’s failures to curb COVID-19 and the lingering impact of the anti-immigration law known as SB 1070 helped turn Arizona blue after decades of entrenched Republican rule, according to organizers who have spent years working toward this moment. “This feels like a victory lap,” said Eduardo Sainz,.

As most House members head to reelection, Schweikert trails Tipirneni
WASHINGTON – Democratic challenger Hiral Tipirneni clung to a narrow lead Tuesday over embattled Rep. David Schweikert, R-Fountain Hills, in early returns in the race for Arizona’s 6th District seat in Congress. With 97% of precincts reporting, Tipirneni had 162,976 votes to 152,381 for Schweikert, giving her a 52-48 percentage point lead in the race..

Proposition 208 on path to victory; would provide school funds that legislators have not
Proposition 208 on Wednesday held onto its lead, with the majority of Arizonans voting in favor of raising taxes on the wealthy to fund education, according to unofficial election results from the Arizona Secretary of State’s website. By Wednesday afternoon, the measure had a 52.55% “yes” vote. However, there were thousands of early and provisional.

Kelly leads McSally after high-profile, high-cost campaign for Senate
WASHINGTON – Senate Democratic challenger Mark Kelly opened a sizable lead in early returns Tuesday over Republican Sen. Martha McSally, who was desperately fighting to hold the seat she was appointed to just two years ago. With 79% of precincts reporting four hours after the polls closed, Kelly held a 54-45 percentage point lead over.

Arizona on path to approve Prop 207 to legalize marijuana, clear criminal records
PHOENIX – Arizona voters appeared poised to approve the legalization of recreational marijuana, with the Associated Press declaring the measure had passed Tuesday night. The measure also would allow certain marijuana offenders to seek to have their criminal records expunged. Proposition 207 would give adults 21 and older the right to possess an ounce of.

Officials ‘braced for the worst,’ but report little voter intimidation
WASHINGTON – Elections officials feared cases of voter intimidation would mar Election Day, but said Tuesday they had seen few problems over the course of the day and that the issues they did encounter were quickly resolved. While advocates reported isolated instances of voter intimidation and other issues with casting ballots in Arizona on Tuesday,.

Maricopa County voters lean toward Democrats for sheriff, county attorney
PHOENIX – Maricopa County residents voted for several countywide officials, including sheriff, attorney, assessor, treasurer, school superintendent and recorder. In a county that has historically leaned Republican, Democrats appeared poised to have a lead on several high-profile offices, according to unofficial results from the Maricopa County Recorder’s office Wednesday. There were at least 400,000 early.

Blue wave in the Grand Canyon State: Biden, Kelly projected winners as Arizona takes center stage in 2020
PHOENIX – Amid a pandemic that changed the way Americans live and vote, Joe Biden was the projected winner over Donald Trump in Arizona, leading a blue wave to flip a longtime Republican stronghold that chose a Democrat for the White House for only the second time since 1952. Mark Kelly also was projected to.

Party? Hardly. COVID-19 puts a damper on post-election celebrations
WASHINGTON – The post-election victory party – which can only really be a victory for half of those throwing them, after all – has become another victim of COVID-19. In an election year like no other, election night will look like no other. Campaigns have scrambled to find pandemic-safe ways to gather supporters together to.

Campaign donors gladly put their money where candidates’ mouths are
WASHINGTON – All politics is local, the saying goes. But it’s also personal for the individual donors who put their money – often only a few dollars at a time – where their candidates’ mouths are. Donors like Norma Wolford of Surprise, who made 43 separate donations to President Donald Trump’s re-election bid. Or Truly.

Election updates: Voters defy COVID, misgivings to make their voices heard
Millions of people voted early in Arizona, and countless more on Tuesday took on an Election Day tradition as COVID-19 precautions shadowed polling places. They cast their vote in person at places of worship, community centers, schools, nonprofit headquarters, government buildings and other locations in Arizona marked with a directional arrow on a familiar “Vote.

What’s at stake in Arizona’s 2020 election
PHOENIX – Election Day finally has arrived after months of controversy over COVID-19, the resulting economic freefall and impassioned demands for social justice stemming from the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police. Arizona emerged as a battleground state in the 2020 presidential race, spurring dueling visits from the candidates and attracting millions.

Elections and chill: Officials temper hopes for election-night returns
WASHINGTON – Tuesday is Election Day, but county election officials are asking voters to think more in terms of election week. Recorders say they do not expect problems – in fact, they believe Arizona is in better shape than most states – but are trying to tamp down expectations in light of what could be.

Arizona officials expect crowded polls, but hope for smooth final day
WASHINGTON – Election officials anticipate longer-than-usual lines at polling places Tuesday, but said early in-person voting in the state has been going “very, very well” so far. “We have been working on this for the whole year. And we have had other elections during this pandemic, so I think we’re ready,” said Erika Flores, deputy.

Arizona collegiate athletes speak out on importance of voting
PHOENIX – Athletes are speaking up more than ever about social issues, often crossing a boundary between the field of play into the arena of politics that many tried to tip-toe in the past. And as the 2020 election approached, college athletes across Arizona used their platform to encourage fellow students, members of their wider.

Cities, police brace for possible unrest after heated election
WASHINGTON – National and local law enforcement agencies are preparing to respond in case civil disturbances break out after Tuesday’s elections, which experts fear may have a “different venue for challenging election results, namely in the streets.” And that may be true whichever side wins. Seth Jones, director of the Transnational Threats Project at the.

Arizona voters have already cast a record 2.3 million early ballots
WASHINGTON – Arizonans are already setting voting records this year, driven by a bitterly contested presidential race, a large number of new voters and COVID-19 fears that voting in-person may not be safe. With four days left until Election Day, state election officials had already received 2.3 million ballots Friday, closing in on the total.

Voters, officials prepare for possible intimidation at the polls
Just days before Election Day, elections officials are on alert for voter intimidation – which can range from threatening emails to campaigning too close to a polling location – and working to educate voters about their rights and how to respond. Intimidation is illegal under state and federal law, and can result in lawsuits, fines.

Trump support among Latinos steady; still trails Democrats by far
WASHINGTON – Phoenix resident Rey Torres is “very happy to have been born into my culture” of a Mexican-American family – just don’t ask him if that means Democrats will be getting his vote this fall. President Donald Trump has “respect for American jobs and … a laser focus on bringing jobs back to our.

Corporation Commission: Affordable, reliable utilities a priority for Lea Márquez Peterson
Candidate name: Lea Márquez Peterson Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: Arizona corporation commissioner City of residence: Tucson Age: Unverified Career: Appointed to the Corporation Commission in 2019; former president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. The.

Corporation Commission: Jim O’Connor looks to stand up to utilities companies
Candidate name: Jim O’Connor Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: Arizona corporation commissioner City of residence: Scottsdale Age: 74 Career: Former registered securities adviser With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. The five-member Corporation Commission, which was established by the Arizona Constitution, regulates public utilities and decides.

Corporation Commission: Eric Sloan wants a ‘fair deal’ for Arizona ratepayers
Candidate name: Eric Sloan Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: Arizona corporation commissioner City of residence: Scottsdale Age: 38 Career: Owner of an economic development firm With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. The five-member Corporation Commission, which was established by the Arizona Constitution, regulates public utilities.

Corporation Commission: Bill Mundell aims to make Arizona solar capital of the world
Candidate name: William “Bill” Mundell Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: Arizona corporation commissioner City of residence: Scottsdale Age: Unverified Career: Lawyer, former judge and legislator, Arizona Corporation Commission chairman 2001-02, commission member 1999-2008 With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. The five-member Corporation Commission, which was.

Corporation Commission: Anna Tovar wants to ensure renewable energy is affordable
Candidate name: Anna Tovar Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: Arizona corporation commissioner City of residence: Tolleson Career: Mayor of Tolleson; former teacher and Arizona legislator With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. The five-member Corporation Commission, which was established by the Arizona Constitution, regulates public utilities.

Corporation Commission: Shea Stanfield hopes to turn Arizona blue and green
Candidate name: Shea Stanfield Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: Arizona corporation commissioner City of residence: Scottsdale Age: Unverified Career: Teacher, land preservationist, former Cave Creek Town Council member With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. The five-member Corporation Commission, which was established by the Arizona Constitution,.

7 common mistakes to avoid when voting (no, don’t mail that ballot)
PHOENIX – As Election Day looms, the biggest worry for many Arizona voters is whether their votes will be counted. Ballot rejection is a possibility. Voters may forget to sign mail-in ballots, use the wrong color ink to mark the ballot and mail an early ballot too late for delivery by Nov. 3. Thousands of.

As COVID-19 cases surge anew, some towns lift mask mandates
WASHINGTON – Payson Mayor Tom Morrisey thinks mask-wearing is one of the best ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 in his town – but he doesn’t want to force residents to do it. Payson is one of a number of local governments that have lifted facemask ordinances in recent weeks, even as infections in.

Arizona’s status as a toss-up gives voters clout, draws Trump, Harris
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris were back stumping in Arizona Wednesday, evidence of what one report calls the high “voter power” of residents of the swing state. The WalletHub report, “2020’s States with the Most and Least Powerful Voters,” rated Arizona the state with the fifth-most powerful voters,.

