Arizonans host a range of events to mark brand-new Juneteenth holiday
WASHINGTON - The federal Juneteenth holiday may be brand new, but you might not know it from the number of celebrations already planned to mark the day in Arizona, with celebrations across the state scheduled to start Friday night and continue through Saturday evening.
ASU students react to Ducey’s order blocking mask and vaccination policies
TEMPE – Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order banning Arizona universities and community colleges from requiring unvaccinated students to wear masks and to get tested regularly. Students weigh in on the order.
Tempe mayor calls for ‘continued and increased’ housing, transit funds
WASHINGTON - Tempe Mayor Corey Woods told a Senate panel that cities like his need federal funding for affordable housing and public transit, saying local investment alone cannot do the job. His testimony came as Washington wrangles over massive infrastructure proposals.
Airport, TSA officials say as passengers return, so do security delays
PHOENIX - Due to the low volume of air travelers at the height of the pandemic, getting through security was quick and easy. But passengers are coming back and travelers now should come prepared for a process that's a bit more difficult, officials say.
Sister act: Sister cities, many in Arizona, step up if nations falter
PHOENIX - When President Dwight Eisenhower unveiled the forerunner to Sister Cities International, he saw the federal government as a sometime obstacle to world peace and encouraged local communities to do their part. When the pandemic hit, that’s exactly what they did.
Concert, theater owners call pandemic relief fund efforts a ‘disaster’
WASHINGTON - Arizona business owners said a federal program aimed at helping theaters and concert venues shuttered by COVID-19 "has been a disaster," taking until this month to deliver the first grants from a fund that was approved last year.
Ducey to terminate federal unemployment benefits for Arizonans
PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and about half of other state governors have decided to prematurely end the increased unemployment benefits that President Joe Biden had promised would be in place until Sept. 4. Starting July 10, Ducey will end the extra $300 per week benefit for Arizonans.
Unfinished border barriers harm environment, National Park Service, Arizona rancher say
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT – Fifth-generation rancher Kelly Glenn-Kimbro and the National Park Service’s Rijk Morawe agree that Trump’s border wall – as it stands – has failed to secure the southern border but has significantly damaged landscapes and habitat.
Arizona secretary of state, former TV anchor and others join 2022 governor race
TEMPE – As more prominent Democrat and Republican candidates announce their candidacy for governor of Arizona, here’s the breakdown of the major players.
Cities wait, worry over state budget that poses ‘huge hit’ to revenues
WASHINGTON - With less than four weeks remaining in this fiscal year, local governments in Arizona are anxiously watching state budget negotiations that they fear could end up delivering a "huge hit" to city and town finances.
Do voting laws protect or restrict access? House echoes state debate
WASHINGTON - House members stuck largely to talking points at a hearing on the effect that voter ID laws have on election access, with Republicans dismissing suggestions that they hit minority voters harder and Democrats citing a string of studies that say they do.
Election officials can fight fraud; fighting misinformation is tougher
WASHINGTON - Maricopa County's chief information security officer said the county handled cyberthreats to the 2020 elections, but handling public perception of the results in the face of rampant social media misinformation has been more of a challenge.
