Tucson City Manager Mike Ortega, longest-serving in decades, set to leave after 8.5 years https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011224_ortega_retire/tucson-city-manager-mike-ortega-longest-serving-decades-set-leave-after-85-years/
After more than 8 years on the job, Tucson City Manager Mike Ortega will step down after the next budget is in place, he told the Tucson Sentinel on Friday. He's the second-longest-serving top city staffer ever.
#Tucson #Arizona
Az's Governor’s Office of Tribal Relations recommended for renewal until 2028 https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/011224_tribal_renewal/azs-governors-office-tribal-relations-recommended-renewal-until-2028/
Members of the Arizona House Government Committee who were present voted unanimously to pass the renewal of the Governor’s Office of Tribal Relations - revitalized to its current form as a way to assist state agencies in implementing Tribal consultation and outreach activities - until 2028.
#Tucson #Arizona
Abortion foes launch campaign against Arizona ballot initiative, spread misinformation https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011224_abortion_rights/abortion-foes-launch-campaign-against-arizona-ballot-initiative-spread-misinformation/
Opponents of the initiative to make abortion access a right in Arizona have launched a campaign against it, using alarmist language and hyperbolic claims to turn Arizona voters away.
#Tucson #Arizona
Why Arizona is worried about finishing presidential election on time but other states aren’t https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011224_voting_timing/why-arizona-worried-finishing-presidential-election-time-but-other-states-arent/
The officials who run Arizona’s elections put out a blunt reminder last week: If lawmakers don’t soon change key dates related to the upcoming presidential election, military voters may get their ballots late, and results might not be delivered to Congress in time.
#Tucson #Arizona
Phoenix asks DOJ to end federal oversight of police reforms https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011224_phx_doj_police/phoenix-asks-doj-end-federal-oversight-police-reforms/
Three years into a Department of Justice investigation of Phoenix police, Arizona’s capital city on Thursday asked the DOJ to allow it to reform its department without federal oversight.
#Tucson #Arizona
Navajo president calls for new VA medical, benefits centers at House hearing https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011224_rural_veterans/navajo-president-calls-new-va-medical-benefits-centers-house-hearing/
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren called on lawmakers to put Veterans Affairs medical and benefits centers on the reservation to help deliver services that he said Indigenous veterans have earned but often cannot access.
#Tucson #Arizona
Children’s nutrition program, revved up in pandemic, faces severe cuts https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/011324_wic_nutrition_cuts/childrens-nutrition-program-revved-up-pandemic-faces-severe-cuts/
A federal program built to improve nutrition for new mothers and kids is growing for the first time in over a decade, thanks to changes made during the pandemic, but continuing to pay for the additional participants may be difficult.
#Tucson #Arizona
The Conflationists: Purveyors of the emerging far-right narrative on the U.S.-Mexico border https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011124_border_conflation_op/the-conflationists-purveyors-emerging-far-right-narrative-us-mexico-border/
In spending time along the border as a volunteer and journalist, I found that some right-wing media personalities are less interested in learning about the root causes of the migration crisis than the attention they get from spreading reactionary rhetoric
#Tucson #Arizona
Respiratory bugs on the rise in Southern Arizona https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011124_respiratory_season/respiratory-bugs-rise-southern-arizona/
Between holiday gatherings and children returning to classrooms, local officials are warning that Pima County has high transmission rates of respiratory diseases such as the common cold, COVID, flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus.
#Tucson #Arizona
Tucson city contractors must pay 'prevailing wage' after Council vote https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011124_prevailing_wage_op/tucson-city-contractors-must-pay-prevailing-wage-after-council-vote/
The Tucson City Council voted unanimously this week to require a prevailing wage on contracted work, just hours after Phoenix became the first city in the state to establish such a policy. A ruling from Attorney General Kris Mayes paved the path for the ordinance.
