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Retired Supreme Court Justice and Arizona icon Sandra Day O'Connor is spearheading an effort to make major structural changes to state government in advance of the 2012 centennial. "We love this state and see the need for a few changes," she said.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Dennis Burke as the next U.S. attorney for Arizona. Burke, who served as chief of staff for former Gov. Janet Napolitano, was one of four U.S. attorney nominees to be approved by the committee on Sept. 10, according to media reports. His nomination still must be approved by the full Senate before he takes his post.

Legislative Republicans may have to reconcile themselves to at least one year of the state equalization property tax. It would be theoretically possible to repeal the tax retroactively during the next legislative session, so that property owners would be reimbursed for the taxes already paid under the equalization rate. But any lawmaker hoping to do so can expect fierce opposition from county treasurers.

The same day County Attorney Andrew Thomas registered an exploratory committee for the 2010 campaign to become attorney general, House Minority Leader David Lujan sent the media a list of people who are supporting his bid for the office.Lujan, a Democrat from Phoenix, is serving his third term in the Arizona House. He just finished his first legislative session as minority leader.

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas took his first official step toward launching a 2010 campaign to become the state's next attorney general by registering an exploratory committee with the Secretary of State's Office on Sept. 9.

SEDONA - Next to a sign promising red rock views from every room of an inn - walk-ins welcome - and down the street from a trolley service billing itself as "the best first thing to do in Sedona," Damon Anderson, six-shooter on his hip, marshal badge on his vest, twirls a lasso to lure tourists into Red Rock Western Jeep Tours.

The dogtag around Margy Bons' neck bears a picture of her son, Marine Sgt. Michael Marzano. Her office contains a shrine of sorts to him: his Marine Corps portrait, a picture of the day he received his sergeant's stripes, a Marine Corps service medallion, a folded U.S. flag she received after he was killed in Iraq in 2005.

TUCSON - More convicted drunk drivers could soon have to pay for their own jail stays if Pima County officials get their way. Officials at the Pima County Adult Detention Center recently met with judges and top prosecutors to remind them that drunk drivers can be ordered to reimburse counties for the cost of locking them up.

Barbara Hickman, assistant superintendent of the Flagstaff Unified School District, said the calls started not long after President Barack Obama announced a televised back-to-school address for Sept. 8. She'd received between 10 and 20 calls from parents by the afternoon of Sept. 3, one day after the announcement. Some raised mild concerns and others were much more leery.

Most states are swimming in red ink, but Arizona is on the verge of drowning in it. Federal stimulus dollars intended to prop up government revenues and help states weather the economic storm have been spent, and the Grand Canyon State is facing deficits that could reach $3 billion in each of the next three years.