Proposed I-11 highway still has many miles to go to become reality

In her centennial-themed State of the State speech this year, Gov. Jan Brewer called for an interstate highway between the only two major cities in West not connected by such a route — Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Taking the funds out of HURF

County officials tie highway projects to economic development prospects

Budget crunch forces schools to cut back on nurses

As funding continues on a downward spiral, educators and administrators are faced with the daunting task of keeping schools staffed and operating. While the laying off of teachers grabs the majority of school budget-cut headlines, there is a whole other group that is just as vital to kids’ success in schools and whose numbers are also dwindling: nurses.

Not a drop to spare

The 100th anniversary of Salt River Project’s Theodore Roosevelt Dam this month put the exclamation point on how important effective water management is to life in the Valley of the Sun.

Women in Public Policy

Which veteran lawmaker is tone-deaf? Which one would pass out campaign yo-yos if she could? One even says she eats dessert first if it is available “just in case something happens” that would prevent her from enjoying it later. The 50th Legislature, which started in January, features 31 women lawmakers, which is an increase of three over the 49th Legislature’s total of 28. While this grou[...]

Shades of Gray: Off-reservation gambling generally prohibited, but card rooms persist

With the opening of two grand, new casino facilities in the Valley of the Sun in the past year-and-a-half and hugely popular televised poker tournaments that create instant millionaires annually, the expansion and popularity of poker can’t be denied.

Despite vicious assault, Pratt still considers business area ‘fairly safe’

After a Christmas Day assault that left Republican Rep. Frank Pratt with severe facial lacerations, a broken nose, tied up and unconscious for several hours, he still considers the area around his business in Casa Grande "fairly safe."

Late spending flurries fail to help Dems win in 2010

Final campaign spending reports from the 2010 election season revealed desperation by ultimately unsuccessful candidates who loaned their campaigns large amounts of money, as well as aggressive spending by winning candidates who likely didn’t need it.

UpClose with Norris Nordvold: Former Phoenix official monitors elections in struggling democracies

Nordvold, a registered lobbyist and former city of Phoenix governmental affairs director, sat down with the Arizona Capitol Times to discuss his Election Day, Super Sunday in Azerbaijan, and other monitoring tales involving armored escorts and sleeping with ballots in his hotel room. He also recalls the first time he met Terry Goddard while riding on a bike path.

Despite setbacks, chief conservationist doesn’t consider her efforts futile

Lobbyists tend to avoid the spotlight, often preferring to moderate their comments on pressing issues if they’re quoted at all. That’s just not how Sandy Bahr operates.

The headlines we really wanted to write on election night

We see lots of things from our virtual perch high above 1700 W. Washington. Our exposure to all things political in Arizona typically results in some mix of these three... […]

Flake can’t stop himself from issuing warning to GOP

As the GOP wave that had started on the East Coast began cresting over Arizona on Election Night, excited energy filled the Hyatt as many seemed to sense that some power was coming. But not every Republican in the building was jumping for joy.