Voters at Gila River Arena among million-plus in county to cast early ballots
PHOENIX – Nearly eight months ago, 17,125 hockey fans filled the seats of Gila River Arena to watch the Arizona Coyotes in their final home game of the season before a league-wide shutdown due to COVID-19 concerns. On Wednesday, the Coyotes and the community returned to Gila River Arena not to watch a hockey game,.

#ChalkTheVote: Arizona families hit the sidewalks to encourage voting
PHOENIX – Divya Yoder and her family were out on the sidewalk in front of their home one recent Sunday, writing chalk messages to encourage their neighbors to vote. “Vote early,” one read. “United we stand,” read another. The Yoders weren’t the only family taking chalk to concrete with similar messages in recent days. Hundreds.

Air Trump: Cost of trips to campaign events still hard to pin down
WASHINGTON – When Air Force One touches down in Arizona for President Donald Trump’s campaign visits to Bullhead City and Goodyear on Wednesday, it will be at least the 20th campaign stop for the jet in the past eight days. Who pays for those trips? You do. Maybe. Or maybe the Trump campaign does. Or.

Arizona senators split as divided Senate puts Barrett on Supreme Court
WASHINGTON – Arizona conservative groups hailed the confirmation of “capable, brilliant” Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, after a rushed vote Monday that split the Senate along party lines. Barrett’s confirmation comes less than six weeks after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and cements a conservative majority on the high court.

Judicial Performance Review is a tool for Arizona voters, but it’s not often used
With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling issues on the Nov. 3 ballot. Voters in Arizona’s four largest counties have the right to decide whether to retain Superior Court judges, but how can they know whether a judge is fit to remain on the bench? In Maricopa, Coconino, Pima and Pinal counties,.

Trump cites Arizona’s success fighting COVID-19, as cases resume rise
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump name-dropped Arizona early in Thursday’s presidential debate, claiming the “very big spike” in COVID-19 cases in the state is “now gone.” Except that it’s not. New cases are up – twice in the past week they topped 1,000 – the rate of positive tests rose as did hospitalizations – although.

Judge denies early Pascua Yaqui voting site, ending years-long feud
WASHINGTON – The Pascua Yaqui Tribe will not get the early voting location it has been asking for since 2018, after a federal judge flatly denied the request he said would overburden an elections office “already stretched to its breaking point.” The ruling by U.S. District Judge James Soto Thursday night was the second blow.

Maricopa County Sheriff: Paul Penzone wants to build more trust in law enforcement
Candidate name: Paul Penzone Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: Maricopa County Sheriff City of residence: Scottsdale Age: 53 Career: Maricopa County sheriff since 2017; former Phoenix police sergeant, former vice president of a nonprofit aiding victims of child abuse With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot..

Maricopa County Sheriff: Jerry Sheridan wants to repair law enforcement’s relationship with the public
Candidate name: Jerry Sheridan Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: Maricopa County Sheriff City of residence: Phoenix Age: 62 Career: 40 years of law enforcement experience, including serving as former chief deputy for Sheriff Joe Arpaio. With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. If elected, would you.

U.S. House, District 9: Dave Giles emphasizes individual freedom in bid for Congress
Candidate name: Dave Giles Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 9 City of residence: Gilbert Age: 68 Career: Engineer and business consultant with international experience With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic?.

U.S. House, District 9: COVID-19 relief package, climate change are top priorities for Greg Stanton
Candidate name: Greg Stanton Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 9 City of residence: Phoenix Age: 50 Career: U.S. representative for District 9; former Phoenix mayor and city councilman. With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response.

Friday is deadline to request mail ballot, arrange for remote voting from hospitals, nursing homes
PHOENIX – Time is running out for voters to request mail ballots and for voters in nursing homes and hospitals to get help from a special elections team, state and county election officials said Thursday. “There is still time to do so for this general election. But you must do it by tomorrow (Friday),” Secretary.

U.S. House, District 8: Michael Muscato looks to revive economy, put people over party
Candidate name: Michael Muscato Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 8 City of residence: Peoria Age: 36 Career: Owns and operates a gym; former minor-league baseball player With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response to the.

U.S. House, District 8: Debbie Lesko applauds COVID-19 response, backs law enforcement
Candidate name: Debbi Lesko Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 8 City of residence: Peoria Age: 61 Career: U.S. representative for District 8; previously served in the Arizona Legislature With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response.

McSally heaps praise on Barrett on eve of first confirmation vote
WASHINGTON – Arizona Sen. Martha McSally left little doubt how she plans to vote on Supreme Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination, calling Barrett “a gift to America” during a brief meeting Wednesday. The meeting, one of a series between senators and Barrett, came on the eve of a Senate Judiciary Committee vote on the.

GOP expects Schweikert to hold off challenger; analysts aren’t so sure
WASHINGTON – A national Republican campaign official expressed confidence Wednesday that Rep. David Schweikert, R-Fountain Hills, can fend off a challenge from Democrat Hiral Tipirneni, who leads in some polls and has raised millions more for her campaign. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., chairman of the Republican National Congressional Committee, based his confidence on Schweikert’s “established.

U.S. House, District 7: Arizona should have trusted the people on COVID-19, Josh Barnett says
Candidate name: Josh Barnett Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 7 City of residence: South Phoenix Age: Unverified Career: Entrepreneur With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? “There’s things we’ve done that.

U.S. House, District 7: Ruben Gallego cites climate change, Native issues as key
Candidate name: Ruben Gallego Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 7 City of residence: South Phoenix Age: 40 Current office: U.S. representative for District 7; previously served in the Arizona Legislature With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate.

U.S. House, District 6: Independent Tom Lewellen says repairing Social Security, Medicare are top issues
Candidate name: Tom Lewellen Political affiliation: Independent Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 6 City of residence: Scottsdale Age: 69 Career: Technology industry executive, entrepreneur and author of several books on economics and politics With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate.

U.S. House, District 6: Hiral Tipirneni touts her health care experience, focuses on economic security
Candidate name: Hiral Tipirneni Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 6 City of residence: Glendale Age: 53 Career: Medical doctor With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Why? “The response to the.

U.S. House, District 6: David Schweikert focused on border security, business taxes, slowing COVID-19
Candidate name: David Schweikert Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 6 City of residence: Fountain Hills Age: 58 Current office: U.S. representative since 2010 EDITOR’S NOTE: David Schweikert did not respond to multiple written and telephone requests for an interview. Because he did not respond to questions about his priorities and.

U.S. House, District 5: Andy Biggs stands against abortion, gun control
Candidate name: Andy Biggs Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 5 City of residence: Gilbert Age: 63 Current office: U.S. House of Representatives; Arizona legislator for 14 years EDITOR’S NOTE: Andy Biggs did not respond to multiple written and telephone requests for an interview. Because he did not respond to questions.

U.S. House, District 5: Joan Greene faults COVID-19 response, touts health care as economic key
Candidate name: Joan Green Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 5 City of residence: Phoenix Age: 59 Career: Entrepreneur and founder of Greene and Associates With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic?.

U.S. House, District 4: Federal ‘overbearance’ is our biggest problem, Paul Gosar says
Candidate name: Paul Gosar Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 4 City of residence: Prescott Age: 61 Current office: U.S. representative for District 4; formerly a dentist With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response to the.

U.S. House, District 4: Affordable, accessible health care is top priority for Delina DiSanto
Candidate name: Delina DiSanto Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 4 City of residence: Cave Creek Age: 63 Career: Registered nurse, former hospital finance administrator With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic?.

Trump stops in Prescott, Tucson draw GOP crowds, Democratic jeers
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump was welcomed by boisterous MAGA-hatted crowds in Prescott and Tucson on Monday, the last stops on a Western swing as the campaign entered its final two weeks. But not everyone was putting out the welcome mat. Democrats in the state criticized what they called the president’s “super spreader” events during.

Arizona Senate race breaks record, pulling in whopping $133.7 million
WASHINGTON – Arizona’s Senate race is now the state’s most expensive campaign, with the latest Federal Election Commission filings showing the two candidates have pulled in a staggering $133.7 million so far. Republican Sen. Martha McSally had raised $50.9 million as of Sept. 30, while Democratic challenger Mark Kelly reported raising $82.8 million by that.

Supreme Court to hear Trump plan to use Pentagon funds for border wall
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider whether the Trump administration can use an emergency declaration to divert $2.5 billion on Defense Department funds to construct the southern border wall. Two lower courts have rejected the administration’s argument, agreeing with opponents who argue that the emergency declaration was meant to bypass Congress.

NAU linebacker has spotlight in Biden ad during Monday Night Football
LOS ANGELES – The intersection of sports and politics will take center stage again Monday night when a campaign ad featuring a Northern Arizona football player will air during ESPN’s broadcast of the Arizona Cardinals-Dallas Cowboys game. Tristen Vance, a Hamilton High School graduate and linebacker for the Lumberjacks, expected to play his final season.

Giles joins mayors questioning reliability of shortened census count
WASHINGTON – Mesa Mayor John Giles joined mayors from around the country Monday questioning the reliability of the just-ended census and demanding that the Census Bureau be given more time to verify its count of the U.S. population. Giles and others on the U.S. Conference of Mayors call said recent court fights over the census,.

U.S. House, District 3: School choice, illegal immigration top issues for Daniel Wood
Candidate name: Daniel Wood Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 3 City of residence: Maricopa Age: (b. 1978) Career: Executive protection agent for a private agency; former police officer in Georgia and former Marine With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. How.

