Tucson Sentinel @TucsonSentinel@mastodon.tucsonsentinel.com

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.
#Tucson #Arizona

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.
#Tucson #Arizona

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.
#Tucson #Arizona

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

Fani Willis removed from Trump election interference case by Georgia appeals court https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/121924_willis_removal/fani-willis-removed-from-trump-election-interference-case-by-georgia-appeals-court/
The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office should be removed from the 2020 election interference case against Donald Trump.
#Tucson #Arizona

Gaps in mental health training, rural access to care compound Az’s maternal mortality crisis https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/121924_mental_health_mortality/gaps-mental-health-training-rural-access-care-compound-azs-maternal-mortality-crisis/
Perinatal mental health conditions are among the leading causes of death during or within one year of pregnancy in Arizona, and experts contend many maternal care providers lack the training to correctly administer screenings, simply opt not to, or fail to provide appropriate resources.
#Tucson #Arizona

Feds accuse CVS of boosting profits by filling excessive opioid prescriptions https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/121924_cvs_opioids/feds-accuse-cvs-boosting-profits-by-filling-excessive-opioid-prescriptions/
The U.S. Department of Justice has sued health pharmaceutical giant CVS, claiming that the chain “fed dependence and addiction” on potent opioids when it filled excessive and unlawful prescriptions, then asked federal health insurance programs to foot the bill.
#Tucson #Arizona

Phoenix approves $22 million for new police tasers https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/121924_phoenix_tasers/phoenix-approves-22-million-new-police-tasers/
Just two months after Phoenix police officers repeatedly punched and tased a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy, the city council approved a $22 million contract for even better tasers.
#Tucson #Arizona

U.S. Senate passes defense bill that bars gender-affirming care for service members’ kids https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/121924_trans_defense/us-senate-passes-defense-bill-that-bars-gender-affirming-care-service-members-kids/
The U.S. Senate cleared a national defense authorization bill celebrated for troop pay raises but condemned by Democrats for targeting transgender children in military families, sending the bill to President Joe Biden’s desk.
#Tucson #Arizona

Southern California ports see surge in imports ahead of Trump tariffs https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/121924_import_surge/southern-california-ports-see-surge-imports-ahead-trump-tariffs/
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach reported a surge in imports in November as retailers stock up ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's threatened tariffs on goods from China, Mexico, Canada and other countries.
#Tucson #Arizona

Members of Congress rolled a pay raise for themselves into big must-do spending bill https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/121824_congress_pay/members-congress-rolled-pay-raise-themselves-into-big-must-do-spending-bill/
Members of Congress are in line for their first pay raise since 2009 if they pass a massive stopgap spending measure that would avert a partial government shutdown.
#Tucson #Arizona

Chances for gov't shutdown escalate after Trump & GOP reject stopgap spending bill https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/121924_gop_budget/chances-govt-shutdown-escalate-after-trump-gop-reject-stopgap-spending-bill/
Efforts to prevent a partial government shutdown from starting this weekend fell apart when numerous Republicans, on and off Capitol Hill, expressed their frustration with the many extraneous provisions added to a short-term funding package.
#Tucson #Arizona

The best Tucson music of the year https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/arts/report/121824_music_2024/the-best-tucson-music-year/
As 2024 comes to a close, Tucson Sentinel music writers Julie Jennings Patterson and Xavier Omar Otero look back at some of the top local releases of 2024.
#Tucson #Arizona