Recent Articles from Ben Giles
Fernanda Santos: Journalist grows roots in the borderlands
Fernanda Santos spent 12 years at the New York Times, including the past five as a correspondent based in Arizona. When faced with a decision to continue at the newspaper or stay in Phoenix, she chose the desert. Now she’ll teach a new generation of journalists at Arizona State University.
Activists deliver petitions demanding Ducey advocate against confederate monuments
Over 1,000 petitions were delivered to Gov. Doug Ducey’s office Thursday morning demanding the governor advocate for removing Confederate monuments from state property.
Ethics committee opens inquiry on Dem Miranda, votes along party lines
The Arizona Senate Ethics Committee will investigate a Democratic state senator for allegedly violating signature gathering laws, but won’t do any real sleuthing until the attorney general weighs in.
Ousted agency head considers run for governor
Tim Jeffries, the former director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security who Gov. Doug Ducey ousted roughly a year ago, is now considering a run for governor.
DPS trooper, lab tech injured in Vegas shooting
Two employees from the Arizona Department of Public Safety were injured when a gunman opened fire on a country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Carpenters express safety concerns, demand leadership change at Industrial Commission
Dozens of workers from the Carpenters Union of Arizona attended the commission’s meeting on September 21, where they demanded the resignation of Chairman Dale Schultz, and the firing of Bill Warren, the director of the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety.
State employees, retirees will pay for health insurance trust sweeps
Arizona state employees will pay higher premiums and copays for health insurance next year, and some lawmakers say funding sweeps approved by the Republican-controlled state Legislature are partly to blame.
Court losses piling up for anti-abortion legislation, cost state millions
The state of Arizona has been ordered to pay roughly $2.2 million in legal fees in the past eight years to organizations that challenge restrictive abortion laws adopted by the Republican-controlled state Legislature.
John McComish: A man of many hats now dons a robe
Since trading in his legislator badge for judicial robes in 2015, John McComish said he has no regrets leaving the Capitol and mostly leaving politics behind.
State leaders converge on Arizona House to plan constitutional convention
State leaders who descended on Arizona’s Capitol to make plans for a potential convention of the states hope that their meeting of the minds helps legitimize their effort to amend the U.S. Constitution.
Livingston accuses Blanc of doctoring referendum petitions, calls for resignation
Rep. David Livingston said Rep. Isela Blanc should fully comply with any investigation into allegations she or others doctored petitions to help get a referendum of school voucher expansion on the ballot, and if she’s found in the wrong, resign from office.
Livingston files ethics complaint against Blanc over alleged petition doctoring
A Republican lawmaker wants Democratic Rep. Isela Blanc investigated by the House Ethics Committee, citing allegations that petition sheets she gathered to block an expansion of school vouchers were doctored.