U.S. House, District 3: Raul Grijalva says change requires investment in people
Candidate name: Raul Grijalva Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 3 City of residence: Tucson Age: 72 Current office or career: U.S. representative for District 3 since 2002; Pima County supervisor from 1988 to 2002 With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot..

U.S. House, District 2: Brandon Martin wants secure borders, in-person voting
Candidate name: Brandon Martin Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 2 City of residence: Tombstone Age: 35 Current office or career: Executive director of Keepers of Liberty, a conservative nonprofit founded this year; formerly worked in Army intelligence With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates on the.

U.S. House, District 2: Ann Kirkpatrick puts health care at forefront
Candidate name: Ann Kirkpatrick Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 2 City of residence: Tucson Age: 70 Current office or career: U.S. representative for District 2. She has been a lawyer, state legislator and represented District 1 in Congress With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates who.

Court: Mailed Navajo ballots should not get extra time to be counted
WASHINGTON – Native Americans may face barriers to voting in general, but that is not enough to require that ballots mailed from the Navajo Nation get 10 extra days to be counted, a federal appeals court said Thursday. The ruling by a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld a lower court that rejected.

Rush to register voters is on after court shortens registration window
WASHINGTON – Voting rights groups who thought they had until Oct. 23 to register new voters were scrambling Wednesday after a federal court set a new registration deadline of 11:59 p.m. Thursday. The ruling late Tuesday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stays a lower court’s order that extended the deadline from the.

Groups mount ‘all hands’ push to count people with Census cut short
WASHINGTON – Arizona advocacy groups mounted an “all hands on deck” push to boost last-minute census response rates after the Census Bureau announced plans to end the 2020 census count Thursday, two weeks earlier than expected. The announcement came just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned lower courts that had ordered the.

Glendale homeowners association orders removal of Black Lives Matter sign
GLENDALE – Melanie Boyle hung a hand-painted Black Lives Matter sign on her home in July to show her support for the movement and its demands for justice. “I wanted to do this little act of putting up a sign and open more conversation about it in my area,” she said. Conversations with her neighbors.

Arizona faces back-to-back court hearings with weeks to Election Day
WASHINGTON – The road to the ballot box in Arizona apparently runs through the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard two cases in just the past two days concerning ballots and voter registration in the state. Late Tuesday night, the court ruled in one of those cases, reversing a lower court order that.

Proposition 208 proposes income surtax on high earners to fund education
With the election just days away, Cronkite News is taking a closer look at some of the measures on the Nov. 3 ballot. As Arizona public schools face the challenge of COVID-19 and continued teacher shortages, Proposition 208 – which would increase funding for teachers, support staff and education programs through a surtax on high.

U.S. House, District 1: Tom O’Halleran calls for unity, more information on COVID-19
Candidate name: Tom O’Halleran Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 1 City of residence: Village of Oak Creek Age: 74 Current office and career: U.S. representative for District 1; former Chicago police officer, former business owner With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates who will be on.

U.S. House, District 1: Tiffany Shedd focuses on border security, tax cuts, health care
Candidate name: Tiffany Shedd Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, District 1 City of residence: Eloy Age: 51 Career: Small business owner, farmer, attorney and firearms instructor, and a former bilingual kindergarten teacher EDITOR’S NOTE: Tiffany Shedd did not respond to multiple written and telephone requests for an interview. Because she did.

Proposition 207 would legalize recreational marijuana for those 21 or older
With the election just days away, Cronkite News is taking a closer look at some of the measures on the Nov. 3 ballot. Four years after Arizona voters rejected legalizing recreational marijuana, the issue is back, appearing on November’s ballot as Proposition 207. Eleven states have legalized recreational marijuana. Arizona joins three others – Montana,.

U.S. Senate: Martha McSally sets sights on economic comeback
Candidate name: Martha McSally Political affiliation: Republican Position sought: U.S. senator City of residence: Tucson Age: 54 Current office: U.S. senator, appointed in 2018. Represented Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District from 2014 to 2018 With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates who will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you.

U.S. Senate: Mark Kelly committed to bipartisanship, investing in Arizona’s future
Candidate name: Mark Kelly Political affiliation: Democrat Position sought: U.S. senator City of residence: Tucson Age: 56 Career: Astronaut, U.S. Navy captain, engineer With the election just days away, Cronkite News is profiling candidates who will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. How would you rate Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and why? At.

Biden, Harris get on the bus for small businesses in Arizona
PHOENIX – Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris, on their first trip to Arizona, dropped by a union hall Thursday and several small businesses they say need federal relief from the COVID-19 pandemic. Their bus tour, which began in Flagstaff, included an outdoor stop at Barrio Cafe, a central Phoenix staple.

Kayla Mueller’s story featured in debate, recalled in Phoenix event
WASHINGTON – Family friends said Prescott residents Carl and Marsha Mueller are “overwhelmed” by a whirlwind three days that saw the indictment of terrorists accused of killing their daughter, Kayla, whose story was featured in Wednesday’s vice presidential debate. That was followed by an event in Phoenix Thursday honoring Kayla and, on Friday, the two.

Pence draws contrasts between Biden, Trump at campaign event in Peoria
PEORIA – With only 26 days until the election and polls consistently showing the Trump campaign trailing in Arizona, Vice President Mike Pence visited a military and tactical gear company Thursday for a “Make America Great Again” campaign event. Pence began by calling his Wednesday night debate with Democrat Kamala Harris a “debate between two.

Sen. McSally, Mark Kelly clash over issues ranging from COVID-19 to border security in Senate debate
PHOENIX – Republican Sen. Martha McSally and Democratic challenger Mark Kelly, two military veterans battling for a congressional seat in Arizona that is drawing the attention of the nation, debated over the country’s COVID-19 response, jobs and immigration and President Trump’s attacks on Arizona Sen. John McCain. Kelly and McSally wielded the usual disdain of.

Advocates rush to register voters after judge extends deadline 18 days
WASHINGTON – Arizona nonprofits are working “nonstop” to register voters before opponents can overturn a federal judge’s ruling that extended the state’s voter registration deadline from Monday to Oct. 23. U.S. District Judge Steven Logan agreed with voter advocacy groups that COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the state earlier this year may have cost “possibly tens.

Maricopa official confident polls will run smoothly as early voting starts
WASHINGTON – Maricopa County officials said they are “ready and prepared” for the start of in-person voting Wednesday, despite a recent national report that identified it as one of seven Arizona counties at high risk of a poll worker shortage. The Voter Protection Corps survey predicted the already-difficult issue of attracting poll workers would “be.

Court blocks order giving voters more time to fix unsigned mail ballots
WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court Tuesday temporarily blocked a lower court ruling that would have given Arizona voters five days past Election Day to fix early ballots that were accidentally filed without a signature. The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means current law stands – for.

Sierra, in Hopkins ICU, becomes fourth state lawmaker hit by COVID-19
WASHINGTON – Arizona Rep. Lorenzo Sierra, D-Avondale, was being treated in the intensive care unit of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore Monday for “complications related to COVID-19,” one day after being hospitalized with the virus in Washington. Sierra and his wife, Rhonda Cagle, both began showing symptoms of the disease while visiting family in Washington.

McSally begins Spanish-language ads in Senate race, well behind Kelly
WASHINGTON – Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, bought $110,350 worth of ads on Spanish-language TV stations this week and last – just a quarter of what her Democratic challenger has spent over the past two months. McSally’s buys on Univision and Telemundo stations in Arizona are her first Spanish-language broadcast ads in this campaign, according to.

Swipe right on 2020 election: Groups vie for young Arizona voters in new ways
PHOENIX – Activists who believe young voters in Arizona have the power to swing the state are working to mobilize this often inconsistent and underrepresented group by engaging with them across all platforms – including Bumble and Tinder. Roughly 35% of eligible Arizonans did not vote in 2016, spurring advocacy groups on both sides to.

Supreme Court to review Arizona voting laws overturned as discriminatory
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear Arizona’s defense of two election laws, on ballot-collecting and out-of-precinct voting, that were struck down by a lower court earlier this year as racially discriminatory. The controversial voting restrictions are still in effect, as the lower court’s ruling was put on hold for a.

Judge blocks ‘unlawful’ plan to end Census Monday; Arizona still lags
WASHINGTON – A federal judge reiterated her order Thursday that the Census Bureau continue its count until Oct. 31, saying plans to end earlier were “erroneous … unlawful” and they undermined the credibility of the count. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Lucy H Koh came just five days before the bureau said it planned.

Trump COVID-19 diagnosis scrambles Arizona events; Biden still to visit
WASHINGTON – News that President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 led to well-wishes from Arizona lawmakers Friday, a scrambling of the president’s planned visits to the state next week – and some grumbling about the lack of safeguards at previous Trump rallies. The White House announced Friday morning that Trump and first lady Melania.

Hydroxychloroquine’s effectiveness still debated after Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis
President Donald Trump repeatedly has touted hydroxychloroquine as a possible “game changer” in the fight against COVID-19, and in May he told reporters he has taken it as a precaution. But his physician did not prescribe the antimalaria drug after the president tested positive on Thursday, instead giving him an antibody cocktail, according to White.

Judge halts fee hike that would have nearly doubled cost of citizenship
WASHINGTON – A federal judge late Tuesday blocked a steep increase in application fees set to take effect Friday for people seeking U.S. citizenship, an increase that advocates feared would have locked many immigrants out. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White said that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services did not follow proper procedures when it ordered.

