Arizona’s defunct border wall leaves trail of runaway costs, error-filled invoices and questions about state’s oversight

PHOENIX – Records show Arizona’s defunct border wall cost twice the initial estimate and raise questions about the state’s oversight of the controversial, $194 million project.

The first containers were placed in Yuma County in August 2022. They were taken down four months later. (Photo by Alex Appel/Howard Center for Investigative Journalism)

Arizona education leaders unveil ‘Everything to Gain’ campaign about importance of post-high school education

PHOENIX – Education Forward Arizona and business leaders reveal a new campaign to raise awareness about Arizona’s education goal: To have 60% of Arizonans with college degrees or certificates by 2030.

Rich Nickel, president and CEO of Education Forward Arizona, has spent nearly 30 years helping students with financial need achieve their education goals. (Photo by Evelin Ruelas/Cronkite News)

Supreme Court pooh-poohs Arizona firm’s parody defense in trademark case

WASHINGTON - A Scottsdale company that makes doggy chew toys spoofing Jack Daniel's and other brands is not protected from trademark infringement suits by its claim that it was merely parodying, not appropriating, those brands, the Supreme Court ruled.


State legislators host town hall on guardianship abuses and hear brutal realities of probate court

PHOENIX – Legislators outline a proposed bill that would provide healthier methods of guardianship in a town hall meeting at Arizona State University’s downtown Phoenix campus.

State legislators and disability advocates attend a legislative town hall to discuss Arizona’s guardianship process and offer alternatives for consideration in the next legislative session. (Photo by Evelin Ruelas/Cronkite News)

LIV Golf, PGA Tour merger bring money, power and ethics to forefront

PHOENIX – In a move that shook up the golf world, LIV Golf and the PGA Tour reached an agreement to merge the rival organizations. The move brought plenty of backlash and even more questions.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said the organization's decision to merge with LIV Golf was "in the best interest of all of the members of the PGA Tour." (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Defiant Republicans block gas stove bills in anger over debt ceiling

WASHINGTON - Conservative Republicans, including two from Arizona, took what was expected to be a routine party-line vote Tuesday on bills reining in federal bureaucrats and turned it into a referendum on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.


Senate passes 11th-hour debt ceiling bill, heading off threat of default

WASHINGTON - The Senate gave final approval late Thursday to a bill to suspend the debt ceiling, just days before Monday's "X-date" when Treasury officials said the government would run out of money and default on its debts.


Sinema sides with GOP on bill blocking Biden’s student debt relief plan

WASHINGTON - Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema joined two Democrats and all Senate Republicans Thursday to narrowly approve a bill overturning a federal program that would provide student debt relief to 16 million people, including more than 300,000 in Arizona.


Arizona delegation in rare agreement on debt limit bill – nobody likes it

WASHINGTON - The House Wednesday approved a debt-limit bill that was almost universally disliked, but which some lawmakers said they would vote for because failing to do so could spark a default on the nation's debt. Arizona lawmakers were split on the plan.


Room to boom: Pinal County housing grew at fastest rate in state

WASHINGTON - It's unclear which came first in Pinal County, the houses or the people filling them. What is clear is that both continue growing at some of the fastest rates in the state and, in some instances, the nation.


Experts: Arizona economy could be hit hard if default is in our stars

WASHINGTON - If the U.S. defaults on its debt, that's not be good news for anyone, but economists say it would be particularly bad news for Arizona. Tourism would likely be hit hard by a long-term breach in the nation's debt payments, according to a new report.


With pandemic in the rearview mirror, Memorial Day travel expected to boom

WASHINGTON - Memorial Day weekend travelers are expected to pack roads and airports at or above pre-pandemic levels this year, with experts saying that an estimated 42.3 million Americans are likely to travel. Of those, about 887,000 will be from Arizona.