A block of five Republican senators joined forces with Senate Democrats on May 16 to wrest control of the chamber from Sen. President Andy Biggs and provide momentum to Gov. Brewer’s proposal to expand Medicaid in Arizona.

WASHINGTON — Regulators have closed a small bank in Arizona, bringing the number of U.S. bank failures to 13 this year.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Tuesday seized Central Arizona Bank, based in Scottsdale, Ariz.

PRESCOTT — The first medical marijuana dispensary in Yavapai County is set to open this week in Chino Valley.

Gov. Jan Brewer on Thursday vetoed SB1439, which would have recognized gold and silver specie as legal tender in Arizona, along with any other specie that a “court of competent jurisdiction” deems to be within the state’s authority to make legal tender.

TUCSON — The Tucson Unified School District is mulling a plan to spend as much as $84.5 million to desegregate its schools.

The federal government has told Arizona that it will not be able to continue cuts to its Medicaid program beyond the end of the year if it hopes to receive federal funding for a voter-approved expansion of the program.

As expectations for reading, writing and math have increased, emphasis on civic awareness among Arizona students has dropped, according to the state’s top education official.

CASA GRANDE — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the state’s decision to award a ground-water protection permit to Curis Resources for its planned copper mine in Florence.

Arizona’s city, county and state governments are handing out billions in economic development incentives to attract business — but not without resistance from critics who dispute their necessity.

The impasse between Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leadership over Medicaid expansion, sales tax reform and Common Core educational standards has left many lawmakers reluctant to send her their bills for fear of encountering a veto.