Exposed to the beating sun and hot dry air, more than 10% of the water carried by the Colorado River evaporates, leaks or spills as the 1,450-mile (2,334-kilometer) powerhouse of the West flows through the region's dams, reservoirs and open-air canals.
Read More »In the West, pressure to count water lost to evaporation
Election-denying lawmakers hold key election oversight roles 
Republican lawmakers who have spread election conspiracy theories and falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential outcome was rigged are overseeing legislative committees charged with setting election policy in two major political battleground states. Divided government in Arizona and Pennsylvania means that any voting restrictions those GOP legislators propose is likely to fail.
Read More »Expanding health care to help those with diabetes critical
Expanding access to health care in Arizona is one of the most important tasks we must tackle in the wake of the Covid pandemic, particularly for our most vulnerable populations and underserved communities who had underlying medical conditions that magnified the disease’s harm. To prevent diabetes from dictating someone’s life, it’s imperative that high-quality and affordable healthcare options are available.
Read More »Arizona shouldn’t settle for bad abortion laws
The political rhetoric is loud, but I know the quiet truth: there is never a reasonable time for an abortion ban. I know because I was affected by one.
Read More »Pandemic, culture wars revive ‘school choice’ policy push 
With memories fresh from pandemic-era school closures and curriculum battles — particularly over how matters of gender and race are taught — legions of parents are trekking to the marble floors of their state Capitols to fight to create education savings accounts, also known as ESAs. Such accounts exist in Arizona and West Virginia, though Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs argues the dollars would be better spent bolstering chronically underfunded public schools.
Read More »Governor targets results-based funding for schools 
Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs proposed the end of results-based funding in her budget, effectively untying additional per-pupil funding from achievement determined by the school letter grade system.
Read More »Lawmakers back Rio Verde in water dispute
State legislators are prepared to intervene in a conflict between Scottsdale and Rio Verde over dwindling water supply that Scottsdale says it is not required to share with the community.
Read More »Sinema’s immigration plan doesn’t work for Arizonans
Kyrsten Sinema -- Arizona's Democrat-turned-independent U.S. senator -- and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina recently negotiated an immigration package that, in theory, could solve the worst border crisis in American history. Unfortunately, in practice, the package would do little to staunch the record influx of illegal immigrants. If anything, it could make the problem even worse.
Read More »Rep. Gallego announces bid for Sinema’s Arizona Senate seat 
Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, a liberal firebrand and prominent Latino lawmaker, announced Monday he'll challenge independent U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in 2024, becoming the first candidate to jump into the race and setting up a potential three-way contest.
Read More »Building the future: Trade occupations encouraged as demand for skilled labor grows 
The need for skilled people willing to get their hands dirty is growing across the country. But will there be enough craftspeople to meet that demand? The Arizona Commerce Authority estimates that by 2030, the number of people employed in construction and manufacturing jobs in the state is expected to rise 30% and more than 20%, respectively.
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