Shadegg changes mind, will run again
• Arizona RepublicU.S. Congressman John Shadegg announced that he will run for re-election, changing a surprise decision he announced last week that he would retire.
Page Two
Rep. Flake on a taxpayer funded vacation junket to Rio de Janeiro
• Arizona RepublicMesa or Rio. Which city would you choose? Rep. Jeff Flake opted for Rio de Janeiro, home to Ipanema Beach and Sugarloaf Mountain. While Congress is on recess, Flake traveled on official congressional business to talk about global warming
Former Arizona Governor Evan Mecham Dead at 83
• East Valley TribuneArizona's political history turned on Evan Mecham. The former governor ran as an outsider, a self-styled political reformer doing battle with what he deemed the corrupt elite, a cabal of crooked politicians, wealthy power brokers and their pawns
QC won't refer wrong-doing accusations
• East Valley TribuneClaims of wrong-doing against Queen Creek Town Councilwoman Lisa Coletto-Cohen won’t be forwarded to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. An item to consider forwarding possible conflict-of-interest violations was removed from the agenda at the req
$heriff Joe and Andy Thoma$ going to co$t the county taxpayer$ million$ again?
• Phoenix New TimesNew Times submitted a formal Notice of Claim against the public officials responsible for a fiasco that saw the trampling of the First Amendment rights of this newspaper and its readers, and culminated in the jailing of its founders, Michael Lacey an
ASU idea: Disclose student mental health files
• East Valley TribuneASU might require students to disclose their mental health histories as part of a slew of tough safety measures that top officials are considering after two mass killings at U.S. universities in the past year.
Non-legislative approved Loop 101 camera$ likely to get exten$ion
• East Valley TribuneMeanwhile, DP$ is $oliciting propo$al$ for a broad $tatewide contract that will include camera$ at up to 170 location$. These include 90 fixed $peed camera$, red-light camera$ at up to 30 inter$ections, 40 mobile $peed van$ and 10 mobile red-light va
Gilbert: Berman recall signs not legal
• East Valley TribuneA Gilbert resident seeking to recall Mayor Steve Berman is being asked to take down recall signs that town officials say are illegal because they’re not considered political. [No freedom of speech or elections in Gilbert when you go after one of them
Strapped for highway funds, Arizona considering tolls
• Arizona RepublicPay-as-you-go roads have eased congestion on clogged highways and brought states much-needed revenue. But toll roads, often created through partnerships with private business, also come with heavy opposition and battles over control.
Lawmakers move to block plan for photo enforcement
• Arizona RepublicSome legislators are moving to erect a roadblock in front of Gov. Janet Napolitano's plan to have the state use speed enforcement cameras on highways around Arizona.
AJ officials mum on school harassment probe
• East Valley TribunePolice are investigating whether an Apache Junction High School security guard behaved inappropriately with a 16-year-old female student. The mother of the girl alleging the abuse along with Will McElroy, another security guard at the high school,
Super-Sized Subsidies
• Goldwater InstituteThe local Super Bowl Host Committee shoveled out about $17 million for the weeklong Super Bowl party in Phoenix. Some are lobbying to have the legislature make taxpayers bear more of the expense of bringing the Super Bowl back to Phoenix in 2012.
Ariz. bankruptcy rates rise 63 percent
• Arizona RepublicArizona bankruptcies remain at elevated levels as the economy slows and credit ills linger, though the pace of increase may be easing. The 967 statewide filings in January represented a 63-percent gain over January 2007, according to the U.S. Bankrup
Lawmakers say Ariz. revenue shortfall reportedly worsening
• Arizona RepublicThe state's budget picture apparently is again getting worse than previously estimated, with January tax collections pointing toward a revenue shortfall well over $1 billion, two Senate leaders said Monday.