#Tucson #Arizona
NCAA adopts rules to create NIL deals database, registry as convention opens in Phoenix https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/sports/report/011124_ncaa_nil_database/ncaa-adopts-rules-create-nil-deals-database-registry-as-convention-opens-phoenix/
The NCAA approved a package of rules that call for creation of a database of NIL deals that could be accessed by athletes and universities, and a registry of companies that want to work with athletes, a move inspired by the need for more transparency and clarity.
#Tucson #Arizona
Aztec men have 6-game winning streak snapped by Chandler-Gilbert https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/sports/report/011024_pcc_mens_basketball/aztec-men-have-6-game-winning-streak-snapped-by-chandler-gilbert/
The Pima Community College men’s basketball team (14-2, 6-2 in ACCAC) had a six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday in a battle between two NJCAA Division II ranked teams.
#Tucson #Arizona
Hoffmeyer's posts double-double as Pima women cruise passed Chandler-Gilbert https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/sports/report/011024_pcc_womens_basketball/hoffmeyers-posts-double-double-as-pima-women-cruise-passed-chandler-gilbert/
The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (12-4, 7-2 in ACCAC) proved too much to handle on Wednesday against Chandler-Gilbert Community College (8-8, 3-5).
#Tucson #Arizona
High court takes issue with substitute expert testimony in Arizona drug case https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011124_scotus_testimony/high-court-takes-issue-with-substitute-expert-testimony-arizona-drug-case/
The majority of Supreme Court justices took issue with substitute expert testimony presented in an Arizona man’s drug conviction, signaling a narrow ruling finding his Sixth Amendment rights had been violated.
#Tucson #Arizona
Hobbs dedicates $89 million to help the unhoused, build more affordable housing https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011124_hobbs_housing/hobbs-dedicates-89-million-help-unhoused-build-more-affordable-housing/
Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Department of Housing announced an investment of $89 million for homelessness assistance and to create new affordable housing options across the state as Arizona, and the nation, have been seeing a spike in the number of evictions the past few months. .
#Tucson #Arizona
Hobbs reaffirms ‘open door’ policy in first ever tribal State of the State address https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011124_hobbs_tribal_sots/hobbs-reaffirms-open-door-policy-first-ever-tribal-state-state-address/
In the first-ever Indian Nations & Tribes State of the State Address, Gov. Katie Hobbs outlined her commitments to Arizona’s 22 tribal nations and her affirmation of an open-door policy within her administration for tribes.
#Tucson #Arizona
Republicans are pushing for drastic asylum changes – an immigration law scholar breaks down the proposal https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/011124_gop_asylum_changes_op/republicans-are-pushing-drastic-asylum-changes-8211-immigration-law-scholar-breaks-down-proposal/
A rise in illegal border crossings has applied significant pressure for changing under what conditions someone can apply for asylum, and conservative Republicans are now proposing changes similar to a DHS rule adopted in 2019 and a policy President Biden is trying to push through.
#Tucson #Arizona
Attorney in Mark Finchem’s election challenge suit sanctioned, ordered to retire https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011024_finchem_attorney_sanctions/attorney-mark-finchems-election-challenge-suit-sanctioned-ordered-retire/
Cave Creek attorney Daniel McCauley, with no experience in election law and who represented former Republican lawmaker Mark Finchem in an election contest that baselessly claimed fraud, has been sanctioned and ordered to retire for at least one year.
#Tucson #Arizona
Appeals court refuses Kari Lake’s appeal to toss Stephen Richer’s defamation case https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011024_lake_appeals/appeals-court-refuses-kari-lakes-appeal-toss-stephen-richers-defamation-case/
The Arizona Court of Appeals declined to take up Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Kari Lake’s request to overturn a lower court judge’s decision not to dismiss Republican Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer’s defamation case.
#Tucson #Arizona
FactCheck: The Haley-DeSantis GOP debate https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/011124_factcheck_gop_debate/factcheck-haley-desantis-gop-debate/
There were several disputes between Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the fifth Republican primary debate, the first of the 2024 election cycle to include only two candidates after Chris Christie dropped out of the presidential race on Wednesday.
#Tucson #Arizona
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