News
Biden administration to create new gun violence prevention office
WASHINGTON — The White House Thursday announced the formation of an Office of Gun Violence Prevention that will help states and local governments as they implement a gun safety legislative package President Joe Biden signed into law last year. Lacking additional action in Congress to curb gun violence, “the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along […]
Arizona abortion access initiative to start signature gathering
The initiative seeking to make abortion a fundamental right in the Grand Canyon state has officially launched the signature gathering effort necessary to land on the 2024 ballot. Reproductive rights advocates gathered Thursday to urge Arizonans to support the campaign for the Arizona Abortion Access Act, which aims to enshrine the procedure as a right […]
Parents want answers on how ESA money is spent
Parents whose children go to public schools and those whose kids attend private schools through Arizona’s universal school voucher program want more transparency about how the program uses tax money to pay student tuition at private schools. The Empowerment Scholarship Account program has existed since 2011, originally created to help special education students, those attending […]
Shutdown inches closer as U.S. House GOP fails to pass defense bill, lawmakers exit D.C.
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans were unable for a third time Thursday to begin debate on the Defense funding bill, throwing another wrench into Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s leadership tenure. The 212-216 vote that rejected the rule for the $826 billion Defense spending measure was unexpected, coming less than a day after House GOP lawmakers gathered […]
Why did county attorney Rachel Mitchell appear at an anti-LGBTQ hate group’s event?
A Moms for Liberty event that took place in Mesa last week applauded state legislators who have actively promoted anti-LGBTQ+ policies. But the event also included Rachel Mitchell, the Maricopa County attorney, who has in the past remained silent on the debate waged by conservative lawmakers on LGBTQ+ rights in public schools. The full meeting […]
AG says Phoenix firearm donation to Ukraine is illegal
The City of Phoenix’s donation of more than 500 firearms to the National Police of Ukraine last month was illegal, according to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. The city already transferred 500-600 unclaimed firearms to Gruelle, a private company based in Philadelphia, which was set to deliver those firearms — worth around $200,000 — to […]
A ‘disaster’ nears: Millions of federal workers’ paychecks would be on hold in a shutdown
WASHINGTON — More than 3.5 million federal employees and military personnel — many in the Washington, D.C., area but also scattered across the states and around the globe — are bracing for another partial government shutdown, as U.S. House Republicans struggle to produce a short-term plan to fund the government past the end of the […]
Campaign launches to open AZ primary elections, implement ranked choice voting
There are more Arizona voters registered with no political party than with either of the two major parties, but primary elections in the Grand Canyon State continue to operate under a two-party system — but a newly launched campaign aiming for a spot on the 2024 ballot seeks to change that. Dubbed the “Make Elections […]
U.S. House GOP spending bills falter as Congress struggles to avoid a shutdown
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats said Tuesday they are preparing their own short-term spending bill that they believe will garner bipartisan support, a decision that could stave off a partial government shutdown — and as House Republicans failed to advance two spending bills. The Senate move would work as long as the House votes to […]
Kari Lake appeals again, accuses Maricopa County of ‘engineered Election Day chaos’
More than 10 months after she lost the 2022 race for Arizona governor, Republican Kari Lake is still fighting the results of the election, telling an appeals court that Maricopa County “engineered the Election Day chaos.” Lake and her attorneys have yet to stop their quest to overturn the results of the election that she […]
SAG-AFTRA Arizona members rally as part of national strike for TV, film worker protections, higher wages
PHOENIX – Members of the Arizona-Utah chapter of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists rallied in Phoenix on Sunday to demand increased benefits and residuals, prohibition of artificial intelligence content and protections against unauthorized use of their likeness. SAG-AFTRA local leaders and members were joined at the U.A. Local 469 union hall by leaders of […]
‘You think that you’re dumb’: Graduates of AZ’s English immersion model say it was traumatizing
As the Arizona Department of Education continues its fight to teach English language learners through full immersion, the department’s deputy chief said that she’s never heard that the learning model contributes to mental health issues for students. But several former students who learned English that way told the Arizona Mirror that their experience with full […]