No ‘proud’ moment: Reaction to Trump gaffe goes from dismay to distress
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his debate comments on the right-wing extremists known as the Proud Boys, but reaction from officials in Arizona ranged from dismissal to dismay. The furor began Tuesday night during the nationally televised debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, when Trump was asked to condemn violent groups.

Democrats pounce on Trump income tax story, renew calls for transparency
President Donald Trump denies it, Arizona Republicans largely ignored it but state Democrats pounced on it – a New York Times report this week that the president paid as little as $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017. “These reports show that Donald Trump is one of the biggest con artists in American.

Arizona’s lack of mental health care providers comes into focus as COVID-19 increases depression, anxiety
PHOENIX – Arizona ranks close to last in the nation when it comes to available mental health care providers – a problem that’s been underscored during a pandemic that is increasing anxiety and depression. Heather Ross, a clinical assistant professor at Arizona State University who advises Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego on health policy issues, said.

Navajo drives unite two goals: COVID-19 relief and upping census participation
MANY FARMS – On a hazy weekday morning, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and about two dozen masked volunteers pull into the parking lot of a local chapter house. For as far as the eye can see, cars and trucks line up along Indian Route 59. The volunteers, including representatives from World Central Kitchen, hustle.

Court says House can sue White House over funds diverted to border wall
WASHINGTON – Critics of the Trump administration’s border wall on Monday welcomed a court ruling that breathed new life into a congressional lawsuit challenging the White House’s decision to divert funds to the project from other agencies. The ruling Friday by a panel of a federal circuit court in Washington said President Donald Trump’s decision.

Alone among Democrats, Sinema stays silent on GOP Supreme Court push
WASHINGTON – Almost every Senate Democrat has come out against President Donald Trump’s plan to rush through a replacement for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, saying the nomination should wait until after the looming elections. Every Senate Democrat but one – Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. While other Democrats were using language like.

‘It’s about humanity’: Vigil honors Dion Johnson, other Black victims of police violence
PHOENIX – Violence has marred some protests across the country after Kentucky prosecutors declined to charge officers in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, but a peaceful gathering Thursday night in Phoenix City Hall Plaza struck a more somber note. More than a hundred people gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor Black Americans killed.

With clock ticking – and state lagging – Census court fight continues
WASHINGTON – A see-saw legal battle over the 2020 Census continued Friday, with the government pushing to end the count in just five days while local governments, including two Arizona tribes, hoped to extend it to Oct. 31. It comes as state officials are scrambling to improve Arizona’s census response rate, which was ninth-lowest in.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Ducey says state will remain open, prepare for fall
Gov. Doug Ducey emphasized his commitment to keeping the state open in a “safe and healthy way” during a news conference Thursday, with no current plans for “dramatic changes” to be made despite “a gradual rise in cases.” “Arizona’s economy is open, Arizona’s educational institutions are open, Arizona’s tourism institutions are open,” the second-term Republican.

COVID-19 not top health concern of voters in Arizona, other battlegrounds
WASHINGTON – COVID-19 may be getting the headlines but it’s not the top health care issue on the minds of voters in a number of battleground states, including Arizona, according to a poll released Thursday. The poll by the Commonwealth Fund found voters in seven of 10 battleground states said they were more likely to.

California will allow former inmates to have records expunged so they can fight fires
With California in the middle of peak fire season, blazes across the state have been a challenge for firefighters, with fewer incarcerated firefighters in the field because of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. A new law seeks to boost their ranks. The problem of staffing fires has grown acute since March, when the California Department.

What recent polls can tell us about the Arizona Senate race
PHOENIX – Recent polling data in the Arizona Senate race suggests Democrat Mark Kelly has a large lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Martha McSally. However, the gap might not be as big as some polls show. A recent poll from Fox News has Kelly 17 points up in the Arizona Senate race. The poll, conducted.

Maricopa official: Disinformation poses threat to election security
WASHINGTON – Election officials need to be as concerned about voting disinformation as they are about people tampering with ballots themselves, a Maricopa County official said Wednesday during a forum on securing the election. Michael Moore, information security officer for the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office, said “voter confidence is paramount,” but he worries that a.

Admirers line up to pay respects to Ginsburg, a ‘lion of equality’
WASHINGTON – Long lines formed outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday as admirers came to pay their final respects to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal icon whom one mourner called a “lion of equality.” It was the first of several days of official ceremonies to mourn Ginsburg, who died Friday of complications.

This is how voting by mail will look in Arizona in November
PHOENIX – Nationally and in Arizona, as Nov. 3 approaches, many Arizonans still have concerns about getting their mail-in ballots returned on time – and counted. Voting by mail has become polarized, and some experts have warned that results may be delayed for weeks in presidential and local elections. Arizona is a national example: For.

Movement to defund police gains urgency in Arizona
PHOENIX – A years-old movement to reform police departments, which reentered the national debate last spring when a Minneapolis police officer dug his knee into George Floyd’s back until he couldn’t breathe, has taken root in Arizona. “No justice, no peace, defund the police!” The chant is a nationwide call to action, voiced by millions.

State trooper who killed Dion Johnson will not face charges, county attorney says
PHOENIX – The state trooper who shot and killed Dion Johnson will not face criminal charges, Maricopa County’s top prosecutor announced Monday, saying the trooper feared for his life. “Please know these decisions are not made lightly,” County Attorney Allister Adel said at a news conference. The May 25 death of Johnson, a 28-year-old Black.

Ginsburg’s decades on high court included numerous Arizona rulings
WASHINGTON – In a 27-year career on the Supreme Court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote more than 200 opinions and countless dissenting opinions that were known for the sharp language that made them one of her trademarks. Any case before the Supreme Court has national impact, but a fraction of cases the court decided during.

Push to replace Ginsburg renews focus on high-stakes Arizona race
WASHINGTON – Arizona’s already high-profile Senate race drew new attention with the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and news that a new Arizona senator could be seated in time to vote on her replacement. With Democratic challenger Mark Kelly currently leading Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, in both polling and fundraising, Democrats could.

‘We get more followers in times of crisis’: As pandemic limits in-person action, activism goes digital
PHOENIX – Civil rights marches. Anti-war protests. Rallies against gun violence. Public demonstrations historically have involved the “mass mobilization of bodies,” according to Tiera Rainey, program director for the Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund and an organizer with Black Lives Matter Tucson. But when the novel coronavirus struck, prompting warnings against crowds and close.

Arizonan on Trump’s short list for Supreme Court has low profile
WASHINGTON – When President Donald Trump sits down to pick a Supreme Court nominee to take the seat of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday, Phoenix native Bridget Bade will be on the list. Trump added Bade 10 days ago, along with 19 others, to his short list of potential Supreme Court justices, bringing.

Arizona users shrug at U.S. ban on TikTok, WeChat as Chinese spy tools
WASHINGTON – Arizona users of the popular apps TikTok and WeChat brushed off federal government threats Friday to prohibit the platforms, and downplayed concerns that the two products are being used as a tool for Chinese spying. The Commerce Department said Friday that downloads and updates for the two apps would be blocked effective Sunday,.

Repeated Trump, Pence visits cement Arizona’s status as a battleground
WASHINGTON – If there was any doubt that Arizona will be a battleground in this fall’s presidential election, a look at the travel itineraries this week of the first and second families should clear it up. President Donald Trump was in Phoenix Monday. Daughter Ivanka Trump was there Wednesday. Second lady Karen Pence was in.

From showdown to stalemate, Pascua Yaqui voting site feud continues
WASHINGTON – What was a showdown between the Pascua Yaqui tribe, the Pima County Board of Supervisors and the county’s recorder has now turned into a stalemate. The supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to authorize an emergency voting site to replace a polling place that the tribe has been trying to get restored for the last.

Arizona officials work to boost census responses with time running out
WASHINGTON – A federal judge could decide next week whether to force the Census Bureau to extend its 2020 count for another month, but state and local groups working to ensure a high response rate said they are taking no chances.t Gov. Doug Ducey, at a news conference Thursday with Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham,.

Tribe rushes to beat use-or-lose deadline on COVID-19 relief funds
WASHINGTON – Spending $177 million may not seem like a problem, but it is a challenge for Navajo Nation leaders who could lose those funds if they don’t find projects that can be completed by the end of this year. That funding is the last part of $714 million the Navajo got as their share.

Report: Arizona teens paid to file social media posts for campaigns
WASHINGTON – Facebook and Twitter opened investigations this week into a number of Arizona teenagers’ social media accounts for operating fraudulent profiles and spreading misinformation in support of the Trump campaign, reportedly for pay. The campaign was first reported by the Washington Post, which said Wednesday that Phoenix-based Turning Point Action recruited teenagers to take.

Ivanka Trump stumps for father, attends business roundup hosted by Ducey
PHOENIX – Ivanka Trump on Wednesday made a case for her father’s reelection, saying he is committed to business deregulation, tax cuts and supporting businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, and she praised Arizona as a model for its response to the deadly disease. Ivanka Trump spoke at an in-person business roundtable in downtown Phoenix hosted.

As polls show him trailing in Arizona, Trump stops in Phoenix to woo Latino voters
PHOENIX – With polls showing him trailing in the state, President Donald Trump stopped in Phoenix on Monday to woo a key demographic that could make or break the November election and determine whether Arizona flips from red to blue: Hispanic voters. His appearance at a Latinos for Trump roundtable at Arizona Grand Resort &.

System could help tribal members past – one – voter registration hurdle
WASHINGTON – Advocates said a new policy that lets Arizona residents without traditional street addresses register to vote online is not perfect – but it’s a vast improvement over the old process. “It’s critical,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said of the change this month by the Arizona Secretary of State’s office. “This is a.

Bye-bye bipartisanship: Unity after 9/11 attacks is a relic in 2020
WASHINGTON – In the hours after the 9/11 attacks, lawmakers from both parties gathered on the steps of the Capitol and began singing “God Bless America” in a spontaneous moment of solidarity that briefly offered hope in a national crisis. That was then. This is now. Experts and tourists alike said Friday they found it.

As workers call for aid, Senate again stalls on COVID-19 relief bill
WASHINGTON – The Senate on Thursday failed to advance a new COVID-19 relief bill, continuing months of partisan stalemate over a plan while people like Arizona native Koala Infante can only wait and watch. Infante, a flight attendant for United Airlines, joined dozens of other airline workers this week demanding that an extension of aid.

Phoenix city manager rejects Black Lives Matter street mural near arena
PHOENIX – City Manager Ed Zuercher has rejected an organizer’s proposal to place a Black Lives Matter street mural in downtown Phoenix, similar to those that have popped up across the country in the wake of demands for racial justice. Zuercher on Wednesday rejected the proposal by Gizette Knight to place a BLM mural next.

Coconino official joins plea for continued federal support of rural counties
WASHINGTON – Coconino County Supervisor Liz Archuleta urged federal officials Wednesday to honor their commitments to fund rural counties, where increased demand for services from COVID-19 comes “at a time when we are stretched very thin to provide them.” Archuleta joined other county officials from across the country on a National Association of Counties call.

Report: Arizona had highest ‘housing loss’ rate; more evictions coming
WASHINGTON – Arizona had the highest rate of “housing loss” in the nation, according to a new national study, and that was before what experts called a “tsunami of evictions” that is expected to hit this fall. The report by New America Foundation looked at evictions and foreclosures by county across the country and found.

Trump faces criticism on remarks about service members, Arizona Sen. John McCain
Politicians and veterans issued sharp rebukes late this week, following a report that President Donald Trump used insulting language like “losers” and “suckers” to describe Americans killed in battle during World War I and Arizona Sen. John McCain. The commander in chief has previously made harsh comments about McCain but denied the accuracy of the.

Coyotes’ Gila River Arena will be used as voting center for General Election
PHOENIX – The Arizona Coyotes and the city of Glendale announced Friday that Gila River Arena will be used as a voting center for the 2020 General Election from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3. Emily Kirkland, the executive director of Progress Now Arizona Institute, a One Arizona member organization, applauded the announcement. “It’s great to.

Arizona bars reopen amid COVID-19 guidelines
PHOENIX – As Arizona bars have reopened after months of being shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, owners and managers are struggling to comply with state health department regulations that require logistical twists. One Phoenix bar owner has adapted by moving operations outdoors while another said he has three bars with different limitations. “You’re allowed.

Tribe renews voting site push, sets up showdown with Pima recorder
WASHINGTON – At least two Pima County supervisors will “press forward” to get an early voting site reinstated on the Pascua-Yaqui reservation, setting up a showdown with the county recorder who rejected the request again this week. Tribal officials unveiled a new argument in their two-year fight to reopen an early voting station at the.

Native youth navigate complex, contradictory jurisdictions
On a morning he should have been in middle school, 12-year-old Isaac Durham collapsed on the sidewalk after drinking a fifth of vodka stolen from a Circle K in Flagstaff, Arizona. After the paramedics pumped his stomach, he was charged with underaged consumption of alcohol and became a juvenile offender for the first time. In.

‘Super-predator’ legacy: How children end up in the adult justice system
Tens of thousands of children, mostly teens, are prosecuted as adults every year, and some serve out their sentences in prisons where most of the inmates are adults. Nationally, no single organization tracks the number of young people sentenced as adults because each state uses an array of their own laws and variables to decide.

Schweikert, Biggs rally Republican crowd during convention watch party
PHOENIX – There was enthusiasm in the room at a Republican watch party Thursday, but Rep. David Schweikert, R-Fountain Hills, said enthusiasm was not just in that room. “Something’s happening in our community where that enthusiasm of Republicans is spiking,” he said. Schweikert was speaking at the Arizona Republican Party headquarters in central Phoenix where.

COVID-19 work-arounds are silver linings for homeless programs
When the Downtown Emergency Service Center in Seattle moved its homeless residents from crowded shelters into hotels, staff worried about how to keep them connected to services. They decided to buy cellphones, tablets and laptops, and now their clients at the Red Lion Hotel can virtually attend medical appointments and meet with mental health specialists.

Kayla Mueller’s parents at RNC praise Trump, remember slain daughter
WASHINGTON – When the White House asked Carl and Marsha Mueller if they wanted to speak at the Republican National Convention, the Prescott couple jumped at the opportunity. The Muellers – whose daughter, Kayla, was kidnapped and killed in Syria by the Islamic State in 2015 – said they planned to use their Thursday address.

Loyalty points: Ducey heads to White House for Trump acceptance speech
WASHINGTON – Most Republicans watched President Donald Trump’s acceptance speech from their couches Thursday but Gov. Doug Ducey watched from the South Lawn of the White House. The invitation for Ducey and his wife to be on hand for the speech is just the latest example of Ducey’s increasingly cozy relationship with the administration. Thursday’s.

Homeless workers face heightened risks in the pandemic
This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. At the beginning of the pandemic, Tiffany Cordaway’s biggest struggle was finding a place to shower. She worked two jobs in Northern California, disinfecting medical equipment during the day and caring for an elderly couple overnight. When she finally clocked out, she just wanted to clean up..

‘Angel Mom’ stirs up devil of a furor over anti-Semitic tweet
WASHINGTON – Mary Ann Mendoza, the Mesa mom who became an evangelist for get-tough immigration policies, apologized Tuesday for retweeting a conspiracy-laden, anti-Semitic diatribe just hours before she was to address the Republican National Convention. Mendoza was abruptly removed from Tuesday night’s lineup of speakers, where she had been scheduled to have a prime spot.

Politics and bedfellows: Nez, Lizer address Democratic, GOP conventions
WASHINGTON – If anyone thought it strange that the top two elected officials in the Navajo Nation were speaking at competing political conventions, Navajo Vice President Myron Lizer said they have not been paying attention. “There’s no secret we are a split ticket,” Lizer said during a Navajo town hall Tuesday with President Jonathan Nez..

Months later, communities still await federal aid for the homeless
This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. Four months after Congress rushed $4 billion to help the nation’s homeless population cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, most of those funds still have not made their way to local communities, the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism found, and even those with access to the money have.

Flake, Kolbe join former GOP lawmakers backing Biden over Trump
WASHINGTON – Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake and Rep. Jim Kolbe joined two dozen other former Republican members of Congress Monday to endorse Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, saying President Donald Trump “is not capable of doing the job.” The announcement came as delegates to the Republican National Convention were formally, and unanimously, renominating Trump.

Arizona delegates fall in line as GOP unanimously renominates Trump
WASHINGTON – It took less than a minute, but Arizona’s delegation to the Republican National Convention cast all 57 of its votes Monday for President Donald Trump, part of a suspense-free nomination that kicked off the four-day convention. Trump got all 2,550 votes, even though only a fraction of that many delegates were actually in.

Republicans defend Postal Service, accuse Democrats of scare tactics
WASHINGTON – Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Prescott, joined a chorus of Republicans defending the changes to the Postal Service and accusing Democrats in a sometimes-heated hearing of conspiring to create problems with this fall’s presidential election. “I want to clear up some obvious political disinformation that the majority is putting out,” Gosar said at the House.

COVID-19 is a ‘crisis within a crisis’ for homeless people
This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. PHOENIX – Nearly 200 tents stand inches apart on the scorching gravel lots, many covered in blankets for an extra layer of relief from the desert sun. Outside, their occupants sit on hot ground or in folding chairs, nearby palm trees providing no shade. Despite 12-foot-square sections.

Latinos criticize lack of prominent roles at Democratic convention
WASHINGTON – For Hispanic Democrats upset with what they see as a failure to adequately feature Latinos in the just-ended Democratic National Convention, one set of numbers was particularly striking. John Kasich, the Republican former governor of Ohio, got four minutes to speak, while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, got just 60 seconds. For Joseph.

Postal Service cuts already being felt in Arizona, raise election fears
WASHINGTON – Spoiled medication and missing rent checks are just some of the problems that Arizonans have seen as a result of recent postal system changes, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema said during a grilling Friday of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “Over the past week, my office has heard from over 18,000 Arizonans about the importance of.

Whose party is it?: Democrats cite Republican support for Biden
WASHINGTON – Longtime Arizona Republican Daniel Barker wants you to know that there is much in the Democratic platform that he disagrees with – but that won’t keep him from voting for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden this fall. “One of the things that troubles us the most about our current president is just that.

Thousands in Arizona join virtual watch parties of virtual convention
PHOENIX – They couldn’t provide the balloons, but organizers of hundreds of virtual watch parties did provide the camaraderie for thousands of Arizonans who gathered around their laptops to watch the Democratic National Convention this week. Organizers at Mission for Arizona said they coordinated close to 200 virtual watch parties this week. The online gatherings.