CONNECTING THE DOTS
Republicans' John McCain to Become Their Waterloo
Frosty WooldridgeJohn McCain does more harm to Arizona than illegal aliens. He invites them in, helps them stay, gives them the Dream Act, votes for amnesty and voted for doubling legal immigration to two million annually. Is John McCain an American or a Mexican? W
Arizona Rep. Shadegg won't seek re-election to Congress
• Arizona RepublicSaying he never intended to be a professional politician, Arizona Rep. John Shadegg announced Monday that he will not seek re-election to an eighth term in Congress, but he would love to run for U.S. Senate. [no fun being in the minority]
Records must be released in timely fashion, court rules
• Reporters Committee for Freedom of the PressA unanimous Arizona appeals panel declared sheriff's [Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio] "inattentiveness" created unjustified delays and violated the state records act.
DPS may deploy more cameras than governor envisioned in budget
• Arizona RepublicThe Department of Public Safety is telling potential bidders to be prepared to put up to 170 speed and red-light cameras systems along Arizona highways and at intersections. More than 100 anticipated under Gov. Janet Napolitano's recent proposed
CONNECTING THE DOTS
Senator John McCain and Brain Dead American Voters
Frosty WooldridgeEinstein said there are two things infinite: "The universe and human stupidity!" Voting McCain into the GOP lead for the office of president shows Americans do not possess a grasp on reality. McCain has not done this country any good or t
Court to determine merit of Ariz. scholarship credit
• Arizona RepublicMoney that helps to send about 25,000 kids to private and religious schools will be on the line Thursday as a federal appeals court hears oral arguments in an eight-year-old challenge to Arizona's scholarship-tax-credit law.
When your citizens will be unemployed shift their fair share from income to sales tax
• East Valley TribuneArizona voters may get the chance to scrap the state income tax on what they earn in favor of expanded sales taxes on what they buy. The proposal would establish a levy on every transaction in the state including services that now are exempt.
County attorney crime pamphlet costly
• East Valley TribuneCounty Attorney Andrew Thomas charged more than $188,000 to taxpayers just to print 600,000 slick glossy crime prevention handbooks featuring his name and picture inserted into newspapers to launch his re-election campaign.
Oro Valley Town Clerk Kathryn Cuvelier Tries To Intimidate Blogger
• Arizona Daily StarThe clear intent of the town was to silence political opposition, Bolick said. Should the town keep after the blogger, Bolick said he is prepared to take legal action against Oro Valley on Segal's behalf.
AZ Governor gives state of the state speech
• APA billion dollars in the hole and all Governor Napolitano can think about is more spending, and more taxes. Incredible. Not only will she not consider slashing the budget, she chastised the legiscritters for contemplating cuts in the budget.
Pima County Sheriff Back-Peddles on Border Patrol Cross-Certification
• Arizona Daily Star"These jurisdictions are separate for a reason," said Three Points resident Jason Stone, who complained about the Border Patrol's aggressive tactics. "Once we start giving the federal government this authority, we give up our right
Southern AZ: DHS Checkpoint - Day 2 Video
Terry BressiAs indicated in my earlier post, the Homeland Security Checkpoint was up and running for a second day near mile marker 146 on Southern Arizona's State Route 86. I arrived at the checkpoint and videotaped the encounter shortly after 4:00 pm.
Southern Arizona Homeland Security Checkpoint - Day 2
Terry BressiThis an an update on Day 2 of a suspicionless Southern Arizona checkpoint being conducted by the Department of Homeland Security. The checkpoint is currently located near mile post 146 on Arizona State Route 86 - over 40 miles North of the internatio
Homeland Security Checkpoint Video Now Available
Terry BressiThis is an update to my earlier post regarding an internal Homeland Security checkpoint currently being operated on Southern Arizona's State Route 86 near Mile Post 146. Video and a writeup regarding my encounter is now available.
Pima County Sheriff Dupnik To Cross-Certify Border Patrol Agents
• Arizona Daily Star"There is a creeping federalization of the entire legal system, especially around immigration issues," he said. "It portends serious risks of racial profiling, of violation of civil rights and of community disruption.
In Phoenix tonight: Look up in the air, it's . . . Ron Paul!
• Steve CoombsFrom 6:30pm til 10:30pm tonight Ron Paul will be appearing in lights over the Phoenix area as a nighttime advertising plane buzzes the valley. Have your camera ready and post your footage.
Watch Streaming Broadcast Live:
