Az lawmakers seek to resolve teacher shortage via raises & insurance benefits https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022323_az_teacher_shortage/az-lawmakers-seek-resolve-teacher-shortage-via-raises-insurance-benefits/
Lawmakers are hoping to convince teachers to stay in Arizona with a $10,000 pay raise, but the proposal comes with caveats that opponents say renders it purely performative and the total funding allocation is likely to repeatedly push schools over the constitutional spending cap.
#Tucson #Arizona
Recreational sales drive Arizona marijuana spending to more than $1.4 billion in 2022 https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022323_az_marijuana_spending/recreational-sales-drive-arizona-marijuana-spending-more-than-14-billion-2022/
Total Arizona marijuana sales in 2022 mirrored the total from 2021, the first year of the legal adult use market, but the paths that each year reached $1.4 billion in sales were strikingly different.
#Tucson #Arizona
Supreme Court eviscerates Arizona on death penalty scheme https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022323_scotus_az_death_penalty/supreme-court-eviscerates-arizona-death-penalty-scheme/
The Supreme Court awarded postconviction relief to a man on death row for killing a police officer after Arizona courts kept jurors in the dark about its policy of denying parole to anyone sentenced to life in prison - despite the fact the court called the policy unconstitutional in 2016.
#Tucson #Arizona
Arizona AG’s office debunked election fraud claims. Brnovich kept those conclusions secret. https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022323_brnovich_secrets/arizona-ags-office-debunked-election-fraud-claims-brnovich-kept-those-conclusions-secret/
While conspiracy theories continued to spread online about alleged voter fraud, former Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s Office had already concluded that those allegations were factually inaccurate — but he kept those conclusions hidden from the public.
#Tucson #Arizona
EPA plan would stop SRP from dumping coal ash into Coronado Generating Station evaporation ponds https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022323_epa_salt_river_project/epa-plan-would-stop-srp-from-dumping-coal-ash-into-coronado-generating-station-evaporation-ponds/
The Environmental Protection Agency has notified Salt River Project that it plans to deny the utility’s request to continue dumping coal ash into an unlined pond at its Coronado Generating Station coal-fired plant in eastern Arizona.
#Tucson #Arizona
Workers' market gives employees opportunities, help against inflation headwinds https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022323_laborers_market/workers-market-gives-employees-opportunities-help-against-inflation-headwinds/
For Arizona residents, the job market has tilted in favor of job seekers in a way rarely seen - but there are reasons for workers to be concerned that wages are not keeping up with costs.
#Tucson #Arizona
Federal grant could extend broadband to 127,000 Arizona homes & businesses https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022223_broadband_grant/federal-grant-could-extend-broadband-127000-arizona-homes-businesses/
The Treasury released $99.4 million in broadband funding to Arizona, money that officials said could bring broadband internet service to an estimated 127,807 households and businesses around the state.
#Tucson #Arizona
Election Integrity Unit’s latest pivot has both sides in Arizona questioning whether it should exist at all https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022223_az_election_review/election-integrity-units-latest-pivot-has-both-sides-arizona-questioning-whether-it-should-exist-all/
Former AG Brnovich hid findings from the election fraud unit that debunked claims of widespread fraud in Arizona’s 2020 election, and Kris Mayes announced she will use the unit to combat voter suppression - leading to questions about whether the unit should exist at all.
#Tucson #Arizona
'I will never stop': Arizona legislative fight against fentanyl continues as drug seizures rise https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022223_fentanyl_deaths/i-will-never-stop-arizona-legislative-fight-against-fentanyl-continues-as-drug-seizures-rise/
An Arizona bill that would establish a level 1 felony punishment for selling a narcotic drug that results in the death of the user aims to help stem the fentanyl epidemic, the third wave of the opioid epidemic that has gripped the country since the 1990s.
#Tucson #Arizona
Biden administration proposes new rules to curb asylum access https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/022223_biden_asylum_rules/biden-administration-proposes-new-rules-curb-asylum-access/
The Biden administration announced a proposal that would bar foreigners who attempt to illegally cross into the country along the U.S.-Mexico border from later seeking asylum - a proposal decried by immigrant rights groups as "Trump's asylum ban under a different name."
#Tucson #Arizona
Truck crashes involving hazardous chemicals more frequent & deadly than train derailments https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022223_hazardous_chemicals_crashes_op/truck-crashes-involving-hazardous-chemicals-more-frequent-deadly-than-train-derailments/
Trucks carry the largest percentage of hazardous materials shipped in the U.S. – about twice as much as trains when measured in ton-miles - but truck crashes tend to be local and less dramatic than a pile of derailed train cars on fire, even if they’re deadlier.
#Tucson #Arizona
Truck crashes involving hazardous chemicals more frequent and deadly than train derailments https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/022223_hazardous_chemicals_crashes_op/truck-crashes-involving-hazardous-chemicals-more-frequent-and-deadly-than-train-derailments/
Trucks carry the largest percentage of hazardous materials shipped in the U.S. – about twice as much as trains when measured in ton-miles - but truck crashes tend to be local and less dramatic than a pile of derailed train cars on fire, even if they’re deadlier.
#Tucson #Arizona
GOP bill would require Arizonans to provide ID to look at online porn https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022223_online_porn_bill/gop-bill-would-require-arizonans-provide-id-look-online-porn/
A Republican bill would require Arizonans to submit a government-issued ID to a website operator before accessing “sexually explicit material” online, but the bill is written so broadly that critics say it could require the same of major streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu.
#Tucson #Arizona
9th Circuit restores Trump-era gut of Clean Water Act rule https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/022223_clean_water_act_ruling/9th-circuit-restores-trump-era-gut-clean-water-act-rule/
A Ninth Circuit panel revived a Trump-era Clean Water Act regulation that states could not consider a project’s effects on air emissions and road traffic congestion, finding the lower court lacked authority to vacate the rule without finding it unlawful.
#Tucson #Arizona
Proposed bill would make suspending Arizona kindergarteners easier https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022223_kindergarten_suspension_bill/proposed-bill-would-make-suspending-arizona-kindergarteners-easier/
Some Arizona legislators and school officials want to pull back a 2021 law that makes it more difficult to suspend the state’s youngest elementary school students, unless they were at least seven years old and their behavior reached a certain threshold.
#Tucson #Arizona
Federal grant could extend broadband to Arizona 127,000 homes, businesses https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022223_broadband_grant/federal-grant-could-extend-broadband-arizona-127000-homes-businesses/
The Treasury released $99.4 million in broadband funding to Arizona, money that officials said could bring broadband internet service to an estimated 127,807 households and businesses around the state.
#Tucson #Arizona
Bill would provide oversight, nix bed limits at Arizona State Hospital https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022123_state_hospital_oversight/bill-would-provide-oversight-nix-bed-limits-arizona-state-hospital/
State legislators unanimously advanced a proposal to create an independent board to oversee the Arizona State Hospital, which cares for some of the state’s most vulnerable people, and is currently subject to oversight by the Arizona Department of Health Services.
#Tucson #Arizona
Arizona House considers making schools offer firearms safety training in grades 6-12 https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022223_firearms_schools/arizona-house-considers-making-schools-offer-firearms-safety-training-grades-6-12/
Arizona’s House of Representatives is continuing to advance a bill requiring public middle and high schools in Arizona to offer training on the proper handling of firearms.
#Tucson #Arizona
Phoenix officials urged to address income discrimination against renters on public assistance https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022223_phoenix_housing_discrimination/phoenix-officials-urged-address-income-discrimination-against-renters-public-assistance/
Residents who have struggled with high rent in Phoenix are calling on city officials to pass an ordinance addressing discrimination against renters who receive public assistance - similar to an ordinance passed by the Tucson City Council in September that is currently on hold.
#Tucson #Arizona
Arizona Senate Republicans put Hobbs’ choice to lead Administration Dep't on hold https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/022123_thorson_nomination_stalled/arizona-senate-republicans-put-hobbs-choice-lead-administration-dept-hold/
The confirmation of Gov. Katie Hobbs’ pick to lead the state’s largest agency stalled after Republican Jake Hoffman said that the nominee didn’t speak “honestly and truthfully” to the state newly formed Senate Director Nominations Committee.
#Tucson #Arizona
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