Choir gave Arizona native chance to sing at convention – and much more
WASHINGTON – Phoenix native Holly Binswanger said it was “neat” that Commonwealth Youthchoirs gave her the opportunity to perform before a national audience at the Democratic National Convention this week, but that’s not the best thing the choir has given her. That would have been her husband. Binswanger met her husband, Eric, in 2005 while.

Digital Democrats: Delegates miss camaraderie, but stay focused on goal
WASHINGTON – First-time Democratic National Convention delegate Cynthia Engstrom may not have the perspective of nine-time delegate Cynthia Ford, but the newcomer and the old hand agree on one thing. Something gets lost in the convention experience when it is held online, as this year’s convention has been, the Arizona delegates said. “We’re missing the.

Trump visits border for second time since June; Democrats blast visit
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump was in Yuma Tuesday for the second time in as many months to inspect construction of the border wall that he said has “closed up the border,” reducing the flow of drugs and migrants. The visit came the same day that delegates to the Democratic National Convention were expected to.

Arizona teacher gets turn in spotlight, as Democrats officially nominate Biden
When it came time for the Arizona delegation to announce its votes for the next Democratic presidential nominee Tuesday, the job fell to middle school teacher Marisol Garcia. Who spent much of her allotted 30 seconds in the national spotlight talking about the reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was part of an unorthodox.

Navajo president speaks at convention as one of Democrat’s ‘rising stars’
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez is one of 17 Democratic “rising stars” from across the country who have been tapped to share the job of delivering the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday. The speakers will deliver their addresses virtually to the convention, which has been forced mostly online because of concerns.

Arizonans share health care struggles in Democratic convention speeches
When Arizona native Kristin Urquiza wrote her dad’s obituary after his June 30 death from COVID-19, the Democratic National Convention was probably the furthest thing from her mind. But that’s where Urquiza found herself Monday night, telling a national audience that her dad’s “only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that, he paid.

A convention without convening: Democrats open virtual nominating event
PHOENIX – Tucson Democrat Hope Busto-Keyes has been to political conventions before, but she’s never been to one like the Democratic National Convention that kicked off Monday. And neither has anyone else. Rather than convening thousands during the COVID-19 pandemic, the convention to nominate Joe Biden this year has largely shifted online. Gone are the.

Hispanic Democrats identify Arizona as a battleground state in 2020 elections
WASHINGTON – Arizona was identified by Democrats Monday as one of six battleground states for this fall’s election, a status that state lawmakers said has been 10 years in the making. “We have about 10 years of Latino activism resistance that has been going on … and we have created this environment in Arizona,” that.

Schweikert admits House ethics violations, agrees to reprimand, $50,000 fine
Rep. David Schweikert has admitted to 11 counts of campaign finance violations, misuse of congressional office funds and pressuring legislative staff to do campaign work, the House Ethics Committee said Thursday. The Fountain Hills Republican faces reprimand by the full House and has agreed to pay a $50,000 fine in the matter as part of.

With little guidance, schools offer range of ‘pandemic schooling’ plans
PHOENIX – When Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona Schools Superintendent Kathy Hoffman ordered state schools to open for some type of in-person instruction on Aug. 17, they gave school administrators the flexibility to design a plan that best suits their districts. What they didn’t give them were directions on how to plan for what one.

DHS halts DACA applications, shortens renewals as program is ‘reconsidered’
PHOENIX – The Trump administration said Tuesday it will stop accepting new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals applications and will limit DACA renewals to one year while it undertakes a “full reconsideration” of the Obama-era policy. The Department of Homeland Security announcement comes one month after the Supreme Court rejected the administration’s previous efforts to.

Testing increases, demand and result times inconsistent
PHOENIX – As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state, testing sites have experienced inconsistencies in the number of Arizonans seeking tests and in the time it takes to get results. Some testing sites, such as one in west Phoenix and another in south Phoenix, have appointments available and wait times as short as.

Confederate monuments removed in Arizona amid broader push
PHOENIX – As activists nationwide vandalize, topple and demand the removal of Confederate statues and memorials, the United Daughters of the Confederacy on Wednesday removed two monuments from the Capitol complex and along U.S. 60 near Gold Canyon. After advocacy groups and local leaders sent letters to Gov. Doug Ducey urging the removal of at.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Ducey asks Congress for employment support
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey has asked Arizona’s congressional delegation to focus on unemployment and other matters important to Arizonans in the next federal COVID-19 relief package. Ducey’s July 21 letter seeks funds to guarantee the unemployed will be eligible to receive at least 100% of their weekly earnings, and to replenish the state’s $1.

Hobbs confident safeguards in place for smooth, secure Aug. 4 primary
PHOENIX – A lot goes into running a successful election in a normal year, but in the era of COVID-19 that also includes 3,200 gallons of hand sanitizer. That’s one of several items on a shopping list that includes gloves, masks and face shields, as state elections officials work to make sure they have safeguards.

Critics: Trump order to exclude undocumented migrants in census will fail
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will exclude undocumented immigrants in the 2020 census when it comes to allocating seats in Congress, a move critics called unconstitutional and unenforceable. Opponents immediately vowed to sue over Trump’s memorandum, which comes a little more than a year after the Supreme Court rejected the administration’s attempt.

Court rejects long-simmering challenge to Proposition 123 school funding
PHOENIX – A federal appeals court Tuesday rejected a long-simmering challenge to Proposition 123, the voter-approved 2016 measure that is set to redirect an estimated $3.5 billion to Arizona public schools over a decade. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court ruling in the case, which has.

Arizonans recall John Lewis, heap tributes on late civil rights leader
Arizona lawmakers and advocates were unsparing Monday in their praise of the late Rep. John Lewis, using words like hero, giant and legend for the man one described as “living, breathing history.” The Georgia Democrat, who played a leading role in the civil rights movement from the 1960s until now, died Friday of pancreatic cancer,.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Ducey extends eviction moratorium until Oct. 31
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey extended the state’s eviction moratorium and announced an additional $5 million for renters and measures to prevent foreclosure as the state continues to grapple with unemployment and housing problems caused by COVID-19. “Today’s plan protects families and individuals impacted by COVID-19 while empowering them to keep making rent payments,” Ducey.

House panel told deaths of children in CBP custody could have been prevented
PHOENIX – Medical experts told members of Congress Wednesday that the deaths of two children in Customs and Border Protection custody could have been prevented, but called the deaths “symptoms of a more extensive system that requires much improvement.” The comments came during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing that looked at the December 2018.

Hoffman ‘not optimistic’ schools will be ready for Aug. 17 in-person reopening
PHOENIX – Arizona Schools Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said Wednesday that the already delayed Aug. 17 start of in-person classes may have to be pushed back again in light of continuing concerns about COVID-19 safety. Hoffman, during a conference call to criticize a White House push for reopening schools, said she and Gov. Doug Ducey are.

Democrats climate plan signals shift toward environmental justice
WASHINGTON – In the South Phoenix neighborhood of Lindo Park-Roesley Park, temperatures can be up to 13 degrees higher than locations just 2 miles away, according to the Nature Conservancy. Communities that are predominantly Hispanic and Black, like Lindo Park-Roesley Park, are part of the focus in a new plan outlined June 30 by Democrats.

How Arizona’s COVID-19 pandemic unfolded: A timeline
Here is a timeline of COVID-19 developments and the responses by Gov. Doug Ducey, Arizona health officials and Navajo leaders. As the pandemic continues to unfold, the timeline will be updated. Here are the latest numbers for COVID-19 related illnesses and deaths in Arizona: Cronkite News reporter Sarah Donahue contributed to this report.

Biggs joins White House push to reopen schools; educators push back
PHOENIX – Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs led a group of Republican lawmakers Thursday who demanded that schools reopen as usual in the fall, the latest salvo in a days-long campaign by the Trump administration on the issue. “It would be more harmful to keep children locked out of schools and less harmful and less risky.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Ducey stays the course despite intense criticism he hasn’t done enough
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey stood by Arizona’s past and present response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, despite harsh criticism from other politicians and growing concern from health experts as the number of deaths in the state topped 2,000. “My decisions are not going to be influenced by any attempt to please the press, and.

COVID-19 in Arizona: State leads U.S. in growth of new cases, analysis says
PHOENIX – Arizona led the U.S. in the growth of confirmed coronavirus cases Wednesday, and if states were viewed as their own countries, the Grand Canyon State would lead the world, according to an alarming analysis by The New York Times. State officials pushed back against that characterization Wednesday, but Arizona doctors fear the situation.

COVID-19 in Arizona: State surpasses 100,000 cases
PHOENIX – Arizona’s number of COVID-19 cases has doubled in the past two weeks to surge past 100,000 confirmed cases, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. It took from February to June 21 for Arizona to reach 50,000 coronavirus cases; it has taken only about two weeks to double that number. Gov. Doug.

Bombs bursting online: Towns work to balance fireworks, COVID-19 safety
PHOENIX – In many Arizona towns, this Fourth will be a first. The first time fireworks are replaced by sparklers. The first time fireworks displays become a drive-through or an online event. The first time that holiday events are observed with masks from a socially responsible distance. But Fourth of July event organizers like Judy.

Arizona business leaders have high hopes as USMCA takes effect
WASHINGTON – There’s often not much agreement on news out of Washington, but Arizona business leaders were hard-pressed this week to come up with negatives about the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that took effect Wednesday. The deal, which has been several years in the making, replaces the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement that created the.

‘Help is on the way’: Pence makes house call to Arizona amid COVID-19 surge
PHOENIX – As Arizona broke records Wednesday for new COVID-19 cases and deaths reported in a single day, Vice President Mike Pence flew in to assure Gov. Doug Ducey that the federal government “will spare no expense” in helping the state. Pence’s trip originally included a visit to Tucson and a rally with supporters, but.

Responding to surge, Ducey orders bars, theaters closed, delays school reopening
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey on Monday ordered the shutdown of Arizona’s bars, gyms, water parks, movie theaters and river tubing for 30 days. The executive order takes effect at 8 p.m. and lasts through July 27. “Our expectation is that next week our numbers will be worse, it will take several weeks for the.

Arizona elections officials defend mail-in voting after Trump’s criticism
PHOENIX – Arizona elections officials disputed President Donald Trump’s latest attacks on mail-in voting, which he leveled Tuesday at a Students for Trump rally in north central Phoenix. Because of voting by mail, Trump told the crowd, the November election would be the “most corrupt election in the history of our country.” “And there is.

Arizona lawmakers split on party lines as House passes police reform bill
PHOENIX – Arizona lawmakers split on party lines Thursday as the House passed a Democrat-backed police reform bill on the one-month anniversary of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would ban chokeholds like the one that killed Floyd, restrict police officers’ qualified legal immunity, require.

Williams joins chiefs, mayors seeking ways to improve police-community relations
WASHINGTON – Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams told a national forum Thursday that the pain the nation is going through in the wake of George Floyd’s death could end up being the catalyst for needed change. It was a common sentiment among the mayors and big-city police chiefs from around the country who took part.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Ducey stands firm on staying open, urges Arizonans to ‘do the right thing’
PHOENIX – A somber Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday addressed Arizona’s record surge in COVID-19 cases, urging individuals to slow down and “do the right thing” but taking no new actions. “This is Arizona’s first wave and it will not be our last wave,” he said in a teleconference. “Where we are right now and.

COVID-19 in Arizona: 79 deaths sets record for single-day reporting
Arizona on Wednesday broke its record for the number of COVID-19 deaths reported in a single day, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported. The 79 deaths did not occur on the same day, but they represent the most reported in a single day. The record comes as federal experts are warning about a surge.

Trump tours, touts border wall; critics blast his ‘little pep rally’ in midst of pandemic
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump toured a newly finished section of border wall Tuesday in Yuma, crediting it not only for a reduction in border crossings and drugs but claiming it has helped prevent “a coronavirus catastrophe” on the southern border. Trump, trailing a number of Republican elected officials, was in Arizona to mark the.

Immigration advocates criticize Trump’s new visa restrictions
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday suspending H-1B, L-1, J and other temporary work visas until the end of the year, while also extending the hold on green cards for new immigrants. The suspension is in addition to an earlier order signed April 22, which put a 60-day restriction on the.

Trump in Yuma to mark 216 miles of border wall, still a work in progress
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump is set to visit Yuma Tuesday to celebrate the completion of 216 miles of border wall, well shy of the 450 miles he has pledged to have built by the end of this year. But experts note that the pace of construction has picked up in recent years and that,.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Phoenix mayor says mask requirements won’t be enforced at Trump rally
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump’s scheduled rally in Phoenix on Tuesday will go ahead as planned, and Mayor Kate Gallego has pledged not to enforce local face mask requirements. The announcements came as Arizona’s COVID-19 cases surpassed 50,000 over the weekend. On Friday, Phoenix City Council approved requirements of wearing face masks but Gallego told.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Phoenix City Council votes to mandate masks
PHOENIX – Face masks will be required in Phoenix for people who are outside the home or in restaurants and businesses starting Saturday, June 20, after a 7-2 City Council vote in favor of the policy. “We are in the midst of a pandemic,” Mayor Kate Gallego said Friday, the same day health officials reported.

Census field workers back on Navajo Nation, with work cut out for them
Experts can cite any number of historical and logistical reasons why Native Americans have relatively low response rates to the Census, but Arbin Mitchell points to a very new, and very specific challenge this year – COVID-19. “People need to understand we were just out in the field for three days, from March 15 to.

Ducey recommends mask use, tells cities and counties to make and enforce local rules
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey is recommending Arizonans wear masks in public to slow the spread of COVID-19, but he stopped short of issuing a statewide mandate. Instead, Ducey on Wednesday said city and county governments can implement and enforce their own mandates. After entering the news conference wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Medical professionals urge mask mandate
PHOENIX – With COVID-19 cases rising by more than 1,000 a day since June 10, more than 800 Arizona medical professionals have signed letters urging the state to require the use of face masks in public. Lee Ann Kelley, president of the Maricopa County Medical Society, told Cronkite News on Wednesday that wearing masks in.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Native American communities hit harder than some states, research finds
PHOENIX – The disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on minorities underscores the longstanding failure of federal officials to respond to the needs of Native Americans, Rep. Betty McCollum said Thursday in a subcommittee meeting on the Indian Health Service. “Five tribes are experiencing more instances of coronavirus per 100,000 citizens than any states, including New.

Mayors: COVID-19 followed by second ‘pandemic’ of police relations
WASHINGTON – Cities were already grappling with the health and economic impact of COVID-19 when protests uncovered what one mayor Thursday called the “second pandemic” – a fractured police relationship with minority communities. The comments came in a virtual roundtable discussion with mayors from across the country, including Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, who were asked.

Ducey says state will keep reopening despite surge in COVID-19 cases
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey defended his plan to reopen the state Thursday, attributing concerns about the stark increase in the number of positive cases to misinformation and increased testing. “We put the stay-at-home order in place so that we can prepare for what we’re going through right now,” he told reporters at a news.

Floyd’s brother testifies to House, as lawmakers debate best way forward
WASHINGTON – The brother of George Floyd, whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests, told a somber House committee Wednesday that he hopes his testimony can bring changes so that Floyd’s “death will not be in vain.” “People have come together to make change,” said Philonise Floyd, the lead witness in.

Arizona Democrats among those backing sweeping police reform bill
Congressional Democrats unveiled a sweeping police reform bill Monday that would ban the use of chokeholds and make it easier to hold officers accountable, a bill that one Arizona police group blasted as “one-sided” and “disappointing.” At least three Arizona lawmakers are among more than 200 co-sponsors of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020,.

Phoenix Council OKs budget with $3 million for new police review office
PHOENIX – The City Council approved a sharp increase in funding for a new police oversight office Monday, after first making sure that the extra funds would not cut into a planned 1% pay raise for city workers. The 7-2 vote raised funding for the new Office of Accountability and Transparency from the original $400,000.

Phoenix Council rejects plan to boost funds for police oversight
PHOENIX – The Phoenix City Council narrowly rejected a plan Wednesday that would have sharply increased funding for a newly established civilian oversight committee for the police department. The council voted 5-4 against the proposal to raise funding for the new Office of Accountability and Transparency from $400,000 to $2.9 million, saying it was more.

GOP eyeing new convention sites, raising hopes of Arizona officials
With the Republican National Committee actively seeking new homes for its August convention, some in Arizona are angling for the state to get in line with the long list of other potential suitors. The RNC may still hold part of the convention in Charlotte – or it may not – as officials there say lingering.

Arizona lawmakers see Trump pledge to deploy troops as a promise – or a threat
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump’s pledge to deploy “thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers” to put down protests was seen as either a promise or a threat, depending on which Arizona lawmaker was reacting to his comments. Trump’s comments came in a Rose Garden speech Monday afternoon, as the nation entered its second week.

‘I can’t breathe’: Protesters take to the streets of Phoenix
Americans nationwide have expressed anger and frustration over the continued deaths of black people at the hands of police, particularly the May 25 death of George Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis. But local outrage also has focused on Dion Johnson, 28, who was shot to death the same day by an Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Phoenix officials issue warning to protesters: Officers will not tolerate criminal activity
PHOENIX – Phoenix officials on Saturday braced for another night of protests and said they would continue to allow for peaceful demonstration. However, officers will take action if those demonstrations turn criminal: “To be clear: The level of criminal behavior we saw last night will not be tolerated today,” Police Chief Jeri Williams said. City.

Mayors glad to get COVID-19 relief funding, wish it had arrived sooner
WASHINGTON – Mayors around the state said they welcome the $441 million in COVID-19 relief funding released by the state this week – they just wish they could have welcomed it sooner. “The fact that this has taken so long, it’s sad,” said Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans, one of several local leaders who said this.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Schools and youth sports to reopen; death toll at 857
PHOENIX – Arizona schools will reopen this fall, and youth sports will return this summer, Gov. Doug Ducey told reporters Thursday. The move comes despite the fact Arizona remains in phase one of federal guidelines for reopening. Although different schools will have different needs and reopen dates, Ducey said, “we can tailor guidance to meet.

Cities, counties to get $441 million in direct COVID-19 relief funds
WASHINGTON – Arizona cities and counties will get access to nearly $600 million in COVID-19 relief funding, part of the more than $1.8 billion awarded two months ago to Arizona under the federal CARES Act. Larger jurisdictions received their funds directly from the federal government, but Gov. Doug Ducey said Wednesday that the remaining cities.

