Tucson Sentinel @TucsonSentinel@mastodon.tucsonsentinel.com

Congress sidesteps shutdown with 11-hour budget patch https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/122124_congress_budget_patch/congress-sidesteps-shutdown-with-11-hour-budget-patch/
Congress survived yet another fiscal near miss Friday night, as lawmakers in both chambers agreed to advance a stopgap budget that extends funding for federal programs through the spring and averted a government shutdown just days before the Christmas holiday.
#Tucson #Arizona

House passes bill to avert government shutdown at last minute; Senate next https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/122024_house_spending/house-passes-bill-avert-government-shutdown-last-minute-senate-next/
The U.S. House finally approved a stopgap spending bill Friday night that will keep the government open for a few more months, after a raucous 48 hours that served as a preview of what President-elect Donald Trump’s second term in office might look like.
#Tucson #Arizona

Arizona moves to regulate rural groundwater pumping near Willcox https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/122024_willcox_water/arizona-moves-regulate-rural-groundwater-pumping-near-willcox/
Despite community protests, Arizona designated its seventh groundwater active management area in the southeast corner of the state when state Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke made the sole decision to regulate groundwater pumping in the Wilcox Basin.
#Tucson #Arizona

Enviros: Water-level in San Pedro River falling below court-ordered requirements https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/121824_san_pedro_water_levels/enviros-water-level-san-pedro-river-falling-below-court-ordered-requirements/
Three of four monitoring gauges show water-levels in the San Pedro River have dropped below court-ordered levels, the Center for Biological Diversity said Tuesday.
#Tucson #Arizona

Gov. Hobbs touts success of first-time homebuyer program in Tucson https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/122024_hobbs_home/gov-hobbs-touts-success-first-time-homebuyer-program-tucson/
Gov. Katie Hobbs visited Tucson Friday morning to tout the success of her administration’s Arizona is Home program, announced in April, which distributes $13 million to up to 500 first-time homebuyers throughout the state.
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Tucson Cox boss Lisa Lovallo retiring at end of year https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/122024_lovallo_retires/tucson-cox-boss-lisa-lovallo-retiring-end-year/
Cox Southern Arizona Vice President Lisa Lovallo is retiring at the end of December.
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Outgoing Cox Southern Az VP: Community 'could do better' https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/122024_lovallo_interview/outgoing-cox-southern-az-vp-community-could-do-better/
An exit interview with Cox Southern Arizona Market Vice President Lisa Lovallo.
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Lack of oversight, coordination hinder efforts to reform Az’s rise in maternal mortality https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/122024_maternal_mortality/lack-oversight-coordination-hinder-efforts-reform-azs-rise-maternal-mortality/
Despite an increase in efforts to confront alarmingly high rates of maternal deaths, a lack of strategic oversight and coordination, exacerbated by budget and staffing constraints, has hindered comprehensive reform.
#Tucson #Arizona

Wadsack taking driving course to resolve criminal speeding charge; Judge rejects 'privilege' claim https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/121924_wadsack_trial/wadsack-taking-driving-course-resolve-criminal-speeding-charge-judge-rejects-privilege-claim/
Updated: Update: Arizona Sen. Justine Wadsack, a local Republican, will not face a trial next week after she agreed to take a defense driving class, effectively ending a criminal speeding case that helped unmoor her seat in the state Legislature.
#Tucson #Arizona

Hobbs calls for end to Az school voucher program’s automatic reimbursement plan https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/122024_hobbs_vouchers/hobbs-calls-end-az-school-voucher-programs-automatic-reimbursement-plan/
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs is urging Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne not move forward with a plan to automate the approval process for some of Arizona’s school voucher program reimbursements.
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Trump’s vow to repeal regs on coal power plants will hamper climate change fight https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/122024_carbon_climate/trumps-vow-repeal-regs-coal-power-plants-will-hamper-climate-change-fight/
By 2032, operators of coal-fired power plants and new gas-fired plants will be required to install equipment that cuts 90% of greenhouse emissions - but Donald Trump could revoke that rule and others aimed at slowing climate change.
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9th Circuit gives immunity to Phoenix officers accused of excessive force https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/122024_officer_immunity/9th-circuit-gives-immunity-phoenix-officers-accused-excessive-force/
The Ninth Circuit granted qualified immunity to Phoenix police officers accused of using excessive force to quell a protest outside a Donald Trump rally in 2017.
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Government shutdown still on the table as House stalls on budget patch https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/122024_federal_shutdown/government-shutdown-still-table-as-house-stalls-budget-patch/
A costly government shutdown appeared closer than ever as the House failed to advance a Republican-led stopgap budget bill that Democrats — and even some in the GOP — said was a political nonstarter.
#Tucson #Arizona

Sen. Wadsack heads to traffic trial next week after judge rejects 'privilege' arguments https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/121924_wadsack_trial/sen-wadsack-heads-traffic-trial-next-week-after-judge-rejects-privilege-arguments/
On Dec. 23, Arizona Sen. Justine Wadsack, a local Republican, will appear in Tucson City Court facing a criminal speeding charge for allegedly driving her Tesla down Speedway at more than 70 mph, and for not providing proof of insurance.
#Tucson #Arizona

Conover: 4 years of Pima County prosecutions suggests death penalty is completely unnecessary https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/121924_conover_death_penalty_op/conover-4-years-pima-county-prosecutions-suggests-death-penalty-completely-unnecessary/
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover has maintained her opposition to the death penalty, even as fellow Democrats Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes have moved to resume executions in Arizona.
#Tucson #Arizona

Arizona unemployment down half a point since last year, gains reported in healthcare https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/121924_az_jobs_report/arizona-unemployment-down-half-point-since-last-year-gains-reported-healthcare/
Arizona's unemployment rate dropped half a percent since last year. Gains were reported in healthcare, trades and business services.
#Tucson #Arizona

Judge blocks new Arizona election rules, including on certifying results https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/121924_election_rules/judge-blocks-new-arizona-election-rules-including-certifying-results/
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes exceeded his authority in several instances when making changes to the state’s election manual last year, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled, and the state will now be blocked from enforcing these particular rules.
#Tucson #Arizona

TPD's community service officers help enforce the law without guns or badges https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/121924_tpd_cso/tpds-community-service-officers-help-enforce-law-without-guns-or-badges/
The Tucson Police Department's CSOs respond to nonviolent calls such as traffic accidents, freeing up police officers to handle more complex calls. The city plans to expand the program, reflecting a broader shift towards community-focused strategies.
#Tucson #Arizona

She still doesn't get it: Sinema's farewell address doubles as democracy-killing confessional https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/121924_sinema_farewell_op/she-still-doesnt-get-it-sinemas-farewell-address-doubles-as-democracy-killing-confessional/
What Sen. Sinema's farewell address got so wrong is that the U.S. Senate exists primarily as a social club. The institution comes first among members and serving the people is a distant eighth.
#Tucson #Arizona

Spending impasse threatens to close national park system https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/121924_nps_budget/spending-impasse-threatens-close-national-park-system/
The National Park System could close Saturday if Congress can't move past its budget impasse and fund the federal government, and rejection of the proposed budget package would block delivery of $2.3 billion to help park units impacted by tornadoes, wildfires, and hurricanes.
#Tucson #Arizona