Mexico changes renewable energy rules, citing COVID-19 pandemic
MEXICO CITY – The COVID-19 pandemic has given the Mexican government an opportunity to make changes to its renewable energy market. And some fear this could bring higher rates, less investment and more state control. In late April, the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador instructed new renewable energy plants to yield the production to.

Report: Treasury formula for COVID-19 funding shortchanges some tribes
Arizona tribes were among those who could get too much – or too little – COVID-19 relief funding under a Treasury Department funding formula that is based on “probably not the best numbers,” according to the author of a new report. The policy brief from the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development and the.

Buckeye bumped from top spot; Valley cities still post big population gains
PHOENIX – The city of Buckeye got bumped from the top spot for population growth rate in 2019, but its 56.6% population increase since 2010 was still enough to make it the second-fastest growing city in the nation for the decade. New city and town population estimates released Thursday by the Census Bureau show Buckeye’s.

Scottsdale mayor says COVID-19 hurt U.S. ‘psyche’ along with economy
WASHINGTON – The financial and health effects of COVID-19 have been well documented, but Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane said Wednesday that he is just as concerned about the impact the pandemic has had on the American psyche. “It was a gut punch to go from a strong economy to shutdown,” Lane said during a webinar.

No pressing the flesh, but candidates learn to campaign under COVID-19
TEMPE – In any other election year, Eva Putzova would be driving across Arizona’s sprawling 1st District to get to in-person campaign events in her challenge to Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Sedona. But this is not any other election year. Faced with the stay-home orders and social distancing brought on by the coronavirus, Putzova and her.

State taking steps to reopen economy, but reviving it could take years
WASHINGTON – Arizona took another tentative step toward reopening the state’s economy Monday, when dine-in restaurants were allowed to resume limited service. But while reopening the economy could come relatively swiftly, experts say reviving the economy could take years. As businesses shuttered by COVID-19 and resulting high unemployment have led to a collapse in sales.

Trump’s Phoenix trip first in weeks, as he aims to ‘move around’ more
PHOENIX – President Donald Trump will visit Phoenix next week to tour a Honeywell facility that was revamped last month to make N95 masks, his first trip away from the Washington area in more than a month. Trump disclosed the trip Wednesday during a White House meeting on reopening the U.S. in the face of.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Trump to visit Phoenix mask maker during Ducey stay-home order
A White House official confirmed Wednesday that President Donald Trump will visit the Phoenix Honeywell facility for an industry event May 5, despite Gov. Doug Ducey extending his stay-at-home order to May 15. The visit marks the first time the president has traveled outside Washington, D.C., since the end of March. The visit is meant.

Plan to ‘revive’ uranium mining called unneeded, unwanted by advocates
PHOENIX – Environmentalists are blasting a Trump administration call for “bold action to revive and strengthen the uranium mining industry,” an industry whose history they say has left a “toxic trail” through the Grand Canyon. They are responding to a report last week by the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Fuel Working Group, which called for.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Mayors will await governor’s lead on reopening state
PHOENIX – During an online roundtable discussion Tuesday, four Arizona mayors discussed economic challenges facing their cities as they await Gov. Doug Ducey’s decision on reopening the state. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has requested that Ducey allow mayors to be a part of the decision process on whether to extend or keep the stay-at-home order,.

Upstart head start: Some challengers better funded than incumbents
TEMPE – The coronavirus had already made 2020 an unusual election year when campaign finance reports added another twist, showing challengers in some congressional races raising far more than the incumbents they hope to unseat. Democratic hopeful Mark Kelly continued to lead all Senate candidates, bringing in $11 million in the first quarter of 2020.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Testing allowed for more people under new guidelines
The Arizona Department of Health Services is expanding its criteria for COVID-19 testing beyond high-risk people and those with symptoms of the disease, according to a blog post Thursday. “Today, we issued updated standing orders, expanding the criteria for testing to anyone who thinks they have been exposed to and could be infected with COVID-19,”.

House OKs $484 billion in COVID-19 relief, loans could go out this week
WASHINGTON – Money could start flowing to distressed small businesses as early as this week, after the House overwhelmingly approved a $484 billion measure that refills the exhausted Paycheck Protection Program and adds funds for hospitals and other services. The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act passed 388-5 Thursday during an unusual session.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Elective surgeries to resume, despite projected peak in mid-May
Despite health officials’ projections that Arizona won’t see its peak in cases until the middle of next month, Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order Wednesday lifting restrictions on health facilities conducting elective surgeries as of May 1. Ducey signed the order after saying that hospitals have reported an increased availability of personal protective equipment,.

Critics say Trump order on immigration does little but stir up anxiety
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s executive order suspending immigration in the face of the coronavirus will “not have much of an effect” on the jobs the president said he’s trying to protect, experts on both sides of the issue said Wednesday. The order, signed Wednesday, will deny visas to new immigrants for 60 days but.

More questions than answers to Trump threat of immigration suspension
PHOENIX – Immigration experts and advocates aren’t sure how to assess President Donald Trump’s Monday evening tweet announcing his intention to temporarily suspend immigration, but they reject the idea that immigrants will compete with thousands of Americans thrown out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they suggest his administration concentrate on making more.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Ducey ‘cautiously optimistic’ about reopening next month, single-day death toll hits a record 21
PHOENIX – With Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina starting to reopen businesses, Arizona approaches next week’s end of the governor’s stay-at-home order with no clear indication of whether it will be extended. But on Monday – after protesters at the Capitol called for the state to reopen – Gov. Doug Ducey told KVOA he is.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Protesters demand that Arizona reopen; experts say far more testing is needed first
PHOENIX – Hundreds of protesters gathered Monday in a so-called Patriots Rally, waving signs and cheering as speakers near the state Capitol demanded that Gov. Doug Ducey reopen the state despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the participants in the rally at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, which was organized by a Facebook group called Operation.

Tribal leaders struggle against ‘very slow’ allocation of COVID-19 aid
PHOENIX – The Navajo Nation has the country’s third-highest rate of COVID-19 infections, but it has had to watch as funds go to less hard-hit areas in a “very slow” federal aid process, Navajo President Jonathan Nez said Friday. Nez was one of several tribal leaders from around the country participating in a virtual House.

Businesses hurry up and wait, as relief funds dry up, new fund stalls
WASHINGTON – Mesa business owner Savannah Sanders said it felt like getting “a bomb dropped on you”: Shortly after being approved for a loan to keep her business afloat, the bank said the federal loan program was out of money. Now Sanders, like business owners across the country, will have to wait while Congress wrangles.

Trump taps three Arizona lawmakers for ‘opening America again’ group
PHOENIX – Both Arizona senators and a House member were named Thursday to President Donald Trump’s “Opening Up America Again” task force, which is charged with looking at ways to start easing business and social restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus. It’s hardly an exclusive club – Trump named 32 House members and 65 senators.

Arizona Supreme Court, coping with COVID-19, hears first case via video
TEMPE – Joshua Carden had reason to be nervous as he argued his first case before the Arizona Supreme Court this week – never mind that he also had to argue that case over video from an office in his basement. Carden was one of the first attorneys to argue before the justices via video.

COVID-19 in Arizona: State to provide antibody tests to first responders, add drive-thrus for public
PHOENIX – Arizona soon will have access to two drive-thru testing centers and the capability to test first responders and health care workers for COVID-19 antibodies, Gov. Doug Ducey said at a press conference Tuesday. The state so far has conducted more than 45,000 tests for the disease, according to the latest numbers released Wednesday,.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Navajo leaders exposed to illness; state to get 100 ventilators from FEMA stockpile
PHOENIX – Leaders of the Navajo Nation are self-quarantining after being exposed to a COVID-19 patient amid an outbreak that has killed more than 20 members of their tribe. President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer were in close proximity to a first responder on Tuesday who later was confirmed positive for the novel.

Sanders drops out, but Arizona supporters say they are still in the fight
TEMPE – Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders suspended his 2020 Democratic presidential bid Wednesday, but his Arizona supporters said they will still push his message of Medicare for all, eliminating student debt and raising the minimum wage. “He’s changed the paradigm in American politics and we’re never going to go back,” said Dan O’Neal. He said.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Two inmates test positive; state gets a ‘C’ in social distancing
PHOENIX – Two Arizona prison inmates who tested positive for COVID-19 have been isolated and are receiving treatment, Arizona Department of Corrections officials told the Arizona Republic Tuesday. The first inmate tested positive for the novel coronavirus that causes the deadly disease, despite twice testing negative in March. Where the inmate had been imprisoned and.

Rx for a feud: Ducey COVID-19 treatment order splits health officials
TEMPE – While President Donald Trump touts an anti-malarial drug as a possible coronavirus treatment, Gov. Doug Ducey is allowing its use in limited circumstances in Arizona – dividing advocates over whether he’s gone too far or not far enough. The debate comes just two weeks after an Arizona couple was hospitalized – and the.

COVID-19 in Arizona: Immigration employees test positive, small-business evictions halted
PHOENIX – Three U.S. Customs and Border Patrol employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in Arizona, bringing the number of confirmed cases among CBP employees in the state to six as of Sunday, April 5. Nationwide, there have been 160 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among CBP employees, according to the agency’s website. No deaths have.
